A kinematic study of planetary nebulae in the dwarf irregular galaxy IC10

Abstract

We present positions, kinematics and the planetary nebula luminosity function (PNLF) for 35 planetary nebulae (PNe) in the nearest starburst galaxy IC10 extending out to 3kpc from the galaxy's centre. We take advantage of the deep imaging and spectroscopic capabilities provided by the Faint Object Camera and Spectrograph on the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope. The PN velocities were measured through the slitless-spectroscopy technique, which allows us to explore the kinematics of IC10 with high precision. Using these velocities, we conclude that there is a kinematic connection between the Hi envelope located around IC10 and the galaxy's PN population. By assuming that the PNe in the central regions and in the outskirts have similar ages, our results put strong observational constraints on the past tidal interactions in the Local Group. This is so because by dating the PN central stars, we, therefore, infer the epoch of a major episode of star formation likely linked to the first encounter of the Hi extended envelope with the galaxy. Our deep [Oiii] images also allow us to use the PNLF to estimate a distance modulus of 24.1 ± 0.25, which is in agreement with recent results in the literature based on other techniques. Show more