AN X-RAY VIEW OF STAR FORMATION IN THE CENTRAL 3 kpc OF NGC 2403

作者：Yukita Mihoko^*; Swartz Douglas A; Tennant Allyn F; Soria Roberto

来源：Astronomical Journal, 2010, 139(3): 1066-1088.

DOI：10.1088/0004-6256/139/3/1066

• galaxies: evolution
• galaxies: individual (NGC 2403)
• galaxies: nuclei
• X-rays: galaxies

Archival Chandra observations are used to study the X-ray emission associated with star formation in the central region of the nearby SAB(s) cd galaxy NGC 2403. The distribution of X-ray emission is compared to themorphology visible at other wavelengths using complementary Spitzer, Galaxy Evolution Explorer, and ground-based Ha imagery. In general, the brightest extended X-ray emission is associated with H II regions and to other star-forming structures but is more pervasive, existing also in regions devoid of strong Ha and UV emission. This X-ray emission has the spectral properties of diffuse hot gas (kT similar to 0.2 keV) whose likely origin is in gas shock heated by stellar winds and supernovae with less than or similar to 20% coming from faint unresolved X-ray point sources. This hot gas may be slowly cooling extra-planar remnants of past outflow events, or a disk component that either lingers after local star formation activity has ended or that has vented from active star-forming regions into a porous interstellar medium.

• 出版日期2010-3