Spatially-resolved properties of the ionized gas in the HII galaxy J084220+115000

TL;DR

This study uses integral field spectroscopy to analyze the spatial distribution of ionized gas and metallicity in the metal-poor HII galaxy J084220+115000, revealing significant metallicity variation and signs of interaction-driven star formation.

Contribution

First spatially resolved spectroscopic analysis of J084220+115000, showing large metallicity variation and evidence of interaction-induced starburst activity.

Findings

Mean oxygen abundance 12+log(O/H)=8.03±0.06

Metallicity varies by 0.72 dex across the galaxy

Evidence of ongoing interaction triggering star formation

Abstract

We present a spatially resolved spectroscopic study for the metal poor HII galaxy J084220+115000 using MEGARA Integral Field Unit observations at the Gran Telescopio Canarias. We estimated the gas metallicity using the direct method for oxygen, nitrogen and helium and found a mean value of 12+$\log$(O/H)=$8.03\pm$0.06, and integrated electron density and temperature of $\sim161$ cm$^{-3}$ and $\sim15400$ K, respectively. The metallicity distribution shows a large range of $\Delta$(O/H) = 0.72 dex between the minimum and maximum (7.69$\pm$0.06 and 8.42$\pm$0.05) values, unusual in a dwarf star-forming galaxy. We derived an integrated $\log$(N/O) ratio of $-1.51\pm0.05$ and found that both N/O and O/H correspond to a primary production of metals. Spatially resolved maps indicate that the gas appears to be photoionized by massive stars according to the diagnostic line ratios. Between the possible mechanisms to explain the starburst activity and the large variation of oxygen abundance in this galaxy, our data support a possible scenario where we are witnessing an ongoing interaction triggering multiple star-forming regions localized in two dominant clumps.