NGC 3344 - Unusual abundances for an Sbc galaxy

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/130821· OSTI ID:5401853

McCall, M L ^[1]; Rybski, P M

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1. McDonald Observatory

Spectrophotometry of H II regions in the Sbc galaxy NGC 3344 reveals that it has a strong radial excitation gradient, with the ratio of the log of forbidden O III to H-beta rising to +0.7 in the outermost arms. Such behavior has heretofore been observed only in Scd galaxies, and it contrasts with observations of a number of galaxies of type Sc or earlier. (The colors and gas fraction of NGC 3344 are typical for its morphological type.) If this galaxy follows the relationship between abundance and excitation that is observed in other galaxies, then it has a strong abundance gradient in which the O/H abundance ratio falls to -0.7 in the outermost arms. Alternatively, the H II regions in NGC 3344 may have normal abundances together with unusually hot ionizing stars or a low dust/gas ratio.

• OSTI ID: 5401853
• Journal Information: Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States), Journal Name: Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States) Vol. 93; ISSN PASPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
CONFIGURATION
COSMIC DUST
COSMIC GASES
DUSTS
ELEMENTS
EMISSION SPECTRA
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GASES
HYDROGEN
IONIZED GASES
LINE WIDTHS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
SPECTRA
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
SPIRAL CONFIGURATION