Measurements of He i λ5876 Recombination‐Line Radiation from the Diffuse, Warm Ionized Medium in Irregular Galaxies

Abstract

We present long-slit optical spectroscopy of three high surface brightness Magellanic irregular galaxies. This paper draws attention to our detection of He I j5876 line emission from the ionized gas outside the H II regions or the warm ionized phase of the interstellar medium. We measure a mean reddening-corrected intensity ratio of He I j5876/Ha B 0.041 independent of spatial location. This ratio is much higher than that measured in the di †use, warm ionized interstellar medium of the Milky Way (Reynolds & Tufte). The high value of He I j5876/Ha implies the helium ionization fraction is approximately equal to the hydrogen ionization fraction in the di †use ionized gas (DIG). If the DIG is powered by young stars, then stars hotter than 40,000 K must contribute to the Lyman-continuum radiation reaching the DIG. Since optical and ultraviolet spectra conÐrm the presence of such massive stars in these galaxies, stellar photo-ionization remains the most likely power source. The contrast with the low helium ionization in the Galactic DIG, however, is intriguing and provides strong evidence that the physical state of the DIG, not just its presence, varies among galaxies.