First Detection of PAHs and Warm Molecular Hydrogen in Tidal Dwarf Galaxies

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Abstract
We observed two faint tidal dwarf galaxies (TDGs), NGC 5291N and NGC 5291 S with the Infrared Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope. We detect strong polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission, which match models of groups of \~100 carbon atoms with an equal mixture of neutral and ionized PAHs. The TDGs have a dominant warm ~140 K dust component in marked contrast to the cooler, 40-60 K dust found in starburst galaxies. For the first time we detect the low-J rotational lines from molecular hydrogen. Adopting LTE there is ~10^5 solar masses of ~400 K gas, which is 3.2. NGC 5291 N and S have stellar masses of (1.5 and 3.0) 10^8 solar masses, which is comparable to BCDs. This system appears to be a remarkable TDG nursery.

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