Jarrett, T. H. and Helou, G. and Beichman, C. A. (1994) Brackett-γ Line Emission Maps of Four Galaxies. In: Infrared Astronomy with Arrays: the Next Generation. Astrophysics and Space Science Library. No.190. Springer , Dordrecht, pp. 177-178. ISBN 9789401044660. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20190529-162854210
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Abstract
Observations of the Br-γ hydrogen recombination line have been made in a sample of four galaxies. The data were acquired with the new Palomar Prime-Focus Infrared Camera (PFIRCAM) mounted at the prime focus (f/3.3) of the Hale 5-m telescope. The galaxies were imaged with narrow band filters centered on the Br-γ (2.166 μm) line and nearby K-band continuum. This project was undertaken with two goals in mind. First, to demonstrate the feasibility of extragalactic narrow-band imaging with near-infrared arrays, and second, to measure the Br-γ to Hα flux ratio corresponding to regions undergoing massive star formation. The galaxies are all at low redshift, but of a variety of morphologies: late-type galaxies, NGC 3683 (Sbc, 1656 km/s) and NGC 4713 (Sbd, 653 km/s), early-type galaxy, NGC 5866 (S0-f , 770 km/s), and irregular-type galaxy, NGC 2537 (IRR, 447 km/s). In three of the galaxies, NGC 2537, NGC 3683 and NGC 4713, we detect Br-γ emission at the ≥3σ level, and in NGC 5866 we obtain an upper limit. The spatial resolution of the raw 2.2μm data was about 1″, with the final maps smoothed to a resolution of 1 – 1.5″. Our Br-γ detections resolve individual H II region complexes in the galaxies. By comparing the Br-γ emission with Hα emission, we may derive an effective extinction measure, and infer a Lyman continuum flux from massive stars. This Lyman luminosity can then be converted into a total mass estimate for young stars, assuming an initial mass function and an upper mass cut-off. To date we have acquired Ha images of NGC 3683, NGC 4713, and NGC 5866. The preliminary results of NGC 4713 are presented in this paper.
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Additional Information: | © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 1994. | ||||||||
Group: | Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC) | ||||||||
Subject Keywords: | Galaxies: Massive Star Formation - H II Regions | ||||||||
Series Name: | Astrophysics and Space Science Library | ||||||||
Issue or Number: | 190 | ||||||||
Record Number: | CaltechAUTHORS:20190529-162854210 | ||||||||
Persistent URL: | https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20190529-162854210 | ||||||||
Usage Policy: | No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided. | ||||||||
ID Code: | 95936 | ||||||||
Collection: | CaltechAUTHORS | ||||||||
Deposited By: | George Porter | ||||||||
Deposited On: | 30 May 2019 17:04 | ||||||||
Last Modified: | 24 Feb 2020 10:30 |
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