On the origins of the diffuse H-alpha emission: Ionized gas or dust-scattered H-alpha halos?

TL;DR

This paper reevaluates the origin of diffuse H-alpha emission, providing evidence that dust scattering, previously dismissed, can account for observed features and line ratios in the diffuse interstellar medium.

Contribution

The study demonstrates that dust-scattered H-alpha halos are consistent with observations, challenging previous assumptions that excluded dust scattering as a significant source.

Findings

Dust scattering can produce H-alpha halos matching observed morphology.

Line ratios in the diffuse ISM align with dust-scattered, photoionized halos.

H-alpha absorption in the continuum increases certain line ratios.

Abstract

It is known that the diffuse H-alpha emission outside of bright H II regions not only are very extended, but also can occur in distinct patches or filaments far from H II regions, and the line ratios of [S II] 6716/H-alpha and [N II] 6583/H-alpha observed far from bright H II regions are generally higher than those in the H II regions. These observations have been regarded as evidence against the dust-scattering origin of the diffuse H-alpha emission (including other optical lines), and the effect of dust scattering has been neglected in studies on the diffuse H-alpha emission. In this paper, we reexamine the arguments against dust scattering and find that the dust-scattering origin of the diffuse H-alpha emission cannot be ruled out. As opposed to the previous contention, the expected dust- scattered H-alpha halos surrounding H II regions are, in fact, in good agreement with the observed H-alpha morphology. We calculate an extensive set of photoionization models by varying elemental abundances, ionizing stellar types, and clumpiness of the interstellar medium (ISM) and find that the observed line ratios of [S II]/H-alpha, [N II]/H-alpha, and He I 5876/H-alpha in the diffuse ISM accord well with the dust-scattered halos around H II regions, which are photoionized by late O- and/or early B-type stars. We also demonstrate that the H-alpha absorption feature in the underlying continuum from the dust-scattered starlight ("diffuse galactic light") and unresolved stars is able to substantially increase the [S II]/H-alpha and [N II]/H-alpha line ratios in the diffuse ISM.