Studying the galactic outflow in NGC 1569

We present deep WIYN Hα imaging of the dwarf irregular starburst galaxy NGC 1569, together with WIYN SparsePak spatially resolved optical spectroscopy of the galactic outflow. This leads on from our previous detailed analyses of the state of the interstellar medium (ISM) in the central regions of this galaxy. Our deep imaging reveals previously undetected ionized filaments in the outer halo. Through combining these results with our spectroscopy we have been able to redefine the spatial extent of the previously catalogued superbubbles, and derive estimates for their expansion velocities, which we find to be in the range 50-100 kms^-1. The implied dynamical ages of <~25 Myr are consistent with the recent star and cluster formation histories of the galaxy. Detailed decomposition of the multicomponent Hα line has shown that within a distinct region ~700 × 500 pc in size, roughly centred on the bright super star cluster A, the profile is composed of a bright, narrow [full width at half-maximum (FWHM) <~ 70 kms^-1] feature with an underlying, broad component (FWHM ~ 150 kms^-1). Applying the conclusions found in our previous work regarding the mechanism through which the broad component is produced, we associate the faint, broad emission with the interaction of the hot, fast-flowing winds from the young star clusters with cool clumps of ISM material. This interaction generates turbulent mixing layers on the surface of the clouds and the evaporation and/or ablation of material into the outflow. Under this interpretation, the extent of the broad component region may indicate an important transition point in the outflow, where ordered expansion begins to dominate over turbulent motion. In this context, we present a multiwavelength discussion of the evolutionary state of the outflow.