Chemical composition gradient in NGC 2403 and the stellar mass limit

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/131868· OSTI ID:6784143

Fierro, J; Torres-peimbert, S; Peimbert, M

Photoelectric spectrophotometry in the 3400 A-7400 A range is presented for five H II regions in the spiral galalxy NGC 2403. Steep gradients in the electron temperature, N/H, and O/H were found. By adopting the Y versus O/H relation the observations also imply gradients in neutral He/H(+). The maximum temperature of the most massive stars in giant H II regions across the disk of NGC 2403 is 35,000 K; this result implies that the mass of the most massive stars is very similar in each H II region and that it is independent of the gradient in heavy element abundances. By comparing the derived chemical abundances with models of galactic chemical evolution it is found that infall into the galactic disk is not important for NGC 2403. 43 references.

• Research Organization: Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City
• OSTI ID: 6784143
• Journal Information: Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States), Journal Name: Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States) Vol. 98; ISSN PASPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CONFIGURATION
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
GALAXIES
H2 REGIONS
MASS
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
SPIRAL CONFIGURATION