Infrared Spectroscopy of Star Formation in Interacting Galaxies
Abstract
The authors report Brackett-α and Brackett-γ line observations of NGC 3690, NGC 5195, and IC 4553 (Arp 220). The infrared recombination transitions of ionized hydrogen provide a direct measure of the star formation activity and thus are important probes of the nature of the luminous infrared and radio emission in these sources. These galaxies are all bright infrared sources and members of interacting systems. Brackett lines were detected in NGC 3590 and its companion IC 694. The results suggest that the dust and ionized gas in the two components of this system represent very different physical conditions. Upper limits to the Brackett line emission in NGC 5195 and IC 4553 indicate that in these sources, the infrared continua are poorly correlated with the amount of observed ionized gas.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- October 1986
- DOI:
- 10.1086/164578
- Bibcode:
- 1986ApJ...309...70B
- Keywords:
-
- Galactic Evolution;
- Infrared Spectroscopy;
- Infrared Stars;
- Interacting Galaxies;
- Interstellar Matter;
- Star Distribution;
- Stellar Evolution;
- B Stars;
- H Ii Regions;
- Interstellar Extinction;
- O Stars;
- Stellar Luminosity;
- Astrophysics;
- GALAXIES: STELLAR CONTENT;
- INFRARED: SPECTRA;
- STARS: FORMATION