AUTHOR=Ragusa Rossella , Mirabile Marco , Spavone Marilena , Cantiello Michele , Iodice Enrichetta , La Marca Antonio , Paolillo Maurizio , Schipani Pietro 

TITLE=The Intra-Group Baryons in the LEO I Pair From the VST Early-Type GAlaxy Survey

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/astronomy-and-space-sciences/articles/10.3389/fspas.2022.852810

DOI=10.3389/fspas.2022.852810

ISSN=2296-987X

ABSTRACT=In this paper we present the deep, wide-field and multi-band imaging of the Leo I pair NGC~3379-NGC~3384, from the  VST Early-type GAlaxy Survey (VEGAS).
The main goal of this study is to map the intra-group baryons in the pair, in the form of  
diffuse light and globular clusters (GCs).
Taking advantage from the large covered area, which extends for $\sim$ 3.9 degree$^2$ around the 
pair, and the long integration time, we can map the light distribution out to $\sim$ 63 kpc and 
down to $\sim$ 30 mag/arcsec$^2$ in the $g$ band and $\sim$ 29 mag/arcsec$^2$ in the $r$ band, 
deeper than previous data available in the literature on this target. 
The map of the intra-group light (IGL) presents two very faint ($\mu_g \sim$ 28-29 mag/arcsec$^2$) streams protruding from the brightest group member NGC~3379 and 
elongated toward NW and South. We estimate a fraction of IGL of $\sim 17 \%$  in both $g$ and $r$ bands, with an average color  $g$-$r$= $0.75 \pm 0.04$~mag. 
The color distribution of the GCs appears multi-modal, with two dominant peaks at (u-r) = 1.8 mag
and (u-r) = 2.1 mag, respectively. 
The GC population stretches from NE to SW of the pair, overlapping with the streams of IGL, 
as well as the PNe distribution found by \citet{Hartke2020}. 
Since these structures are elongated in the direction of the two nearby galaxies M96 and 
NGC~3338, they could be the remnant of a past gravitational interactions with the pair.