Density bounding of giant HII regions and the ionization of the diffuse interstellar medium

Beckman, J. E.; Rozas, M.; Knapen, J. H.
Referencia bibliográfica

Publications Astronomical Society of Australia, vol. 15, no. 1, p. 83-85

Fecha de publicación:
4
1998
Número de autores
3
Número de autores del IAC
1
Número de citas
7
Número de citas referidas
4
Descripción
Three different types of evidence are presented in favour of the hypothesis that the HII regions in disk galaxies with H-alpha luminosities greater than a critical value of 10^(38.6)^ erg s^(-1)^ are density bounded, and that the escaping Lyman continuum photons from these are the principal ionizing agents for the diffuse ISM in disk galaxies. This has important implications for the ionization of the intergalactic medium, and for computed star formation rates in spirals.