We present a catalogue of galaxy photometric redshifts and k‐corrections for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 (SDSS‐DR7), available on the World Wide Web. The photometric redshifts were estimated with an artificial neural network using five ugriz bands, concentration indices and Petrosian radii in the g and r bands. We have explored our redshift estimates with different training sets, thus concluding that the best choice for improving redshift accuracy comprises the main galaxy sample (MGS), the luminous red galaxies and the galaxies of active galactic nuclei covering the redshift range 0 < z≤ 0.3. For the MGS, the photometric redshift estimates agree with the spectroscopic values within rms = 0.0227. The distribution of photometric redshifts derived in the range 0 < zphot≤ 0.6 agrees well with the model predictions. k‐corrections were derived by calibration of the k‐correct_v4.2 code results for the MGS with the reference‐frame (z= 0.1) (g−r) colours. We adopt a linear dependence of k‐corrections on redshift and (g−r) colours that provide suitable distributions of luminosity and colours for galaxies up to redshift zphot= 0.6 comparable to the results in the literature. Thus, our k‐correction estimate procedure is a powerful, low computational time algorithm capable of reproducing suitable results that can be used for testing galaxy properties at intermediate redshifts using the large SDSS data base.

We analyse a sample of 71 triplets of luminous galaxies derived from the work of O'Mill et al. (2012). We compare the properties of triplets and their members with those of control samples of compact groups, the ten brightest members of rich clusters, and galaxies in pairs.The triplets are restricted to have members with spectroscopic redshifts in the range 0.01 z 0.14 and absolute r-band luminosities brighter than M r = −20.5. For these member galaxies, we analyse the stellar mass content, the star formation rates, the D n (4000) parameter and (M g − M r ) colour index. Since galaxies in triplets may finally merge in a single system, we analyse different global properties of these systems. We calculate the probability that the properties of galaxies in triplets are strongly correlated. We also study total star formation activity and global colours, and define the triplet compactness as a measure of the percentage of the system total area that is filled by the light of member galaxies. We concentrate in the comparison of our results with those of compact groups to assess how the triplets are a natural extension of these compact systems.Our analysis suggest that triplet galaxy members behave similarly to compact group members and galaxies in rich clusters. We also find that systems comprising three blue, starforming, young stellar population galaxies (blue triplets) are most probably real systems and not a chance configuration of interloping galaxies. The same holds for triplets composed by three red, non star-forming galaxies, showing the correlation of galaxy properties in these systems. From the analysis of the triplet as a whole, we conclude that, at a given total stellar mass content, triplets show a total star formation activity and global colours similar to compact groups. However, blue triplets show a high total star formation activity with a lower stellar mass content. From an analysis of the compactness parameter of the systems we find that light is even more concentrated in triplets than in compact groups.We propose that triplets composed by three luminous galaxies, should not be considered as an analogous of galaxy pairs with a third extra member, but rather they are a natural extension of compact groups.

We present a new catalogue of galaxy triplets derived from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7. The identification of systems was performed considering galaxies brighter than Mr=−20.5 and imposing constraints over the projected distances, radial velocity differences of neighbouring galaxies and isolation. To improve the identification of triplets, we employed a data pixelization scheme, which allows us to handle large amounts of data as in the SDSS photometric survey. Using spectroscopic and photometric data in the redshift range 0.01 ≤z≤ 0.40, we obtain 5901 triplet candidates. We have used a mock catalogue to analyse the completeness and contamination of our methods. The results show a high level of completeness (∼80 per cent) and low contamination (∼5 per cent). By using photometric and spectroscopic data, we have also addressed the effects of fibre collisions in the spectroscopic sample. We have defined an isolation criterion considering the distance of the triplet brightest galaxy to the closest neighbour cluster, to describe a global environment, as well as the galaxies within a fixed aperture, around the triplet brightest galaxy, to measure the local environment. The final catalogue comprises 1092 isolated triplets of galaxies in the redshift range 0.01 ≤z≤ 0.40. Our results show that photometric redshifts provide very useful information, allowing us to complete the sample of nearby systems whose detection is affected by fibre collisions, as well as extending the detection of triplets to large distances, where spectroscopic redshifts are not available.

Context. S uzaku and Chandra X-ray observations detected a new cluster of galaxies, Suzaku J1759−3450, at a redshift z = 0.13. It is located behind the Milky Way, and the high Galactic dust extinction renders it nearly invisible at optical wavelengths. Aims. We attempt here to confirm the galaxy cluster with near-infrared imaging observations and to characterize its central member galaxies. Methods. Images from the VVV survey were used to detect candidate member galaxies of Suzaku J1759−3450 within the central region of the cluster up to 350 kpc from the X-ray peak emission. Color-magnitude diagrams, color-color diagrams, and morphology criteria allowed us to select the galaxies among the numerous foreground sources. Results. Fifteen candidate cluster members were found very close to a modeled red-sequence at the redshift of the cluster. Five members are extremely bright, and one is possibly a cD galaxy. The asymmetry in the spatial distribution of the galaxies with respect to the X-ray peak emission is an indicator that this cluster is still suffering a virialization process. Conclusions. Our investigation of Suzaku J1759−3450 demonstrates the potential of the VVV survey to study the hidden population of galaxies in the zone of avoidance.

We analyse the spatial configuration and the dynamical properties of a sample of 92 galaxy triplets obtained from the SDSS-DR7 (SDSS-triplets) restricted to have members with spectroscopic redshifts in the range 0.01 z 0.14 and absolute r-band luminosities brighter than M r = −20.5. The configuration analysis was performed through Agekyan & Anosova map (AA-map). We estimated dynamical parameters, namely the radius of the system, the velocity dispersion, a dimensionless crossing-time and the virial mass. We compared our results with those obtained for a sample of triplets from the catalogue "Isolated Triplets of Galaxies" (K-triplets) and a sample of Compact Groups. We have also studied a mock catalogue in order to compare real and projected configurations, and to estimate the three dimensional dynamical parameters of the triple systems. We found that the SDSS-triplets prefer alignment configurations while K-triplets present an uniform distribution in the AA-map. From the dynamical analysis we conclude that the SDSS-triplets, K-triplets and Compact Groups present a similar behaviour comprising compact systems with low crossing-time values, with velocity dispersions and virial masses similar to those of low mass loose groups. Moreover, we found that observed and simulated triplets present similar dynamical parameters. We also performed an analysis of the dark matter content of galaxy triplets finding that member galaxies of mock triplets belong to the same dark matter halo, showing a dynamical co-evolution of the system. These results suggest that the configuration and dynamics of triple systems favour galaxy interactions and mergers.

We study the properties of a sample of 3967 LINER galaxies selected from SDSS-DR7, respect to their proximity to galaxy groups. The host galaxies of LINER have been analysed and compared with a well defined control sample of 3841 non-LINER galaxies matched in redshift, luminosity, colour, morphology, age and stellar mass content. We find no difference between LINER and control galaxies in terms of colour and age of stellar population as function of the virial mass and distance to the geometric centre of the group. However, we find that LINER are more likely to populate low density environments in spite of their morphology, which is typical of high density regions such as rich galaxy clusters. For rich (poor) galaxy groups, the occurrence of LINER is ∼2 times lower (higher) than the occurrence of matched, non-LINER galaxies. Moreover, LINER hosts do not seem to follow the expected morphology-density relation in groups of high virial mass. The high frequency of LINERS in low density regions could be due to the combination of a sufficiently ample gas reservoir to power the low ionization emission and/or enhanced galaxy interaction rates benefiting the gas flow toward their central regions.

We analyse interacting galaxy pairs with evidence of tidal features in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 (SDSS-DR7). The pairs were selected within z < 0.1 by requiring a projected separation r p < 50 h −1 kpc and relative radial velocity ∆V < 500 km s −1 . We complete spectroscopic pairs using galaxies with photometric redshifts considering ∆V phot < 6800 km s −1 , taking into account the mean photometric redshift uncertainty. We classify by visual inspection pairs of spirals into co-rotating and counter-rotating systems. For a subsample of non-AGN galaxies, counter-rotating pairs have larger star formation rates, and a higher fraction of young, star-forming galaxies. These effects are enhanced by restricting to r p < 12 h −1 kpc. The distributions of C, D n (4000) and (M u − M r ) for AGN galaxies show that counter-rotating hosts have bluer colours and younger stellar population than the co-rotating galaxies although the relative fractions of Seyfert, Liner, Composite and Ambiguous AGN are similar. Also, counter-rotating hosts have more powerful AGN as revealed by enhanced Lum[OIII] values. The number of co-rotating systems is approximately twice the number of counter-rotating pairs which could be owed to a more rapid evolution of counterrotating systems, besides possible different initial conditions of these interacting pairs.

Aims. With the aim of performing a suitable comparison of the internal process of galactic bars with respect to the external effect of interactions on driving gas toward the inner most region of the galaxies, we explored and compared the efficiency of both mechanisms on central nuclear activity in optically selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in spiral galaxies. Methods. We selected homogeneous samples of barred AGNs and active objects residing in pair systems, derived from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). In order to carry out a reliable comparison of both samples (AGNs in barred hosts in isolation and in galaxy pairs), we selected spiral AGN galaxies with similar distributions of redshift, magnitude, stellar mass, color and stellar age population from both catalogs. With the goal of providing an appropriate quantification of the influence of strong bars and interactions on nuclear activity, we also constructed a suitable control sample of unbarred spiral AGNs without a companion and with similar host properties to the other two samples.Results. We found that barred optically selected AGNs show an excess of nuclear activity (as derived from the Lum[OIII]) and accretion rate onto a central black hole (R) with respect to AGNs in pairs. In addition, both samples show an excess of high values of Lum[OIII] and R with respect to unbarred AGNs in the control sample. We also found that the fractions of AGNs with powerful nuclear activity and high accretion rates increase toward more massive hosts with bluer colors and younger stellar populations. Moreover, AGNs with bars exhibit a higher fraction of galaxies with powerful Lum[OIII] and efficient R with respect to AGN galaxies inhabiting pair systems, in bins of different galaxy properties. Regarding AGNs belonging to pair systems, we found that the central nuclear activity is remarkably dependent on the galaxy pair companion features. The Lum [OIII] for AGNs in pairs is clearly enhanced when the galaxy companion exhibits a bright and more massive host with high metallicity, blue color, efficient star formation activity and young stellar population. The results of this work reveal an important capacity of both mechanisms, bars and interactions, to transport material towards the galaxy central regions. In this context, it should also be noted that the internal process of the bar is more efficient at improving the central nuclear activity in AGN objects than that corresponding to the external mechanism of the galaxy-galaxy interactions.