(M v~
-
1 7 ). T h e ir c o lo u r in d ic e s U -B a n d B -V ra n g e re s p e c \ue000
tiv e ly b e tw e e n
- 0.4
a n d
- 0 .7 5 a n d 0 .4 a n d 0 .0 .
T h e
to ta l m a s s
o f th e s e
o b je c ts
c a n
b e
e s tim a te d
b y th e
c la s s ic a l (b u t n o t v e ry a c c u r a te ) m e th o d o f th e v e lo c ity d is p e r\ue000
s io n s .
F o r in s ta n c e
in
th e
c a s e
of I Zw
1 2 9
a n d
II
Z w
7 0 .
O 'C o n n e ll a n d
K ra ft (1 9 7 2 :A s lr o p h y s ic a l J o u rn a l, 1 7 5 , 3 3 5 )
fo u n d
q u ite
lo w
v e lo c ity
d is p e r s io n s
(2 5 -3 0k m /s ),
n o
e v i\ue000
d e n c e
fo r u n u s u a l g a s
m o tio n
a n d
d e d u c e d
m asses
o f th e
o r d e r o f a fe w
1 0
9
M 0.
T h e s e
g a la x ie s
h a v e
b e e n
th o ro u g h ly
a n a ly s e d
in
2 1
c m
(s e e
fo r
in s ta n c e
B a lk o w s k i
e t
a l.
1 9 7 8 :
A s lr o n o m y
a n d
A s tro p h y s ic s .6 9 , 2 6 3 ). T h e ir g a s c o n te n t c o m p a re d
to
th e ir
to ta l m a s s c a n b ea sh ig h a s0 .2 2in th e c a s e o fI1 Z w7 0 . T h e y
r e a lly a p p e a rtob e a m o n g th e m o s t g a s ric h g a la x ie s . A c a r e fu l
m a p p in g o fIIZ w7 0 -7 1
r e v e a le d th a t th e s e tw o g a la x ie s fo rm
a nin te r a c tin g s y s te m . B y c o m b in in g in fra re d w ith ra d io o b s e r\ue000
v a tio n s
J a ffe
e ta l.
(1 9 7 8 :A s tro p h y s ic a l J o u rn a l.
224, 808)
s e e m
top r o p o s e th a tII Z w4 0 h a s a g a s /d u s t ra tio s im ila r toth a t
o f o u r g a la x y . T h is ty p e o f c o n c lu s io nisa b it s u r p r is in g w h e n
o n e c o n s id e r s th e a p p a r e n t lo w
m e ta liic ity o f th e s e o b je c ts .
T o
s u m m a r iz e , a lth o u g h
th e ir o p tic a l m o r p h o lo g y
is
fa irly
h e te ro g e n e o u s , a la rg e fra c tio n
o f th e s e g a la x ie s a re a m o n g
th e
lig h te s t,
th e
m ost
irre g u la r
a n d
b lu e s t
g a la x ie s .
T h e ir
ir r e g u la r ity a n d s m a ll m a s s s u g g e s t th a t th e y s h o u ldb ea p rio ri
le s sa H e c te d b y d y n a m ic a l e ffe c ts , s u c ha s s p ira l s tru c tu re , a n d
s h o u ld a c c r e te v e r y little e x tr a g a la c tic m a te r ia l. W e a ls o p o in t
o u t th a t u pton o w th e r eis n o c le a r e v id e n c e o fa n u n d e r ly in g
s te lla r o ld p o p u la tio n w h ic h w o u ld h a v e a d ir e c t im p lic a tio no n
th e n a tu re o f th e s e o b je c ts (s e e
S e c tio n 4 .2 ).
3 .
T h e C o m p o s itio n o f th e
B lu e C o m p a c t G a la x ie s
T h e a n a ly s e s o f th e c o m p o s itio no f th e s e r a th e r u n e v o lv e d
g a la x ie s a re
p e rfo rm e d
in
th e s a m e w a ya s th o s e o f th e H1I
r e g io n s .
W e
h a v e
o b s e rv e d
s u c h
o b je c ts
o u r s e lv e s ,
lik e
M a rk 7 5 0 , C P G
2 1 7 a n d T o lo lo 1 1 6 , b y u s in g th e E S O
3.6 m
te le s c o p eo n
L a
S illa , e q u ip p e d
w ith
th e
B o ile r a n d
C h iv e n s
s p e c tro g ra p h
a n d
th e
Im a g e
D is s e c to r
S c a n n e r.
F ro m
th e
[0 1 1 1 ]lin e s o n e c a n d e d u c e th e te m p e r a tu r e o f th e e m ittin g g a s ,
w h ic h
is
a b o u t 1 0 'K , w h ile
th e
e le c tro n
d e n s ity , a s d e d u c e d
fro m
th e[S11]lin e s . a m o u n tsto a fe w h u n d r e d e le c tr o n sc m
3 .
T h e io n iz e d m a s siso f th e o r d e r o f 1 06M 0.
S in c e th e p r o b le m o f lin e tr a n s fe ris n o t c r u c ia l, th e d e r iv a tio n
o f c o s m ic a b u n d a n c e s fro m
o b s e r v e d in te n s itie siss tra ig h tfo r\ue000
w a rd . T h e m a jo r p ro b le m
ing iv in g th e fin a l a b u n d a n c e sis th e
c o rre c tio n
m adetoa c c o u n t fo r u n s e e n io n iz a tio n s ta g e s .
F ro m
v a rio u s a u th o rs o n e m a y s tre s s th a t th e m e ta l c o n te n t
o f
th e s e
o b je c ts
is
s tr ik in g ly
d e fic ie n t
a s
c o m p a re d
to
th e
S ta n d a rd A b u n d a n c e s .
Inth e c a s e o f I Z w 1 8 th e O /H d e fic ie n c yisa s h ig ha s 3 7 . T h e
le s s
d e fic ie n t o b je c ts
s h o w
u n d e ra b u n d a n c e s
b y
fa c to rs
o f
a b o u t3 . T h e s a m e tre n dis o b s e r v e d fo rN e, N a n dS a n d a ls o
th e
h e liu m
c o n te n t,w hic h
m ake
th e s e o b je c ts s u ita b le
for a
d is c u s s io n o f th e p r im o r d ia l h e liu m .
N o tic e
th a t
th e
a b u n d a n c e s
o f M a g e lla n ic
ty p e
irre g u la r
g a la x ie s
(L M C ,
S M C ,
N G C ,
6 8 2 2 )
a re
w ith in
th e
ra n g e
o f
a b u n d a n c e s fo u n d fo r th e s e c o m p a c t g a la x ie s , a lth o u g h n e v e r
s oe x tre m e .
4 .
A s tr o p h y s ic a l Im p lic a tio n s
T h e im p lic a tio n s o f th e s e o b s e r v a tio n s c o n c e rn :
( i)th e e v o lu tio n o f th e s e o b je c ts .In th is r e s p e c t o n e w o u ld
lik e to k n o wifth e y u n d e r w e n t b u rs ts o f s te lla r fo rm a tio n , w h e n
th e s e b u rs ts o c c u rre d a n d w h a t trig g e re d th e m .
(ii) th e p r im o r d ia l h e liu m
c o n te n t.
2
4 .1 .
C h e m ic a l E v o lu tio no f th e B lu e C o m p a c l G a la x ie s
B e c a u s e
o fth e
h ig h
g a s e o u s c o n te n t a n d
th e
lo w
m e ta l\ue000
lic itie s o f b lu e c o m p a c t g a la x ie s ,itisim p o r ta n tto a n a ly s e th e
e v o lu tio n o f th e s e o b je c ts ,w hic his fa ir ly e a s ily a c c o u n te dfo r,
th e o r e tic a lly .
A sn o te d b y A u d o u z e a n d T in s le y (1 9 7 6 :A n n u a l R e v ie wo f
A s lr o n o m y a n d A s tro p h y s ic s ,14,43), w hen the gas contentis
s till h ig h , th e s o - c a lle d In s ta n t R e c y c lin g A p p r o x im a tio n h o ld s ,
i.e .o n e c a n n e g le c t th e life tim e o f th e s ta r s w ith r e s p e c tto th e
e v o lu tio n tim e s c a le o f th e s y s te m , th e r e la tio n s d e s c r ib in g th e
e v o lu tio n o f th e g a s d e n s ity a n d th e m e ta llic ity c a n b e s o lv e d
a lg e b r a ic a lly .In
p a rtic u la r, o n e c a n
d e fin e th e y ie ld o f m e ta l
p ro d u c tio n ,i.e .th e a m o u n t o f m e ta l p r o d u c e d p e r u n it o f m a s s
lo c k e d in to s ta r s .
Inth e s o - c a lle d " s im p le m o d e ls " w h e r e th is a p p r o x im a tio nis
m a d e , th e r e la tio n b e tw e e n th e m e ta liic ityZ , th e g a s c o n te n t
a n d th e y ie ld
pisZ
=
p ln
(M ,o t/M g a s )'
T h is r e la tio n h a s b e e n w e il v e r ifie din th e c a s eo f th e s a m p ie
s tu d ie d b y L e q u e u xe ta l.(1 9 7 9 :A s lr o n o m y a n d A s lr o p h y s ic s .
8 0 , 1 5 5 ) . W ith a lin e a r le a s t s q u a r efito nth e ir d a ta th e y fin d :
Z
=
( -0 .0 3
\u00b1
0 .1 6 )1 0 -
2
+
(3 .9
\u00b1
0 .1 0 )1 O -3 1 n
M
IO I
Mg a,
w h ic h m e a n s th a t th e y ie ldin b lu e c o m p a c t g a la x ie sis -
1 0
3
T h is im p lie s th a t th e
p r im o r d ia l m e ta liic ity to r th e s e g a la x ie s
m ig h t h a v e b e e n z e r o a n d th a t th e v a lu e o f th e y ie ld d e d u c e d
fro m
th is r e la tio nisth e r e fo r e q u ite c o n s is te n t w ith th e v a lu e s
d e d u c e d
b y
P a g e l
(1 9 7 8 :
M o n th ly
N o tic e s
o f
Ih e
R oyal
A s lr o n o m ic a l S o c ie ty .1 8 3 , 1 8 ) a n d P a g e l a n d P a tc h e tt (1 9 7 5 :
M .
N
R .A
S .1 7 2 , 1 3 ) fo r th e
s o la r n e ig h b o u r h o o d
( p
=
5
\u00b1
11 0 -3). T h is
y ie ld
c a n
o n ly
b e
re p ro d u c e d
in
m o d e ls o f
c h e m ic a l e v o lu tio n
ifo n e ta k e s in to a c c o u n t im p o r ta n t s te lla r
m a s s lo s s e ffe c ts ( C h io s i a n d C a im m i, 1 9 7 9 :A s tro n o m y a n d
A s tro p h y s ic s .
8 0 , 2 3 4 ): th e o re tic a l m o d e ls
le a d
to
y ie ld sa s
h ig h
a s
1 .3
1 0
2
w ith o u t m a s s lo s s a n d
21 0
4
to
1 0
3 w ith
m ass
lo s s e s .
T h e
m ass
lo s s
p ro c e s s e s ,
w hic h
m ig h t
b e
re la te d
to
th e
b lu e
c o lo u r o f th e s e
o b je c ts
a n d
to
th e ir h ig h
io n iz a tio n ra te s , a re n e c e s s a r ytoa c c o u n t fo r th e ir e v o lu tio n .
O n e c a n n o tic e a ls o th a t th e re m a yb ea re la tio n b e tw e e n th e
to ta l m a s s o f th e
g a la x ie s a n d
th e ir m e ta llic ity . A c c o r d in g
to
L e q u e u x
e t
a l.:
L o g
MT o t
=
8 .1 8
+
2 3 0
Z
w h e re
MT o l
is
e x p r e s s e din s o la r m a s s e s . W e b e lie v e th a t th is r e la tio nis ju s t
a nin d ic a tiv e tr e n d , th e lo w e r lim it o f 1 0 8 M O s h o u ld b e c o n s i\ue000
d e r e d w ith m u c h c a u tio n .
F in a lly , th e N e /O
ra tioisn o r m a l,w h ic h m e a n s th a tN eisa s
p r im a r ya sO . B y c o n tra s t, N /Ois a b o u t tw ic ea s s m a llin th e s e
g a la x ie s
a s
it
is
fo r
O rio n
o r
th e
S u n .
T h e
s c a tte r o f th e
o b s e rv e d
N /O
r a lio s ,
h o w e v e r,
c le a r ly
in d ic a te s
th a t
N
is
n e ith e r p u r e ly p r im a r y n o r p u r e ly s e c o n d a r y ; th is c o n c lu s io n
w o u ld a g r e e w ith th e fin d in g s o f A llo ine ta l.(1 9 7 9 :A s lr o n o m y
a n d
A s tro p h y s ic s ,
7 8 ,
2 0 0 )
fro m
HII
re g io n s
o b s e rv e d
in
s p ir a ls .
4 .2 .
S ie lla r B u r s tsin B /u e C o m p a c t G a /a x ie s
T h e b lu e c o lo u r o f th e s e o b je c tsisd u eto a p r e s e n tly in te n s e
ra te o f s ta r fo rm a tio n . T h e c o n c e p t o f b u rs t s e e m stoa p p ly v e ry
w e iltoth is c la s s o f g a la x ie s , s in c e th e ir lo w m e ta llic ity in d ic a te s
th a t
th e
p re s e n t
ra te
o f s ta r
fo rm a tio n
e x c e e d s
m uch
th e
a v e ra g e ra teinth e p a s t. T h e b a s ic q u e s tio n (w h ic h m a y b e a
p u re
s e m a n tic
o n e )
is
to
k n o w
w h e th e r th e s e
g a la x ie s
a re
y o u n g a n d e x p e r ie n c e th e ir firs t b u rs t, o rifth e s e o b je c ts a re
o ld , h a v e
a lre a d y fo rm e d
s ta rs
a n d
a re ju s t s u ffe rin g
a new
b u rs t.
T h is
q u e s tio n
h a s
not yet
r e c e iv e d
c o n v in c in g
a n s w e rs .
S e a rle a n d S a rg e n t (1 9 7 2 :A s lr o p h y s ic a l J o u rn a l, 1 7 3 ,2 5 ),o n
s ta tis tic a l g ro u n d s , a rg u e d
th a t th e s e
g a la x ie s
m ustb e
o ld .
