The M81 Group Dwarf Irregular Galaxy DDO 165. I. High-velocity Neutral Gas in a Post-starburst System

July 2011 • 2011ApJ...735...35C

Authors • Cannon, John M. • Most, Hans P. • Skillman, Evan D. • Weisz, Daniel R. • Cook, David • Dolphin, Andrew E. • Kennicutt, Robert C., Jr. • Lee, Janice • Seth, Anil • Walter, Fabian • Warren, Steven R.

Abstract • We present new multi-configuration Very Large Array H I spectral line observations of the M81 group dwarf irregular post-starburst galaxy DDO 165. The H I morphology is complex, with multiple column density peaks surrounding a large region of very low H I surface density that is offset from the center of the stellar distribution. The bulk of the neutral gas is associated with the southern section of the galaxy; a secondary peak in the north contains ~15% of the total H I mass. These components appear to be kinematically distinct, suggesting that either tidal processes or large-scale blowout have recently shaped the interstellar medium (ISM) of DDO 165. Using spatially resolved position-velocity maps, we find multiple localized high-velocity gas features. Cross-correlating with radius-velocity analyses, we identify eight shell/hole structures in the ISM with a range of sizes (~400-900 pc) and expansion velocities (~7-11 km s^-1). These structures are compared with narrow- and broadband imaging from the Kitt Peak National Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Using the latter data, recent works have shown that DDO 165's previous "burst" phase was extended temporally (gsim1 Gyr). We thus interpret the high-velocity gas features, H I holes, and kinematically distinct components of the galaxy in the context of the immediate effects of "feedback" from recent star formation (SF). In addition to creating H I holes and shells, extended SF events are capable of creating localized high-velocity motion of the surrounding interstellar material. A companion paper connects the energetics from the H I and HST data.

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David Cook

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