Characterizing Extreme Emission-line Galaxies. I. A Four-zone Ionization Model for Very High-ionization Emission*

Stellar population models produce radiation fields that ionize oxygen up to O+2, defining the limit of standard H ii region models (<54.9 eV). Yet, some extreme emission-line galaxies, or EELGs, have surprisingly strong emission originating from much higher ionization potentials. We present UV HST/COS and optical LBT/MODS spectra of two nearby EELGs that have very high-ionization emission lines (e.g., He ii lambda lambda 1640,4686 C iv lambda lambda 1548,1550, [Fe v]lambda 4227, [Ar iv]lambda lambda 4711,4740). We define a four-zone ionization model that is augmented by a very high-ionization zone, as characterized by He+2 (>54.4 eV). The four-zone model has little to no effect on the measured total nebular abundances, but does change the interpretation of other EELG properties: we measure steeper central ionization gradients; higher volume-averaged ionization parameters; and higher central T ( e ), n ( e ), and log U values. Traditional three-zone estimates of the ionization parameter can underestimate the average log U by up to 0.5 dex. Additionally, we find a model-independent dichotomy in the abundance patterns, where the alpha/H abundances are consistent but N/H, C/H, and Fe/H are relatively deficient, suggesting these EELGs are alpha/Fe-enriched by more than three times. However, there still is a high-energy ionizing photon production problem (HEIP3). Even for such alpha/Fe enrichment and very high log U s, photoionization models cannot reproduce the very high-ionization emission lines observed in EELGs.

Automated summary

Stellar population models predict ionization of oxygen up to O+2, while some extreme emission-line galaxies exhibit much higher ionization potentials. A four-zone ionization model has been proposed to explain the high-ionization emission lines in EELGs, revealing steeper central ionization gradients and higher ionization parameters compared to traditional models. Additionally, a model-independent dichotomy in abundance patterns suggests alpha/Fe enrichment in EELGs, but there remains a challenge in reproducing the observed high-ionization emission lines.