Parameters of the brightest star formation regions in the two principal spiral arms of NGC 628

We study the photometric properties, chemical abundances and sizes of star formation regions in the two principal arms of the galaxy NGC 628 (M74). Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) ultraviolet, optical UBVRI and Hα surface photometry data are used, including those obtained with the 1.5-m telescope of the Maidanak Observatory. The 30 brightest star formation regions in ultraviolet light located in the spiral arms of NGC 628 are identified and studied. We find that the star formation regions in one (longer) arm are systematically brighter and larger than the regions in the other (shorter) arm. However, both luminosity and size distribution functions have approximately the same slopes for the samples of star formation regions in both arms. The star formation regions in the longer arm have a higher star formation rate density than the regions in the shorter arm. The regions in the shorter arm show higher N/O ratio at a higher oxygen abundance, but they have lower ultraviolet and Hα luminosities. These findings can be explained if we assume that star formation regions in the shorter arm had a higher star formation rate in the past, but it is now lower than that in the opposite arm. Results of stellar evolutionary synthesis show that the brightest regions in the longer arm are slightly younger than those in the shorter arm (3.5 ± 2.2 Myr versus 6.0 ± 1.1 Myr). Our results demonstrate that there is a difference in inner structure and parameters of the interstellar medium between the spiral arms of NGC 628, one of which is long and hosts a regular chain of bright star formation complexes, while the other, shorter, one does not.