Near-infrared [Fe ii] emission from supernova remnants and the supernova rate of starburst galaxies |
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Authors: | T Morel R Doyon N St-Louis |
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Institution: | 1Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Post Bag 4, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411 007, India;2Astrophysics Group, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Blackett Laboratory, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ;3Département de Physique and Observatoire du Mont Mégantic, Universitéde Montréal, C. P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada |
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Abstract: | In an effort better to calibrate the supernova rate of starburst galaxies as determined from near-infrared Fe ii ] features, we report on a Fe ii ] λ 1.644 μm line-imaging survey of a sample of 42 optically selected supernova remnants (SNRs) in M33. A wide range of Fe ii ] luminosities are observed within our sample (from less than 6 to 695 L⊙). Our data suggest that the bright Fe ii ] SNRs are entering the radiative phase and that the density of the local interstellar medium (ISM) largely controls the amount of Fe ii ] emission. We derive the following relation between the Fe ii ] λ 1.644 μm line luminosity of radiative SNRs and the electronic density of the post-shock gas, n e: L Fe ii ] (cm?3). We also find a correlation in our data between L Fe ii ] and the metallicity of the shock-heated gas, but the physical interpretation of this result remains inconclusive, as our data also show a correlation between the metallicity and n e. The dramatically higher level of Fe ii ] emission from SNRs in the central regions of starburst galaxies is most likely due to their dense environments, although metallicity effects might also be important. The typical Fe ii ]-emitting lifetime of a SNR in the central regions of starburst galaxies is found to be of the order of 104 yr. On the basis of these results, we provide a new empirical relation allowing the determination of the current supernova rate of starburst galaxies from their integrated near-infrared Fe ii ] luminosity. |
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Keywords: | surveys supernova remnants galaxies: individual: M33 galaxies: starburst infrared: ISM |
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