A&A 415, 55-61 (2004)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20034592

Abundance differences between the neutral and the ionized gas of the dwarf galaxy IZw 36

V. Lebouteiller¹, D. Kunth¹, J. Lequeux², A. Lecavelier des Etangs¹, J.-M. Désert¹, G. Hébrard¹ and A. Vidal-Madjar<sup>1

1</sup>  Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, CNRS, 98bis boulevard Arago, 75014 Paris, France
²  LERMA - Bâtiment A, Observatoire de Paris, 61 avenue de l'Observatoire, 75014 Paris, France

(Received 2 June 2003 / Accepted 17 October 2003 )

Abstract
We present a FUSE spectroscopic study of the nearby gas-rich, metal-deficient blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxy IZw 36. Atomic hydrogen and many metal lines are observed in absorption against the stellar continuum of young, massive stars embedded in the ionized region. Profile fitting of absorption lines allowed us to determine abundances and investigate the chemical composition of the neutral gas. This study presents strong evidence that nitrogen is 16 ⁺⁷_-8 times less abundant in the neutral gas than in the ionized gas (all uncertainties are 2 ). Similarly, the oxygen abundance estimated using phosphorus as a tracer is lower in the neutral gas by a factor of 8 ⁺¹⁷_-5. We also find that argon is underabundant by a factor of 32 ⁺⁸_-7 and that log (Ar I/O I)  < -3.0 which is inconsistent with the Ar/O ratio -2.1  0.1 (Lodders 2003), implying that argon is likely ionized into Ar II in the neutral medium.

Key words: galaxies: abundances -- galaxies: dwarf -- galaxies: individual: IZw 36 -- galaxies: ISM -- galaxies: starburst -- ultraviolet: galaxies

Offprint request: V. Lebouteiller, leboutei@iap.fr

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