2001ApJ...560..222I -
Astrophys. J., 560, 222-235 (2001/October-2)
A spectroscopic study of component C and the extended emission around I Zw 18.
IZOTOV Y.I., CHAFFEE F.H., FOLTZ C.B., THUAN T.X., GREEN R.F., PAPADEROS P., FRICKE K.J. and GUSEVA N.G.
Abstract (from CDS):
Long-slit Keck II,(1) 4 m Kitt Peak,(2) and 4.5 m MMT(3) spectrophotometric data are used to investigate the stellar population and the evolutionary status of I Zw 18C, the faint C component of the nearby blue compact dwarf galaxy I Zw 18. Hydrogen Hα and Hβ emission lines are detected in the spectra of I Zw 18C, which implies that ionizing massive stars are present. High signal-to-noise Keck II spectra of different regions in I Zw 18C reveal Hγ, Hδ, and higher order hydrogen lines in absorption. Several techniques are used to constrain the age of the stellar population in I Zw 18C. Ages derived from two different methods, one based on the equivalent widths of the Hα, Hβ emission lines and the other on Hγ, Hδ absorption lines are consistent with a 15 Myr instantaneous burst model. We find that a small extinction in the range AV=0.20-0.65 mag is needed to fit the observed spectral energy distribution of I Zw 18C with that model. In the case of constant star formation, all observed properties are consistent with stars forming continuously between ∼10 and ≲100 Myr ago. We use all available observational constraints for I Zw 18C, including those obtained from Hubble Space Telescope color-magnitude diagrams, to argue that the distance to I Zw 18 should be as high as ∼15 Mpc. The deep spectra also reveal extended ionized gas emission around I Zw 18. Hα emission is detected as far as 30" from it. To a B surface brightness limit of ∼27 mag arcsec–2, we find no observational evidence for extended stellar emission in the outermost regions at distances ≳15" from I Zw 18.
Abstract Copyright:
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Journal keyword(s):
Galaxies: Evolution - Galaxies: Formation - Galaxies: ISM - Galaxies: Starburst - Galaxies: Stellar Content
Nomenclature:
Fig.1: [ICF2001] HA Arc N=1, [ICF2001] Loop N=1, [ICF2001] I Zw 18C W (Nos C, E).
CDS comments:
Component C = [VWH98] HI-C
Simbad objects:
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