Gradients of excitation in the nuclei of starburst galaxies

Munoz-Tunon, C.; Vilchez, J. M.; Castaneda, H. O.; Beckman, J. E.
Bibliographical reference

(Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias and Comision Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Summer School on Evolutionary Phenomena in Galaxies, Puerto de la Cruz, Spain, July 4-15, 1988) Astrophysics and Space Science (ISSN 0004-640X), vol. 157, no. 1-2, July 1989, p. 165-171.

Advertised on:
7
1989
Number of authors
4
IAC number of authors
0
Citations
8
Refereed citations
8
Description
The use of long-slit spectroscopy at high spectral and spatial resolution has made it possible to measure gradients of gaseous excitation and also velocity fields in a sample of four bright nuclear starburst galaxies selected from the sample of Balzano (1983). Variations are found not only in the intensity but also in the quality of the emission spectra (line ratios and line widths) of the interstellar gas between regions separated by relatively short distances. The need is stressed for studies with at least the present degree of angular and spectral resolution if physical sense is to be made of the interstellar excitation regimes in external galaxies, as well as to investigate a possible evolutionary link between nuclei of intermediate activity.