Abstract
Reports Brackett-α and Brackett-γ line observations of NGC 3690, NGC 5195, and IC 4553 (Arp 220). The infrared recombination transitions of ionized hydrogen provide a direct measure of the star formation activity and thus are important probes of the nature of the luminous infrared and radio emission in these sources. Infrared lines are relatively unobscured and allow an estimate of the extinction to the ionized gas that is consistently higher than that derived from optical observations. These galaxies are all bright infrared sources and members of interacting systems, but their Lyman continuum fluxes and their infrared and radio spectra are remarkably dissimilar.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 70 - 5 |
| Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
| Volume | 309 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - Oct 1986 |
Keywords
- astronomical spectra
- galaxies
- H II region
- hydrogen ions
- infrared astronomical observations
- infrared sources (astronomical)
- star formation