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D.L. Domingue, J.W. Sulentic (University of Alabama), C. Xu, J. Mazzarella (IPAC/Caltech)
Isolated galaxy pairs with mixed morphology (E/SO + spiral) offer a ``simplified” insight into the nature of galaxy interactions because they contain (1) only a single gas-rich component with (2) high specific angulaur momemtum. Mixed pairs challenge galaxy formation models which view environmental factors as the primary predictor of pair morphology and they offer the best opportunity to study gas tranfer (i.e cross-fueling) from the early- to late- type galaxy component. We describe a multi-wavelength approach which reveals both stellar and interstellar tracers of the interaction process. The use of H-alpha and Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) data reveals new information about mixed pairs. 1) The star formation rate of these paired spirals is approximately twice the rate of isolated spirals, and 2) the spiral members are not the only components showing excess emission as was expected based on optical pair morphology. The early-type contribution to the IR emission from the S0 components in the S+S0 pairs is often significant, causing the mean inferred SFR for the early type components to be nearly half that of the spirals. 3) The infrared emission distribution in pair members is in good agreement with the H-alpha distribution. Along with this spatial correlation, H-alpha, 15 micron, and far-infrared area normalized luminosities correlate well with each other with only the H-alpha and 15 micron correlation showing a large deviation at low mid-infrared luminosity.