Searching for UDG and LSBs in the Hydra cluster with MeerKAT HI
Journal article, 2026
Ultra diffuse galaxies (UDGs) are a low surface brightness population of galaxies exhibiting large sizes. Their recent unexpected abundance in clusters has brought into question our understanding of galaxy evolution and the effect of the harsh cluster environment. Using MeerKAT HI observations of the Hydra I cluster, a nearby Southern galaxy cluster with ongoing galaxy interactions and evolution, we explore the neutral hydrogen content in low stellar mass galaxies, specifically investigating UDGs. Detailed observations of these galaxies in HI provide insights into the processes they experience in these harsh and dense environments. We present preliminary results on our search for UDGs in the Hydra cluster with MeerKAT, including HI detections of a UDG near the center of the cluster, a possible LSB galaxy and a dark cloud of neutral hydrogen.
ultra-diffuse galaxies
low surface brightness galaxies
galaxy evolution
cluster environment
Author
Nazir Makda
South African Astronomical Observatory
University of Cape Town
Rosalind E. Skelton
South African Astronomical Observatory
S. L. Blyth
University of Cape Town
Kelley Michelle Hess
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Onsala Space Observatory
Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Hao Chen
Zhejiang Laboratory
University of Cape Town
Julia Healy
University of Manchester
UK SKA Regional Centre (ukSRC)
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
1743-9213 (ISSN) 1743-9221 (eISSN)
Vol. 20 S392 63-66Subject Categories (SSIF 2025)
Astronomy, Astrophysics, and Cosmology
DOI
10.1017/S1743921324003429
Related datasets
Supplementary data [dataset]
URI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ S1743921324003429