Gemini GMOS/integral field unit spectroscopy of NGC 1569 – II. Mapping the roots of the galactic outflow

We present a set of four Gemini-North Multi-Object Spectrograph/integral field unit (IFU) observations of the central disturbed regions of the dwarf irregular starburst galaxy NGC 1569, surrounding the well-known superstar clusters A and B. This continues on directly from a companion paper, in which we describe the data reduction and analysis techniques employed and present the analysis of one of the IFU pointings. By decomposing the emission-line profiles across the IFU fields, we map out the properties of each individual component identified and identify a number of relationships and correlations that allow us to investigate in detail the state of the ionized interstellar medium (ISM). Our observations support and expand on the main findings from the analysis of the first IFU position, where we conclude that a broad (≲400 km s⁻¹) component underlying the bright nebular emission lines is produced in a turbulent mixing layer on the surface of cool gas knots, set up by the impact of the fast-flowing cluster winds. We discuss the kinematic, electron-density and excitation maps of each region in detail and compare our results to previous studies. Our analysis reveals a very complex environment with many overlapping and superimposed components, including dissolving gas knots, rapidly expanding shocked shells and embedded ionizing sources, but no evidence for organized bulk motions. We conclude that the four IFU positions presented here lie well within the starburst region where energy is injected, and, from the lack of substantial ordered gas flows, within the quasi-hydrostatic zone of the wind interior to the sonic point. The net outflow occurs at radii beyond 100–200 pc, but our data imply that mass-loading of the hot ISM is active even at the roots of the wind.     

On the Distance to Nearby Dwarf Galaxy NGC 1569

We present stellar photometry of two HST/WFPC2 fields situated at the far periphery of the poststarburst galaxy NGC 1569. Their F606W and F814W images have been taken from the HST data archive. Judging by the obtained color-magnitude diagrams, we suggest presence of the old disk population (old red giants) of NGC 1569, which extends as far as Field I at 6 kpc from the galaxy center. We use the tip of the red giant branch to estimate the galaxy distance. There are two possible solutions, one leading to a short distance, D = 1.95 ± 0.2 Mpc, and the other one to a longer distance, D = 2.8 ± 0.2 Mpc.     

H i and dark matter in the windy starburst dwarf galaxy NGC 1705

We present 21-cm H  i line observations of the blue compact dwarf galaxy NGC 1705. Previous optical observations show a strong outflow powered by an ongoing starburst dominating the H  ii morphology and kinematics. In contrast, most of the H  i lies in a rotating disc. An extraplanar H  i spur accounts for ∼8 per cent of the total H  i mass, and is possibly associated with the H  ii outflow. The inferred mass loss rate out of the core of the galaxy is significant, ∼0.2 − 2 M_⊙ yr⁻¹, but does not dominate the H  i dynamics. Mass model fits to the rotation curve show that the dark matter (DM) halo is dominant at nearly all radii and has a central density ρ₀ ≈ 0.1 M_⊙ pc⁻³: ten times higher than typically found in dwarf irregular galaxies, but similar to the only other mass-modelled blue compact dwarf, NGC 2915. This large difference strongly indicates that there is little evolution between dwarf irregular and blue compact dwarf types. Instead, dominant DM haloes may regulate the morphology of dwarf galaxies by setting the critical surface density for disc star formation. Neither our data nor catalogue searches reveal any likely external trigger to the starburst in NGC 1705.     

Disc heating in NGC 2985

Various processes have been proposed to explain how galaxy discs acquire their thickness. A simple diagnostic for ascertaining this 'heating' mechanism is provided by the ratio of the vertical to radial velocity dispersion components. In a previous paper we have developed a technique for measuring this ratio, and demonstrated its viability on the Sb system NGC 488. Here we present follow-up observations of the morphologically similar Sab galaxy NGC 2985, still only the second galaxy for which this ratio has been determined outside the solar neighbourhood. The result is consistent with simple disc-heating models that predict ratios of σ _z σ _R less than one.     

Star formation rates and the kinematics of gas in the spiral arms of NGC 628

The relations between star formation rates along the spiral arms and the velocities of gas inflow into the arms in the grand‐design galaxy NGC 628 were studied. We found that the radial distribution of the average star formation rate in individual star formation regions in regular spiral arms correlates with the velocity of gas inflow into the spiral arms. Both distributions have maxima at a galactocentric distance of 4.5–5 kpc. There are no correlations between the radial distributions of the average star formation rate in star formation regions in spiral arms and outside spiral arms in the main disc. We also did not find a correlation between the radial distribution of the average star formation rate in star formation regions in spiral arms and the H I column density. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)