COMPARISON OF THE DIFFUSE H{alpha} AND FUV CONTINUUM BACKGROUNDS: ON THE ORIGINS OF THE DIFFUSE H{alpha} BACKGROUND
- Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daejeon 305-348 (Korea, Republic of)
- Ritter Astrophysical Research Center, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States)
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94702 (United States)
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of)
We compare the diffuse H{alpha} map of our Galaxy with the FUV (1370-1710 A) continuum map. The H{alpha} intensity correlates well with the FUV intensity. The H{alpha}/FUV intensity ratio increases in general with the H{alpha} intensity and the FUV hardness ratio (1370-1520 A to 1560-1710 A), implying that late OB stars may be the main source of the H{alpha} recombination line at high latitudes. The variation of the H{alpha} intensity as a function of the Galactic latitude is also very similar to that of the FUV intensity. The results likely suggest that not only the original radiation sources of the H{alpha} and FUV backgrounds but also the radiative transfer mechanisms responsible for the diffuse backgrounds are largely common. Therefore, we propose a scenario wherein the H{alpha} background at high latitudes is mostly composed of two components, H{alpha} photons produced by in situ recombination at the ionized regions around late OB stars and dust-scattered light of the H{alpha} photons originating from late OB stars.
- OSTI ID:
- 22004432
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 743, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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