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arXiv 1006.0974astro-ph.GA
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用紫外光和光吸收探索麦哲伦流的起源和命运

Exploring the Origin and Fate of the Magellanic Stream with Ultraviolet and Optical Absorption

Andrew J. Fox, Bart P. Wakker, Jonathan V. Smoker, Philipp Richter, Blair D. Savage, Kenneth R. Sembach

摘要:

本文利用HST/STIS和FUSE紫外光谱技术对两个背景活动星系核NGC 7469和Mrk 335的电离和金属富集进行了分析。对于NGC 7469,我们包括来自VLT/UVES的光学光谱。在这两种视线中,MS在低离子和高离子吸收中被检测到。对于NGC 7469,我们测量了MS氧丰度[O/H]_MS=[OI/HI]=-1.00+/-0.05(stat)+/-0.08(syst),支持该流起源于SMC而不是LMC的观点。我们使用云模型的低离子相的流作为光电离等离子体使用所观察到的Si III/Si II和C III/C II的比例。对于Mrk 335,电离参数log U在-3.45 ~-3.15之间,气体密度log(n_H/cm^-3)在-2.51 ~-2.21之间。朝向NGC 7469,我们推导出亚太阳丰度比[Si/O],[Fe/O]和[Al/O],表明在MS中存在尘埃。高离子柱密度太大,不能用光电离解释,但也不能用单温度碰撞电离模型(平衡或非平衡)解释。这表明高离子等离子体是多相的。通过对低离子和高离子阶段的求和,我们得出NGC 7469和Mrk 335的N(总H II)/N(H I)比值的保守下限分别为>19和>330,这表明沿着这两个方向,绝大多数流已经被电离。在21厘米处观察到的小尺度结构,以及温暖的热等离子体的存在提供了与热银河日冕蒸发相互作用的证据。流体动力学模拟预测的这种情况表明,MS的命运将是用新的等离子体补充银河系日冕,而不是将中性燃料带到磁盘。

英文摘要:

(Abridged) We present an analysis of ionization and metal enrichment in the Magellanic Stream (MS), the nearest gaseous tidal stream, using HST/STIS and FUSE ultraviolet spectroscopy of two background AGN, NGC 7469 and Mrk 335. For NGC 7469, we include optical spectroscopy from VLT/UVES. In both sightlines the MS is detected in low-ion and high-ion absorption. Toward NGC 7469, we measure a MS oxygen abundance [O/H]_MS=[OI/HI]=-1.00+/-0.05(stat)+/-0.08(syst), supporting the view that the Stream originates in the SMC rather than the LMC. We use CLOUDY to model the low-ion phase of the Stream as a photoionized plasma using the observed Si III/Si II and C III/C II ratios. Toward Mrk 335 this yields an ionization parameter log U between -3.45 and -3.15 and a gas density log (n_H/cm^-3) between -2.51 and -2.21. Toward NGC 7469 we derive sub-solar abundance ratios for [Si/O], [Fe/O], and [Al/O], indicating the presence of dust in the MS. The high-ion column densities are too large to be explained by photoionization, but also cannot be explained by a single-temperature collisional-ionization model (equilibrium or non-equilibrium). This suggests the high-ion plasma is multi-phase. Summing over the low-ion and high-ion phases, we derive conservative lower limits on the ratio N(total H II)/N(H I) of >19 toward NGC 7469 and >330 toward Mrk 335, showing that along these two directions the vast majority of the Stream has been ionized. The presence of warm-hot plasma together with the small-scale structure observed at 21 cm provides evidence for an evaporative interaction with the hot Galactic corona. This scenario, predicted by hydrodynamical simulations, suggests that the fate of the MS will be to replenish the Galactic corona with new plasma, rather than to bring neutral fuel to the disk.

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