Using KCWI to Explore the Chemical Inhomogeneities and Evolution of J1044+0353

TL;DR

This study uses integral field spectroscopy to analyze the chemical inhomogeneities, star formation history, and outflow dynamics of the galaxy J1044+0353, revealing complex spatial and kinematic structures that influence its evolution.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed spatially-resolved analysis of chemical and kinematic properties of J1044+0353, highlighting the impact of outflows and inflows on its chemical evolution.

Findings

Post-starburst population located ~1 kpc east of the young starburst.

Similar metallicity between starburst and post-starburst regions with significant dispersion.

Detection of a velocity gradient indicating an outflow aligned with the galaxy's minor axis.

Abstract

J1044+0353 is considered a local analog of the young galaxies that ionized the intergalactic medium at high-redshift due to its low mass, low metallicity, high specific star formation rate, and strong high-ionization emission lines. We use integral field spectroscopy to trace the propagation of the starburst across this small galaxy using Balmer emission- and absorption-line equivalent widths and find a post-starburst population (~ 15 - 20 Myr) roughly one kpc east of the much younger, compact starburst (~ 3 - 4 Myr). Using the direct electron temperature method to map the O/H abundance ratio, we find similar metallicity (1 to 3 sigma) between the starburst and post-starburst regions but with a significant dispersion of about 0.3 dex within the latter. We also map the Doppler shift and width of the strong emission lines. Over scales several times the size of the galaxy, we discover a velocity gradient parallel to the galaxy's minor axis. The steepest gradients (~ 30 $\mathrm{km \ s^{-1} \ kpc^{-1}}$) appear to emanate from the oldest stellar association. We identify the velocity gradient as an outflow viewed edge-on based on the increased line width and skew in a biconical region. We discuss how this outflow and the gas inflow necessary to trigger the starburst affect the chemical evolution of J1044+0353. We conclude that the stellar associations driving the galactic outflow are spatially offset from the youngest association, and a chemical evolution model with a metal-enriched wind requires a more realistic inflow rate than a homogeneous chemical evolution model.