Kinematically-Decoupled Cores in Dwarf Ellipticals in the Virgo Cluster: Implications for Infallen Groups in Clusters

A small fraction 8%) of elliptical galaxies contain kinematically-decoupled cores (KDCs), where the kinematical properties of the central region of the galaxy are distinct from those of the main body of the galaxy. KDCs are difficult to detect in dwarf elliptical (dE) galaxies because of their low central surface brightnesses. There was only one statistically robust detection of a KDC in a dE prior to our study. We present spectroscopic evidence for KDCs in two Virgo cluster dEs, VCC 1183 and VCC 1453, that were studied as part of the SMAKCED project. These KDCs have radii of 1.8$''$ (0.14 kpc) and 4.2$''$ (0.33 kpc), respectively. They are distinct from the main body of the galaxy is three ways: (1) inverted sense of rotation; (2) younger and more metal-rich stellar population; and (3) rounder isophotal shape. The frequency of occurence of KDCs and their properties provide important constraints on the formation history of their host galaxies. We discuss different formation scenarios for these KDCs and for dEs in general. The fact that dEs represent the most common galaxy class in clusters and have never been seen in isolation suggests that they are products of environmental processes that transformed their progenitors. However, it is unclear which types of galaxies are dE progenitors and which environmental processes are the most important. These KDCs provide new clues. Dwarf-dwarf wet mergers and gas accretion are argued to be the only mechanisms that can simultaneously explain all of the properties of these KDCs. Both of these mechanisms require that the progenitor had a close companion with a small relative velocity. Thus, we conclude that KDCs in cluster dEs were formed in galaxy pairs residing in poor groups or in isolation whose subsequent infall into the cluster quenched their star formation. This research was supported by a Fulbright fellowship and by a grant from the National Science Foundation