The Spitzer Spirals, Bridges, and Tails Interacting Galaxy Survey

Abstract

We present Spitzer mid-infrared images from a survey of three dozen pre-merger strongly interacting galaxy pairs selected from the Arp Atlas. The global mid-infrared colors of these galaxies and their tidal tails and bridges are similar to those of normal spiral galaxies, thus this optically selected sample of interacting galaxies does not have strongly enhanced normalized star formation rates in their disks or tidal features. Despite distortion and disturbance these systems continue to form stars at a normal rate on average. The morphology of these galaxies is generally smoother in the shorter wavelength IRAC bands than at 8 $μ$m, where dozens of clumps of star formation are detected.