Low-excitation blobs in the Magellanic Clouds

Abstract

Aims : We study an unknown, or very poorly known, interstellar HII component in the Magellanic Clouds. This is the first study ever devoted to this class of objects, which we call Low-excitation blobs (LEBs). Methods : We used low-dispersion spectroscopy carried out at ESO to obtain emission line intensities of Ha, Hb, and [OIII] (4959+5007) for 15 objects in the Large Magellanic Cloud and 14 objects in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Results are displayed in excitation ([oiii]/Hb ratio) versus Hb luminosity diagrams. Results : We show the presence of an LEB component in the Magellanic Clouds and study its relationship with the already known class of high-excitation blobs (HEBs). The newly found LEBs are lower excitation counterparts of HEBs and are powered by less massive exciting stars. Further study of LEBs is expected to provide new pieces of information for a better understanding the low mass end of the upper initial mass function in the Magellanic Clouds.

Accepted in A&A

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Cited by in corpus (7)

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• A Spitzer Space Telescope far-infrared spectral atlas of compact sources in the Magellanic Clouds. II. The Small Magellanic Cloud
• The dustiest Post-Main sequence stars in the Magellanic Clouds
• An interesting candidate for isolated massive star formation in the Small Magellanic Cloud
• Spitzer Mid-infrared Study of Compact HII Regions in the Magellanic Clouds
• Two compact HII regions at the remote outskirts of the Magellanic Clouds
• Radio Planetary Nebulae in the Small Magellanic Cloud