Absorption-Line Probes of Gas and Dust in Galactic Superwinds

August 2000 • 2000ApJS..129..493H

Authors • Heckman, Timothy M. • Lehnert, Matthew D. • Strickland, David K. • Armus, Lee

Abstract • We have obtained moderate resolution (R=few thousand) spectra of the Na I λλ5890, 5896 (Na D) absorption line in a sample of 32 far-IR-bright starburst galaxies. In 18 cases, the Na D line in the nucleus is produced primarily by interstellar gas, while cool stars contribute significantly in the others. In 12 of the 18 ``interstellar-dominated'' cases the Na D line is blueshifted by over 100 km s^-1 relative to the galaxy systemic velocity (the ``outflow sources''), while no case shows a net redshift of more than 100 km s^-1. The absorption-line profiles in these outflow sources span the range from near the galaxy systemic velocity to a maximum blueshift of ~400-600 km s^-1. The outflow sources are galaxies systematically viewed more nearly face-on than the others. We therefore argue that the absorbing material consists of ambient interstellar material that has been entrained and accelerated along the minor axis of the galaxy by a hot starburst-driven superwind. The Na D lines are optically thick, but indirect arguments imply total hydrogen column densities of N_H~few×10²¹ cm^-2. This implies that the superwind is expelling matter at a rate comparable to the star formation rate. This outflowing material is evidently very dusty: we find a strong correlation between the depth of the Na D profile and the line-of-sight reddening. Typical implied values are E(B-V)=0.3-1 over regions several-to-10 kpc in size. We briefly consider some of the potential implications of these observations. The estimated terminal velocities of superwinds inferred from the present data and extant X-ray data are typically 400-800 km^-1, are independent of the galaxy rotation speed, and are comparable to (substantially exceed) the escape velocities for L_* (dwarf) galaxies. The resulting selective loss of metals from shallower potential wells can establish the mass-metallicity relation in spheroids, produce the observed metallicity in the intracluster medium, and enrich a general IGM to of order 10^-1 solar metallicity. If the outflowing dust grains can survive their journey into the IGM, their effect on observations of cosmologically distant objects would be significant.

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Lee Armus

Senior Scientist