Abstract
Compact groups are association of 4-8 galaxies with high spatial densities ( delta rho ~ 10-20), but low velocity dispersion. According to current dynamical models, galaxies belonging to such systems should interact violently and merge on a relatively short time scale (see eg. Carnevali et al. 1980). Therefore compact groups are an ideal laboratory to study interaction and merging between galaxies. We present here the results from spectroscopic and photometric observations of a new sample of compact groups in the Southern Sky, selected by an automatic detection algorithm applied to a digitized galaxy database.
