Search for Tidal Dwarf Galaxies Candidates in a Sample of Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies

Understand

(ABRIDGED) Star-forming small galaxies made out of collisional debris have been found in a variety of merging systems.

• So far only a few of them are known in ULIRGs although they show clear signs of interactions.
• Whether external star formation may take place in such objects is an open question.
• The aim of this paper is to identify and characterise the physical and kinematic properties of the external star forming regions in a sample of ULIRGs, including TDG candidates, using optical IFS and high angular resolution HST imaging.