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arXiv · 2011.09924

Searching for intergalactic star forming regions in Stephan's Quintet with SITELLE: II. Physical properties and metallicity

S. Duarte Puertas·J. M. Vilchez·J. Iglesias-Páramo·L. Drissen·C. Kehrig·T. Martin·E. Pérez-Montero·A. Arroyo-Polonio
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Abstract

Based on SITELLE spectroscopy, we studied the ionised gas emission for the 175 H$\alpha$ emission regions in the Stephan's Quintet (SQ). A detailed analysis is performed of the star formation rate (SFR), oxygen abundance (O/H), and nitrogen-to-oxygen abundance ratio (N/O) of the SQ regions, to explore the provenance and evolution of this complex structure. According to the BPT diagram, we found 91 HII, 17 composite, and 7 active galactic nucleus-like regions in SQ. Several regions are compatible with fast shocks models without a precursor for solar metallicity and low density (n=0.1 cm$^{-3}$), with velocities between 175 - 300 km s$^{-1}$. We derived the total SFR in SQ (log(SFR/M$_\odot\,yr^{-1}$=0.496); starburst A and B provide 28% and 9% of the total SFR, and 45% comes from the regions with a radial velocity lower than 6160 km s$^{-1}$. For this reason, we assume that the material prior to the collision with the new intruder (NI) does not show a high SFR, and therefore SQ was apparently quenched. When considering the integrated SFR for the whole SQ and the NI, we found that both zones have a SFR consistent with those obtained in the SDSS star-forming galaxies. At least two chemically different gas components cohabit in SQ where, on average, the regions with high radial velocities (v$>$6160 km s$^{-1}$) have lower values of O/H and N/O than those with low radial velocities (v$\leq$6160 km s$^{-1}$). The values found for the line ratios, O/H, and N/O for the southern debris region and the northernmost tidal tail, are compatible with regions belonging to the outer part of the galaxies. We highlight the presence of inner-outer variation for O/H and some emission line ratios along the NI strands and the young tidal tail south strand. Finally, the SQ H$\alpha$ regions are outside the galaxies because the interactions have dispersed the gas to the peripheral zones.

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S. Duarte Puertas, J. M. Vilchez, J. Iglesias-Páramo, L. Drissen, C. Kehrig, T. Martin, E. Pérez-Montero, A. Arroyo-Polonio. 2020-11-19. Searching for intergalactic star forming regions in Stephan's Quintet with SITELLE: II. Physical properties and metallicity. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361%2F202038734

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