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  • The Local Group L-Band Survey: The First Measurements of Localized Cold Neutral Medium Properties in the Low-Metallicity Dwarf Galaxy NGC 6822

This content will become publicly available on July 22, 2025

Title: The Local Group L-Band Survey: The First Measurements of Localized Cold Neutral Medium Properties in the Low-Metallicity Dwarf Galaxy NGC 6822
Measuring the properties of the cold neutral medium (CNM) in low-metallicity galaxies provides insight into heating and cooling mechanisms in early Universe-like environments. We report detections of two localized atomic neutral hydrogen (Hi) absorption features in NGC 6822, a low-metallicity (0.2 Z⊙) dwarf galaxy in the Local Group. These are the first unambiguous CNM detections in a low-metallicity dwarf galaxy outside the Magellanic Clouds. The Local Group L-Band Survey (LGLBS) enabled these detections due to its high spatial (15 pc for Hi emission) and spectral (0.4 km s−1) resolution. We introduce LGLBS and describe a custom pipeline to search for Hi absorption at high angular resolution and extract associated Hi emission. A detailed Gaussian decomposition and radiative transfer analysis of the NGC 6822 detections reveals five CNM components, with key properties: a mean spin temperature of 32±6 K, a mean CNM column density of 3.1×1020 cm−2, and CNM mass fractions of 0.33 and 0.12 for the two sightlines. Stacking non-detections does not reveal low-level signals below our median optical depth sensitivity of 0.05. One detection intercepts a star-forming region, with the Hi absorption profile encompassing the CO (2−1) emission, indicating coincident molecular gas and a depression in high-resolution Hi emission. We also analyze a nearby sightline with deep, narrow Hi self-absorption dips, where the background warm neutral medium is attenuated by intervening CNM. The association of CNM, CO, and Hα emissions suggests a close link between the colder, denser Hi phase and star formation in NGC 6822.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2205628
PAR ID:
10525374
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
IOP
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Astrophysical journal
ISSN:
1538-4357
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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