No Arabic abstract
We present mid-infrared (MIR) spectra of HII regions within star-forming galaxies M83 and M33. Their emission features are compared with Galactic and extragalactic HII regions, HII-type galaxies, starburst galaxies, and Seyfert/LINER type galaxies. Our main results are as follows: (i) the M33 and M83 HII regions lie in between Seyfert/LINER galaxies and HII-type galaxies in the 7.7/11.3 - 6.2/11.3 plane, while the different sub-samples exhibiting different 7.7/6.2 ratios; (ii) Using the NASA Ames PAH IR Spectroscopic database, we demonstrate that the 6.2/7.7 ratio does not effectively track PAH size, but the 11.3/3.3 PAH ratio does; (iii) variations on the 17 $mu$m PAH band depends on object type; however, there is no dependence on metallicity for both extragalactic HII regions and galaxies; (iv) the PAH/VSG intensity ratio decreases with the hardness of the radiation field and galactocentric radius (Rg), yet the ionization alone cannot account for the variation seen in all of our sources; (v) the relative strength of PAH features does not change significantly with increasing radiation hardness, as measured through the [NeIII]/[NeII] ratio and the ionization index; (vi) We present PAH SFR calibrations based on the tight correlation between the 6.2, 7.7, and 11.3 $mu$m PAH luminosities with the 24 $mu$m luminosity and the combination of the 24 $mu$m and H$alpha$ luminosity; (vii) Based on the total luminosity from PAH and FIR emission, we argue that extragalactic HII regions are more suitable templates in modeling and interpreting the large scale properties of galaxies compared to Galactic HII regions.
We present a multiwavelength (ultraviolet, infrared, optical and CO) study of a set of luminous HII regions in M33: NGC 604, NGC 595, NGC 592, NGC 588 and IC131. We study the emission distribution in the interiors of the HII regions to investigate the relation between the dust emission at 8 micron and 24 micron and the location of the massive stars and gas. We find that the 24 micron emission is closely related to the location of the ionized gas, while the 8 micron emission is more related to the boundaries of the molecular clouds consistently with its expected association with photodissociation regions (PDRs). Ultraviolet emission is generally surrounded by the H-alpha emission. For NGC 604 and NGC 595, where CO data are available, we see a radial gradient of the emission distribution at the wavelengths studied here: from the center to the boundary of the HII regions we observe ultraviolet, H-alpha, 24 micron, 8 micron and CO emission distributions. We quantify the star formation for our HII regions using the integrated fluxes at the set of available wavelengths, assuming an instantaneous burst of star formation. We show that a linear combination of 24 micron and H-alpha emission better describes the star formation for these objects than the dust luminosities by themselves. For NGC 604, we obtain and compare extinction maps derived from the Balmer decrement and from the 24 micron and H-alpha emission line ratio. Although the maps show locally different values in extinction, we find similar integrated extinctions derived from the two methods. We also investigate here the possible existence of embedded star formation within NGC 604.
The conversion of the IR emission into star formation rate can be strongly dependent on the physical properties of the dust, which are affected by the environmental conditions where the dust is embedded. We study here the dust properties of a set of HII regions in the Local Group Galaxy M33 presenting different spatial configurations between the stars, gas and dust to understand the dust evolution under different environments. We model the SED of each region using the DustEM tool and obtain the mass relative to hydrogen for Very Small Grains (YVSG), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (YPAH) and Big Grains (YBG). The relative mass of the VSGs (YVSG/YTOT) is a factor of 1.7 higher for HII regions classified as filled and mixed than for regions presenting a shell structure. The enhancement of VSGs within NGC 604 and NGC 595 is correlated to expansive gas structures with velocities greater than 50 km/s. The gas-to-dust ratio derived for the HII regions in our sample exhibits two regimes related to the HI-H2 transition of the ISM. Regions corresponding to the HI diffuse regime present a gas-to-dust ratio compatible with the expected value if we assume that the gas-to-dust ratio scales linearly with metallicity, while regions corresponding to a H2 molecular phase present a flatter dust-gas surface density distribution. The fraction of VSGs can be affected by the conditions of the interstellar environment: strong shocks of 50-90 km/s existing in the interior of the most luminous HII regions can lead to fragmentation of BGs into smaller ones, while the more evolved shell and clear shell objects provide a more quiescent environment where reformation of dust BG grains might occur. The gas-to-dust variations found in this analysis might imply that grain coagulation and/or gas-phase metals incorporation to the dust mass is occurring in the interior of the HII regions in M33.
Magnetic fields are ubiquitous and essential in star formation. In particular, their role in regulating formation of stars across diverse environments like HII regions needs to be well understood. In this study, we present magnetic field properties towards the S235 complex using near-infrared (NIR) $H$-band polarimetric observations, obtained with the Mimir and POLICAN instruments. We selected 375 background stars in the field through combination of Gaia distances and extinctions from NIR colors. The plane-of-sky (POS) magnetic field orientations inferred from starlight polarization angles reveal a curved morphology tracing the spherical shell of the HII region. The large-scale magnetic field traced by Planck is parallel to the Galactic plane. We identified 11 dense clumps using $1.1,mathrm{mm}$ dust emission, with masses between $33-525,rm M_odot$. The clump averaged POS magnetic field strengths were estimated to be between $36-121,mathrm{mu G}$, with a mean of ${sim}65,mathrm{mu G}$. The mass-to-flux ratios for the clumps are found to be sub-critical with turbulent Alfv{e}n Mach numbers less than 1, indicating a strongly magnetized region. The clumps show scaling of magnetic field strength vs density with a power-law index of $0.52pm0.07$, similar to ambipolar diffusion models. Our results indicate the S235 complex is a region where stellar feedback triggers new stars and the magnetic fields regulate the rate of new star formation.
The luminosities, colors and Halpha emission for 429 HII regions in 54 LSB galaxies are presented. While the number of HII regions per galaxy is lower in LSB galaxies compared to star-forming irregulars and spirals, there is no indication that the size or luminosity function of HII regions differs from other galaxy types. The lower number of HII regions per galaxy is consistent with their lower total star formation rates. The fraction of total $L_{Halpha}$ contributed by HII regions varies from 10 to 90% in LSB galaxies (the rest of the H$alpha$ emission being associated with a diffuse component) with no correlation with galaxy stellar or gas mass. Bright HII regions have bluer colors, similar to the trend in spirals; their number and luminosities are consistent with the hypothesis that they are produced by the same HII luminosity function as spirals. Comparison with stellar population models indicates that the brightest HII regions in LSB galaxies range in cluster mass from a few $10^3 M_{sun}$ (e.g., $rho$ Oph) to globular cluster sized systems (e.g., 30 Dor) and that their ages are consistent with clusters from 2 to 15 Myrs old. The faintest HII regions are comparable to those in the LMC powered by a single O or B star. Thus, star formation in LSB galaxies covers the full range of stellar cluster mass.
We review progress over the past decade in observations of large-scale star formation, with a focus on the interface between extragalactic and Galactic studies. Methods of measuring gas contents and star formation rates are discussed, and updated prescriptions for calculating star formation rates are provided. We review relations between star formation and gas on scales ranging from entire galaxies to individual molecular clouds.