ESO 338-IG04 Research Articles

A Tale of Three Dwarfs: No Extreme Cluster Formation in Extreme Star-forming Galaxies

Nearly all current simulations predict that outcomes of the star formation process, such as the fraction of stars that form in bound clusters (Γ), depend on the intensity of star formation activity (ΣSFR) in the host galaxy. The exact shape and strength of the predicted correlations, however, vary from simulation to simulation. Observational results also remain unclear at this time, because most works have mixed estimates made from very young clusters for galaxies with higher ΣSFR with those from older clusters for galaxies with lower ΣSFR. The three blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies ESO 185-IG13, ESO 338-IG04, and Haro 11 have played a central role on the observational side because they have some of the highest known ΣSFR and published values of Γ. We present new estimates of Γ for these BCDs in three age intervals (1–10 Myr, 10–100 Myr, 100–400 Myr), based on age-dating, which includes Hα photometry to better discriminate between clusters younger and older than ≈10 Myr. We find significantly lower values for Γ(1–10 Myr) than published previously. The likely reason for the discrepancy is that previous estimates appear to be based on age–reddening results that underestimated ages and overestimated reddening for many clusters, artificially boosting Γ(1–10 Myr). We also find that fewer stars remain in clusters over time, with ≈15%–39% in 1–10 Myr clusters, ≈5%–7% in 10–100 Myr clusters, and ≈1%–2% in 100–400 Myr clusters. We find no evidence that Γ increases with ΣSFR. These results imply that cluster formation efficiency does not vary with star formation intensity in the host galaxy. If confirmed, our results will help guide future assumptions in galaxy-scale simulations of cluster formation and evolution.

Super star cluster feedback driving ionization, shocks and outflows in the halo of the nearby starburst ESO 338-IG04

Context. Stellar feedback strongly affects the interstellar medium (ISM) of galaxies. Stellar feedback in the first galaxies likely plays a major role in enabling the escape of LyC photons, which contribute to the re-ionization of the Universe. Nearby starburst galaxies serve as local analogues allowing for a spatially resolved assessment of the feedback processes in these galaxies. Aims.We aim to characterize the feedback effects from the star clusters in the local high-redshift analogue ESO 338-IG04 on the ISM and compare the results with the properties of the most massive clusters. Methods. We used high quality VLT/MUSE optical integral field data to derive the physical properties of the ISM such as ionization, density, shocks, and performed new fitting of the spectral energy distributions of the brightest clusters in ESO 338-IG04 from HST imaging. Results.We find that ESO 338-IG04 has a large ionized halo which we detect to a distance of 9 kpc. We identify four Wolf-Rayet (WR) clusters based on the blue and red WR bump. We follow previously identified ionization cones and find that the ionization of the halo increases with distance. Analysis of the galaxy kinematics shows two complex outflows driven by the numerous young clusters in the galaxy. We find a ring of shocked emission traced by an enhanced [O I]/Hα ratio surrounding the starburst and at the end of the outflow. Finally we detect nitrogen enriched gas associated with the outflow, likely caused by the WR stars in the massive star clusters. Conclusions. Photoionization dominates the central starburst and sets the ionization structure of the entire halo, resulting in a density bounded halo, facilitating the escape of LyC photons. Outside the central starburst, shocks triggered by an expanding super bubble become important. The shocks at the end of the outflow suggest interaction between the hot outflowing material and the more quiescent halo gas.

The super star cluster driven feedback in ESO338-IG04 and Haro 11

AbstractThe stellar content of young massive star clusters emit large amounts of Lyman continuum photons and inject momentum into the inter stellar medium (ISM) by the strong stellar winds of the most massive stars in the cluster. When the most massive stars explode as supernovae, large amounts of mechanical energy are injected in the ISM. A detailed study of the ISM around these massive cluster provides insights on the effect of cluster feedback.We present high quality integral field spectroscopy taken with VLT/MUSE of two starburst galaxies: ESO 338-IG04 and Haro 11. Both galaxies contain a significant number of super star clusters. The MUSE data provide us with an unprecedented view of the state and kinematics of the ionized gas in the galaxy allowing us to study the effect of stellar feedback on small and large spatial scales. We present our recent results on studying the ISM state of these two galaxies. The data of both galaxies show that the mechanical and ionization feedback of the super star clusters in the galaxy modify the state and kinematics of the ISM substancially by creating highly ionized bubbles around the cluster, making the central part of the galaxy highly ionized. This shows that the HII regions around the individual clusters are density bounded, allowing the ionizing photons to escape and ionize the ISM further out.

VLT/MUSE view of the highly ionized outflow cones in the nearby starburst ESO338-IG04

The Ly$\alpha$ line is an important diagnostic for star formation at high redshift, but interpreting its flux and line profile is difficult because of the resonance nature of Ly$\alpha$. Trends between the escape of Ly$\alpha$ photons and dust and properties of the interstellar medium (ISM) have been found, but detailed comparisons between Ly$\alpha$ emission and the properties of the gas in local high-redshift analogs are vital for understanding the relation between Ly$\alpha$ emission and galaxy properties. For the first time, we can directly infer the properties of the ionized gas at the same location and similar spatial scales of the extended Ly$\alpha$ halo around ESO 338-IG04. We obtained VLT/MUSE integral field spectra. We used ionization parameter mapping of the [SII]/[OIII] line ratio and the kinematics of H$\alpha$ to study the ionization state and kinematics of the ISM of ESO338-IG04. The velocity map reveals two outflows. The entire central area of the galaxy is highly ionized by photons leaking from the HII regions around the youngest star clusters. Three highly ionized cones have been identified, of which one is associated with an outflow. We propose a scenario where the outflows are created by mechanical feedback of the older clusters, while the highly ionized gas is caused by the hard ionizing photons emitted by the youngest clusters. A comparison with the Ly$\alpha$ map shows that the (approximately bipolar) asymmetries observed in the Ly$\alpha$ emission are consistent with the base of the outflows detected in H$\alpha$. No clear correlation with the ionization cones is found. The mechanical and ionization feedback of star clusters significantly changes the state of the ISM by creating ionized cones and outflows. The comparison with Ly$\alpha$ suggests that especially the outflows could facilitate the escape of Ly$\alpha$ photons [Abridged].

Neutral gas in Lyman-alpha emitting galaxies Haro 11 and ESO 338-IG04 measured through sodium absorption

Context. The Lyman alpha emission line of galaxies is an important tool for finding galaxies at high redshift, and thus probe the structure of the early universe. However, the resonance nature of the line and its sensitivity to dust and neutral gas is still not fully understood. Aims. We present measurements of the velocity, covering fraction and optical depth of neutral gas in front of two well known local blue compact galaxies that show Lyman alpha in emission: ESO 338-IG 04 and Haro 11. We thus test observationally the hypothesis that Lyman alpha can escape through neutral gas by being Doppler shifted out of resonance. Methods. We present integral field spectroscopy from the GIRAFFE/Argus spectrograph at VLT/FLAMES in Paranal, Chile. The excellent wavelength resolution allows us to accurately measure the velocity of the ionized and neutral gas through the H-alpha emission and Na D absorption, which traces the ionized medium and cold interstellar gas, respectively. We also present independent measurements with the VLT/X-shooter spectrograph which confirm our results. Results. For ESO 338-IG04, we measure no significant shift of neutral gas. The best fit velocity is -15 (16) km/s. For Haro 11, we see an outflow from knot B at 44 (13) km/s and infalling gas towards knot C with 32 (12) km/s. Based on the relative strength of the Na D absorption lines, we estimate low covering fractions of neutral gas (down to 10%) in all three cases. Conclusions. The Na D absorption likely occurs in dense clumps with higher column densities than where the bulk of the Ly-alpha scattering takes place. Still, we find no strong correlation between outflowing neutral gas and a high Lyman alpha escape fraction. The Lyman alpha photons from these two galaxies are therefore likely escaping due to a low column density and/or covering fraction.

Dynamical masses of two young globular clusters in the blue compact galaxy ESO 338–IG04

We present high-resolution echelle spectroscopy, obtained with the UVES spectrograph on ESO/VLT, of two luminous star clusters in the metal-poor blue compact galaxy ESO 338-IG04 at a distance of 37 ...

The temporal and spatial evolution of the starburst in ESO 338-IG04 as probed by its star clusters

In this paper we use ultra-violet (UV) and optical HST photometry in five bands, and an extensive set of spectral evolutionary synthesis scenarios to investigate the age and masses of 124 star clusters in the luminous blue compact galaxy ESO338-IG04 (Tololo 1924-416). The very small internal reddening makes ESO 338-IG04 an excellent laboratory for studying the formation of massive star clusters. We have used the star clusters to trace the temporal and spatial evolution of the starburst, and to put constraints on the star formation activity over a cosmological time-scale. The present starburst has been active for about 40 Myr. A standard Salpeter initial mass function (IMF) extending up to 120 solar masses provides the best fit to the data, although a flatter IMF cannot be excluded. The compact star clusters provide 30-40 percent of the UV luminosity and star formation activity. We find no evidence for dust obscuration even among the youngest (< 1 Myr) clusters. The fraction of stellar mass contained in compact star clusters is found to be several percent, which is an unusually high value. The intermediate age clusters show a flattened space distribution which agrees with the isophotal shape of the galaxy, whereas the oldest clusters seem to have a spherical distribution.(abridged)