Clumpy Starburst in a Local Dwarf Galaxy, NGC 1522

To investigate the star-forming process in nearby dwarf galaxies, we present integral field unit observations of the star-forming dwarf galaxy NGC 1522 with the Very Large Telescope/Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer as a part of the Dwarf Galaxy Integral Survey. Our observations reveal the presence...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Liuze Long, Yulong Gao, Qiusheng Gu, Yong Shi, Xin Li, Can Xu, Yifei Jin, Zhiyuan Zheng, Jing Dou, Fuyan Bian, Xiaoling Yu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/add0b7
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850123248154443776
author Liuze Long
Yulong Gao
Qiusheng Gu
Yong Shi
Xin Li
Can Xu
Yifei Jin
Zhiyuan Zheng
Jing Dou
Fuyan Bian
Xiaoling Yu
author_facet Liuze Long
Yulong Gao
Qiusheng Gu
Yong Shi
Xin Li
Can Xu
Yifei Jin
Zhiyuan Zheng
Jing Dou
Fuyan Bian
Xiaoling Yu
author_sort Liuze Long
collection DOAJ
description To investigate the star-forming process in nearby dwarf galaxies, we present integral field unit observations of the star-forming dwarf galaxy NGC 1522 with the Very Large Telescope/Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer as a part of the Dwarf Galaxy Integral Survey. Our observations reveal the presence of a star-forming clumpy ring in its central region. We identify nine distinct star-forming clumps based on an extinction-corrected H α emission line map, with a total star formation rate of about 0.1 M _⊙ yr ^−1 . The nine clumps are considered to be starbursts, which represent an extreme case in the local Universe, without invoking major merging. We investigate the properties of ionized gas using the strong emission lines and “BPT” diagrams, in conjunction with velocity mapping. Our analysis unveils intriguing patterns, including a positive metallicity gradient and low N/O abundance ratio. This peculiar distribution of metallicity may signify external gas accretion. Our results suggest that the ongoing star formation in NGC 1522 might be triggered and sustained by the inflow of external metal-poor gas.
format Article
id doaj-art-12c65219aea74da69d1fa8d8c6f2a392
institution OA Journals
issn 1538-4357
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher IOP Publishing
record_format Article
series The Astrophysical Journal
spelling doaj-art-12c65219aea74da69d1fa8d8c6f2a3922025-08-20T02:34:39ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0198613110.3847/1538-4357/add0b7Clumpy Starburst in a Local Dwarf Galaxy, NGC 1522Liuze Long0https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6303-7329Yulong Gao1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5973-694XQiusheng Gu2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3890-3729Yong Shi3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8614-6275Xin Li4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7634-0034Can Xu5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8437-6659Yifei Jin6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0401-3688Zhiyuan Zheng7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9018-9465Jing Dou8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6961-6378Fuyan Bian9https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1620-0897Xiaoling Yu10https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2937-6699School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China ; yulong@nju.edu.cn, qsgu@nju.edu.cn; Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics (Nanjing University) , Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China ; yulong@nju.edu.cn, qsgu@nju.edu.cn; Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics (Nanjing University) , Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China ; yulong@nju.edu.cn, qsgu@nju.edu.cn; Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics (Nanjing University) , Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China ; yulong@nju.edu.cn, qsgu@nju.edu.cn; Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics (Nanjing University) , Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China ; yulong@nju.edu.cn, qsgu@nju.edu.cn; Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics (Nanjing University) , Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China ; yulong@nju.edu.cn, qsgu@nju.edu.cn; Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics (Nanjing University) , Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of ChinaHarvard and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics , 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USASchool of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China ; yulong@nju.edu.cn, qsgu@nju.edu.cn; Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics (Nanjing University) , Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China ; yulong@nju.edu.cn, qsgu@nju.edu.cn; Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics (Nanjing University) , Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of ChinaEuropean Southern Observatory , Alonso de Córdova 3107, Casilla 19001, Vitacura, Santiago 19, ChileCollege of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Qujing Normal University , Qujing 655011, Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of ChinaTo investigate the star-forming process in nearby dwarf galaxies, we present integral field unit observations of the star-forming dwarf galaxy NGC 1522 with the Very Large Telescope/Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer as a part of the Dwarf Galaxy Integral Survey. Our observations reveal the presence of a star-forming clumpy ring in its central region. We identify nine distinct star-forming clumps based on an extinction-corrected H α emission line map, with a total star formation rate of about 0.1 M _⊙ yr ^−1 . The nine clumps are considered to be starbursts, which represent an extreme case in the local Universe, without invoking major merging. We investigate the properties of ionized gas using the strong emission lines and “BPT” diagrams, in conjunction with velocity mapping. Our analysis unveils intriguing patterns, including a positive metallicity gradient and low N/O abundance ratio. This peculiar distribution of metallicity may signify external gas accretion. Our results suggest that the ongoing star formation in NGC 1522 might be triggered and sustained by the inflow of external metal-poor gas.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/add0b7Dwarf galaxiesInterstellar mediumStar formation
spellingShingle Liuze Long
Yulong Gao
Qiusheng Gu
Yong Shi
Xin Li
Can Xu
Yifei Jin
Zhiyuan Zheng
Jing Dou
Fuyan Bian
Xiaoling Yu
Clumpy Starburst in a Local Dwarf Galaxy, NGC 1522
The Astrophysical Journal
Dwarf galaxies
Interstellar medium
Star formation
title Clumpy Starburst in a Local Dwarf Galaxy, NGC 1522
title_full Clumpy Starburst in a Local Dwarf Galaxy, NGC 1522
title_fullStr Clumpy Starburst in a Local Dwarf Galaxy, NGC 1522
title_full_unstemmed Clumpy Starburst in a Local Dwarf Galaxy, NGC 1522
title_short Clumpy Starburst in a Local Dwarf Galaxy, NGC 1522
title_sort clumpy starburst in a local dwarf galaxy ngc 1522
topic Dwarf galaxies
Interstellar medium
Star formation
url https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/add0b7
work_keys_str_mv AT liuzelong clumpystarburstinalocaldwarfgalaxyngc1522
AT yulonggao clumpystarburstinalocaldwarfgalaxyngc1522
AT qiushenggu clumpystarburstinalocaldwarfgalaxyngc1522
AT yongshi clumpystarburstinalocaldwarfgalaxyngc1522
AT xinli clumpystarburstinalocaldwarfgalaxyngc1522
AT canxu clumpystarburstinalocaldwarfgalaxyngc1522
AT yifeijin clumpystarburstinalocaldwarfgalaxyngc1522
AT zhiyuanzheng clumpystarburstinalocaldwarfgalaxyngc1522
AT jingdou clumpystarburstinalocaldwarfgalaxyngc1522
AT fuyanbian clumpystarburstinalocaldwarfgalaxyngc1522
AT xiaolingyu clumpystarburstinalocaldwarfgalaxyngc1522