Exploring the chemical content of Galaxies using the SAMI Zoom Survey: a data release of 92 spatially resolved H ii regions in nearby galaxies
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT We present the SAMI Zoom Survey, spatially resolved IFU spectroscopy of 92 H ii regions from 7 nearby galaxies (distances 2–14 Mpc) utilizing the Sydney-AAO Multi-object IFS (SAMI) instrument. Each H ii region has two spectral data cubes (blue-arm sampling 1.05 Å pixel−1 between 3700–5746 Å, and red-arm sampling 0.57 Å pixel−1 between 6300–7399 Å) as well as two-dimensional emission line flux maps. The spatial sampling is 0.5 arcsec across 15 arcsec fields of view, with a mean angular resolution of 2.0 arcsec (18–150 pc). We investigate seven forms of common gas–phase metallicity determinations, contrasting metallicity calibrations including the direct electron temperature method and six strong-line methods. We determine these metallicities, temperatures, densities, and ionization parameters where possible, in spatially resolved form as well as an integrated-region data set where we focus our analysis. We find varying degrees of disparity between metallicity values using different methods, and likewise between derived abundance gradients of the host galaxies. In comparisons using $R_{23}$ metallicity as a baseline, mean disparities span 0.12–0.49 dex in oxygen abundance depending on the chosen alternative method, with a maximum of 0.65 dex when comparing against the direct electron temperature method. Host-galaxy abundance gradients deviate up to 0.66 dex in central oxygen abundance while slopes vary by up to 0.51 dex R$_{25}$−1. The SAMI Zoom Survey provides a data set with spatial resolution, spectral coverage, and radial extent to support the study of such astrophysical processes in nearby galaxies.
Institutions: ASTRO-3D, ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics, Swinburne University of Technology, The University of Queensland, The University of Western Australia, International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, University of Oxford, Australian National University, Durham University, Macquarie University, University of Malaya, The Ohio State University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,046
Awards: Understanding diversity: chemical and kinematic tracers of galaxy evolution, G2144673021, Stars and Galaxies: The chemical abundance breakthrough, G3474921948, G434337789, G4908932735, Unveiling the Winds of Star-Forming Galaxies, Deep learning: the first billion years with next generation Telescopes
OpenAlex ID: W4410146376