Seyfert galaxies in UZC-Compact Groups

Abstract

We present results concerning the occurrence of Seyfert galaxies in a new automatically selected sample of nearby Compact Groups of galaxies (UZC-CGs). Seventeen Seyferts are found, constituting ~3% of the UZC-CG galaxy population. CGs hosting and non-hosting a Seyfert member exhibit no significant differences, except that a relevant number of Sy2 is found in unusual CGs, all presenting large velocity dispersion (sigma > 400 km/s), many neighbours and a high number of ellipticals. We also find that the fraction of Seyferts in CGs is 3 times as large as that among UZC-single-galaxies, and results from an excess of Sy2s. CG-Seyferts are not more likely than other CG galaxies to present major interaction patterns, nor to display a bar. Our results indirectly support the minor-merging fueling mechanism.