No Arabic abstract
We aim to explore whether strong magnetic fields can be effectively generated in low-mass dwarf galaxies and, if so, whether such fields can be affected by galactic outflows and spread out into the intergalactic medium (IGM). We performed a radio continuum polarimetry study of IC10, the nearest starbursting dwarf galaxy, using a combination of multifrequency interferometric (VLA) and single-dish (Effelsberg) observations. VLA observations at 1.43 GHz reveal an extensive and almost spherical radio halo of IC10 in total intensity, extending twice more than the infrared-emitting galactic disk. The halo is magnetized with a magnetic field strength of 7 microG in the outermost parts. Locally, the magnetic field reaches about 29 microG in HII complexes, becomes more ordered, and weakens to 22 microG in the synchrotron superbubble and to 7-10 microG within HI holes. At the higher frequency of 4.86 GHz, we found a large-scale magnetic field structure of X-shaped morphology, similar to that observed in several edge-on spiral galaxies. The X-shaped magnetic structure can be caused by the galactic wind, advecting magnetic fields injected into the interstellar medium by stellar winds and supernova explosions. The radio continuum scale heights at 1.43 GHz indicate the bulk speed of cosmic-ray electrons outflowing from HII complexes of about 60 km/s, exceeding the escape velocity of 40 km/s. Hence, the magnetized galactic wind in IC10 inflates the extensive radio halo visible at 1.43 GHz and can seed the IGM with both random and ordered magnetic fields. These are signatures of intense material feedback onto the IGM, expected to be prevalent in the protogalaxies of the early Universe.
We present deep and accurate optical photometry of the Local Group starburst galaxy IC10. The photometry is based on two sets of images collected with the Advanced Camera for Surveys and with the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on board the Hubble Space Telescope. We provide new estimates of the Red Giant Branch tip (TRGB) magnitude, m_{F814W}^{TRGB}=21.90+-0.03, and of the reddening, E(B-V)=0.78+-0.06, using field stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) as a reference. Adopting the SMC and two globulars, Omega Centauri and 47 Tucanae, as references we estimate the distance modulus to IC10: independent calibrations give weighted average distances of mu=24.51+-0.08 (TRGB) and mu=24.56+-0.08 (RR Lyrae). We also provide a new theoretical calibration for the TRGB luminosity, and using these predictions we find a very similar distance to IC10 (mu~24.60+-0.15). These results suggest that IC10 is a likely member of the M31 subgroup.
We have observed the central region of the nearby starburst galaxy NGC 253 with the Kyoto Tridimensional Spectrograph II (Kyoto3DII) Fabry-Perot mode in order to investigate the properties of its galactic wind. Since this galaxy has a large inclination, it is easy to observe its galactic wind. We produced the Ha, [N II]6583, and [S II]6716,6731 images, as well as those line ratio maps. The [N II]/Ha ratio in the galactic wind region is larger than those in H II regions in the galactic disk. The [N II]/Ha ratio in the southeastern filament, a part of the galactic wind, is the largest and reaches about 1.5. These large [N II]/Ha ratios are explained by shock ionization/excitation. Using the [S II]/Ha ratio map, we spatially separate the galactic wind region from the starburst region. The kinetic energy of the galactic wind can be sufficiently supplied by supernovae in a starburst region in the galactic center. The shape of the galactic wind and the line ratio maps are non-axisymmetric about the galactic minor axis, which is also seen in M82. In the [N II]6583/[S II]6716,6731 map, the positions with large ratios coincide with the positions of star clusters found in the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observation. This means that intense star formation causes strong nitrogen enrichment in these regions. Our unique data of the line ratio maps including [S II] lines have demonstrated their effectiveness for clearly distinguishing between shocked gas regions and starburst regions, determining the extent of galactic wind and its mass and kinetic energy, and discovering regions with enhanced nitrogen abundance.
We explore the hypothesis that the classical and ultra-faint dwarf spheroidal satellites of the Milky Way have been the building blocks of the Galactic halo by comparing their [O/Fe] and [Ba/Fe] versus [Fe/H] patterns with the ones observed in Galactic halo stars. Oxygen abundances deviate substantially from the observed abundances in the Galactic halo stars for [Fe/H] values larger than -2 dex, while they overlap for lower metallicities. On the other hand, for the [Ba/Fe] ratio the discrepancy is extended at all [Fe/H] values, suggesting that the majority of stars in the halo are likely to have been formed in situ. Therefore, we suggest that [Ba/Fe] ratios are a better diagnostic than [O/Fe] ratios. Moreover, we show the effects of an enriched infall of gas with the same chemical abundances as the matter ejected and/or stripped from dwarf satellites of the Milky Way on the chemical evolution of the Galactic halo. We find that the resulting chemical abundances of the halo stars depend on the assumed infall time scale, and the presence of a threshold in the gas for star formation.
We report the results of spectroscopic observations, obtained with the Gemini North Multi-Object Spectrograph, of 9 planetary nebulae (PNe) and 15 hii regions located in the 5.5arcmin $times$5.5arcmin inner region of the nearby starburst galaxy IC10. Twelve new candidate PNe have been discovered during our pre-imaging phase. Nine of them have been spectroscopically confirmed. The direct availability of the electron temperature diagnostics in several nebulae allowed an accurate determination of the metallicity map of IC10 at two epochs: the present-time from hii regions and the old/intermediate-age from PNe. We found a non-homogeneous distribution of metals at both epochs, but similar average abundances were found for the two populations. The derived age-metallicity relation shows a little global enrichment interpreted as the loss of metals by SN winds and to differential gas outflows. Finally, we analyzed the production of oxygen --through the third dredge-up-- in the chemical abundance patterns of the PN populations belonging to several dwarf irregular galaxies. We found that the third dredge-up of oxygen is a metallicity dependent phenomenon occurring mainly for 12+$log$(O/H)$leq$7.7 and substantially absent in IC10 PNe.
Low-mass galaxies are subject to strong galactic outflows, in which cosmic rays may play an important role, they can be best traced with low-frequency radio continuum observations, which are less affected by spectral ageing. We present a study of the nearby star burst dwarf irregular galaxy IC 10 using observations at 140 MHz with the LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR), at 1580 MHz with the Very Large Array (VLA) and at 6200 MHz with the VLA and the 100-m Effelsberg telescope. We find that IC 10 has a low-frequency radio halo, which manifests itself as a second component (thick disc) in the minor axis profiles of the non-thermal radio continuum emission at 140 and 1580 MHz. These profiles are then fitted with 1D cosmic-ray transport models for pure diffusion and advection. We find that a diffusion model fits best, with a diffusion coefficient of $D=(0.4$-$0.8) times 10^{26}(E/{rm GeV})^{0.5}~{rm cm^2,s^{-1}}$, which is at least an order of magnitude smaller than estimates both from anisotropic diffusion and the diffusion length. In contrast, advection models, which cannot be ruled out due to the mild inclination, while providing poorer fits, result in advection speeds close to the escape velocity of $approx$$50~rm km,s^{-1}$, as expected for a cosmic-ray driven wind. Our favoured model with an accelerating wind provides a self-consistent solution, where the magnetic field is in energy equipartition with both the warm neutral and warm ionized medium with an important contribution from cosmic rays. Consequently, cosmic rays can play a vital role for the launching of galactic winds in the disc--halo interface.