paper

Hα Dots: Direct-Method Metal Abundances of Low-Luminosity Star-Forming Systems

arXiv:2112.02135 · doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ac402a

Abstract

Utilizing low-luminosity star-forming systems discovered in the H Dots survey, we present spectroscopic observations undertaken using the KPNO 4m telescope for twenty-six sources. With determinations of robust, "direct"-method metal abundances, we examine the properties of these dwarf systems, exploring their utility in characterizing starburst galaxies at low luminosities and stellar masses. We find that the H Dots survey provides an effective new avenue for identifying star-forming galaxies in these regimes. In addition, we examine abundance characteristics and metallicity scaling relations with these sources, highlighting a flattening of both the luminosity-metallicity (-) and stellar mass-metallicity (-) relation slopes in these regimes as compared with those utilizing samples covering wider respective dynamic ranges. These local, accessible analogues to the kinds of star-forming dwarfs common at high redshift will help shed light on the building blocks which assembled into the massive galaxies common today.

Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal; 27 pages, 7 figures, 5 tables

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