Probing the magnetic field of the nearby galaxy pair Arp 269

We present a multiwavelength radio study of the nearby galaxy pair Arp 269 (NGC 4490/85). High sensitivity to extended structures gained by using the merged interferometric and single-dish maps allowed us to reveal a previously undiscovered extension of the radio continuum emission. Its direction is significantly different from that of the neutral gas tail, suggesting that different physical processes might be involved in their creation. The population of radio-emitting electrons is generally young, signifying an ongoing, vigorous star formation - this claim is supported by strong magnetic fields (over 20 mu G), similar to the ones found in much larger spiral galaxies. From the study of the spectral energy distribution, we conclude that the electron population in the intergalactic bridge between member galaxies originates from the disc areas, and therefore its age (approximately 3.7-16.9 Myr, depending on the model used) reflects the time-scale of the interaction. We have also discovered an angularly near compact steep source - which is a member of a different galaxy pair - at a redshift of approximately 0.125.