The visible environment of gas-accreting galaxies

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We studied the environment of a sample of galaxies in which the presence of polar rings or the presence of gas- and stars- counterrotation is observed. These galaxies are believed to have accreted this material, now in peculiar motion, from their environment. The variable considered here are the number of possible companions in the field, down to an apparent magnitude 22, their size, their concentration around the accreting galaxy, and a set of related parameters. A control sample of 'normal' galaxies has also been studied. From Kolgomorov-Smirnov tests of the considered variables, no significant differences have been found between the population of objects around the our accreting galaxies and the control sample. These results seems to give support to the models suggesting a long formation time for the acquisition process, starting from a diffuse gas instead of fagocitation of small satellite.