Computer Science
Scientific paper
Feb 2000
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000noao.prop..331g&link_type=abstract
NOAO Proposal ID #2000A-0331
Computer Science
Scientific paper
Star formation in low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies remains an enigma and several important observational paradoxes exist. In particular, although LSB disks are gas-rich, H I mapping has shown that they have typical H I column densities below the critical threshold for star formation. As of yet, no LSB galaxy has been detected in CO emission placing strict limits on the amount of molecular gas they contain. HII region spectroscopy indicates a severe lack of metals, suggesting a reduced massive star formation rate and history, relative to that found in normal high surface brightness disks. In fact, it is difficult to understand how systems so deficient in molecular gas and heavy elements form stars at all, yet they clearly reach luminosities of L_* and beyond. Moreover, a gas-rich population of LSBs with disk colors redder than B-V > 1.0 has recently been discovered. This population is in stark contrast to the bulk of LSB disks that are rather blue, presumably due to young mean age and low metallicity. These results have greatly extended the color-gas content plane for LSB disks. Blue or red, all LSB disks have one thing in common - a clearly low rate of massive star formation. We propose to systematically investigate the process of massive star formation in low gas density environments through deep H-alpha imaging of blue and red LSB disks. Currently, no extensive quantitative study of the star formation properties of LSBs exists. Our H(alpha) survey will be the first step in this process and will provide useful comparison data for existing and future CO and H I observations of these galaxies.
Bothun Greg
de Blok Erwin
Galarza Vanessa C.
Walterbos Rene A. M.
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