Unveiling bar structures in galaxy triplets: a comprehensive study of isolated galaxy triplets in the local universe

Abstract

A comprehensive analysis of barred galaxies in triplet systems, drawn from the SDSS-based catalog of isolated galaxy triplets composed of 315 triplet systems (945 galaxy members) is presented. The primary objective for this study is to investigate the bar fraction (\(f_{bar}\)) within these systems and explore its correlation with various intrinsic and extrinsic properties of the triplets. Our final sample, after excluding highly inclined and merging galaxies, comprises 427 galaxy members embedded in 232 triplet systems. The final sample reveals a bar fraction of 42\(\%\) with a bar fraction that significantly increases in nearby systems (with smaller redshift) characterized by higher virial mass (\(M_{vir}\)), lower radial velocities (\(\sigma \)) among their members, and larger angular separations (\(r_{p}\)) and harmonic projected distances (\(r_{h}\)) between the triplet members. Additionally, it has been noticed that the large-scale structure (LSS) influences the bar fraction, with \(f_{bar}\) decreasing as the distance from the primary galaxy (G1) to the first neighborhood increases (\(d_{NN}\)). Furthermore, \(f_{bar}\) decreases as tidal strength generated by the galaxies in the \(LSS\) (\(Q_{LSS}\))increases. These findings suggest that both the dynamical environment and the local interactions within triplet systems significantly impact the abundance of barred structures. This study provides valuable insights into the role of environmental factors in shaping galaxy morphology, particularly in systems with complex gravitational interactions.