Detailed kinematic study of the ionized and neutral gas in the complex of star formation in the galaxy IC 1613

Abstract

We carried out detailed kinematic studies of the complex of multiple H I and H II shells that represent the only region of ongoing star formation in the dwarf irregular galaxy IC 1613. We investigated the ionized-gas kinematics by using Fabry—Perot Hα observations with the 6-m Special Astrophysical Observatory telescope and the neutral-gas kinematics by using VLA 21-cm radio observations. We identified three extended (300–350 pc) neutral shells with which the brightest H II shells in the complex of star formation are associated. The neutral-gas kinematics in the complex has been studied for the first time and the H I shells were found to expand at a velocity of 15–18 km s−1. We constructed velocity ellipses for all H II shells in the complex and refined (increased) the expansion velocities of most of them. The nature of the interacting ionized and neutral shells is discussed.