Magellanic irregular galaxy NGC 4214 - star formation and the interstellar medium

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/166864· OSTI ID:6533927

Thronson, Jr, H A; Greenhouse, M; Hunter, D A; Telesco, C M; Harper, D A

Near- and far-IR data and mm-wave CO observations are used to study the star-forming properties of the Magellanic irregular galaxy NGC 4214 and its interstellar medium. The galaxy is forming stars at present at about 0.5-1 solar mass/yr in its central few arcmin, if the new stars follow the Salpeter initial mass function from 0.1 to 100 solar masses. This has been maintained for around a Hubble time, although some regions of the galaxy may undergo periods of enhanced and depressed star formation. Based on the mass of dust in emission at 160 microns, a plausible star formation efficiency of about 1.5 percent is estimated, if the H I gas does not take part in forming stars. Molecular masses derived using the H + 1 - 0 line and a conversion to M(H2) appropriate to spiral galaxies produces a mass estimate that is too low by a factor of five to ten. 46 references.

• Research Organization: Wyoming Infrared Observatory, Laramie (USA); Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ (USA); NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL (USA); Yerkes Observatory, Williams Bay, WI (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6533927
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 334
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
STAR EVOLUTION
CARBON MONOXIDE
COSMIC DUST
EFFICIENCY
EMISSION SPECTRA
ENERGY SPECTRA
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
H1 REGIONS
HYDROGEN
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
MASS
MOLECULES
ORIGIN
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
DUSTS
ELEMENTS
GALAXIES
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SPACE
SPECTRA
640105* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies