2015MNRAS.447.2512P

In a series of papers, we present detailed chemodynamical simulations of tidal dwarf galaxies (TDGs). After the first paper, where we focused on the very early evolution, we present in this work simulations on the long-term evolution of TDGs, ranging from their formation to an age of 3 Gyr. Dark-matter-free TDGs may constitute a significant component of the dwarf galaxy population. However it remains to be demonstrated that TDGs can survive their formation phase given stellar feedback processes, the time variable tidal field of the post-encounter host galaxy, and its dark matter halo and ram pressure wind from the gaseous halo of the host. For robust results the maximally damaging feedback by a fully populated invariant stellar initial mass function in each star cluster is assumed, such that fractions of massive stars contribute during phases of low star formation rates (SFRs). The model galaxies are studied in terms of their star formation history, chemical enrichment, and rotational curves. All models evolve into a self-regulated long-term equilibrium star formation phase lasting for the full simulation time, whereby the TDGs become significantly more compact and sustain significantly higher SFRs through compressive tides than the isolated model. None of the models is disrupted despite the unphysical extreme feedback, and none of the rotation curves achieves the high values observed in real TDGs, despite non-virial gas accretion phases.