We present high-resolution rotation curves and mass models of 26 dwarf galaxies from "Local Irregulars That Trace Luminosity Extremes, The H I Nearby Galaxy Survey" (LITTLE THINGS). LITTLE THINGS is a high-resolution (∼6″ angular; <2.6 km s −1 velocity resolution) Very Large Array H I survey for nearby dwarf galaxies in the local volume within 11 Mpc. The high-resolution H I observations enable us to derive reliable rotation curves of the sample galaxies in a homogeneous and consistent manner. The rotation curves are then combined with Spitzer archival 3.6 μm and ancillary optical U, B, and V images to construct mass models of the galaxies. This high quality multi-wavelength data set significantly reduces observational uncertainties and thus allows us to examine the mass distribution in the galaxies in detail. We decompose the rotation curves in terms of the dynamical contributions by baryons and dark matter (DM) halos, and compare the latter with those of dwarf galaxies from THINGS as well as ΛCDM Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamic (SPH) simulations in which the effect of baryonic feedback processes is included. Being generally consistent with THINGS and simulated dwarf galaxies, most of the LITTLE THINGS sample galaxies show a linear increase of the rotation curve in their inner regions, which gives shallower logarithmic inner slopes α of their DM density profiles. The mean value of the slopes of the 26 LITTLE THINGS dwarf galaxies is α = − ± 0.32 0.24 which is in accordance with the previous results found for low surface brightness galaxies (α = − ± 0.2 0.2) as well as the seven THINGS dwarf galaxies (α = − ± 0.29 0.07). However, this significantly deviates from the cusp-like DM distribution predicted by DM-only ΛCDM simulations. Instead our results are more in line with the shallower slopes found in the ΛCDM SPH simulations of dwarf galaxies in which the effect of baryonic feedback processes is included. In addition, we discuss the central DM distribution of DDO 210 whose stellar mass is relatively low in our sample to examine the scenario of inefficient supernova feedback in low mass dwarf galaxies predicted from recent ΛCDM SPH simulations of dwarf galaxies where central cusps still remain.
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Using deep 21-cm H I data from the Green Bank Telescope we have detected an 18.3 kpc-long gaseous extension associated with the starbursting dwarf galaxy IC 10. The newly-found feature stretches 1.3 • to the northwest and has a large radial velocity gradient reaching to ∼65 km s −1 lower than the IC 10 systemic velocity. A region of higher column density at the end of the extension that possesses a coherent velocity gradient (∼10 km s −1 across ∼26 ) transverse to the extension suggests rotation and may be a satellite galaxy of IC 10. The H I mass of IC 10 is 9.5×10 7 (d/805 kpc) 2 M and the mass of the new extension is 7.1×10 5 (d/805 kpc) 2 M . An IC 10-M31 orbit using known radial velocity and proper motion values for IC 10 show that the H I extension is inconsistent with the trailing portion of the orbit so that an M31-tidal or ram pressure origin seems unlikely. We argue that the most plausible explanation for the new feature is that it is the result of a recent interaction (and possible late merger) with another dwarf galaxy. This interaction could not only have triggered the origin of the recent starburst in IC 10, but could also explain the existence of previously-found counter-rotating H I gas in the periphery of the IC 10 which was interpreted as originating from primordial gas infall.
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