X-ray stellar feedback in low-metallicity starbursts: Insights from the template starburst galaxy ESO 338-IG04 and its halo
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| Auteurs principaux: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| _version_ | 1866908831205818368 |
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| author | Chatzis, M. Oskinova, L. M. Serantes, S. Reyero Lehmer, B. D. Östlin, G. Bik, A. Hayes, M. Mas-Hesse, J. M. Gallagher, J. S. Fürst, F. |
| author_facet | Chatzis, M. Oskinova, L. M. Serantes, S. Reyero Lehmer, B. D. Östlin, G. Bik, A. Hayes, M. Mas-Hesse, J. M. Gallagher, J. S. Fürst, F. |
| contents | The X-ray output of low-metallicity starburst galaxies is a key component of stellar feedback, tracing the processes responsible for gas ionization and chemical enrichment. The integrated X-ray luminosity ($L_X$) from high-mass X-ray binaries in star-forming galaxies scales with both the star formation rate (SFR) and host-galaxy metallicity $Z$. Due to the inverse correlation between $L_X/\mathrm{SFR}$ and $Z$, the contribution of X-ray binaries to the ionizing photon budget is enhanced in metal-poor systems and may ionize He II in the surrounding interstellar medium, powering nebular He II $\lambda4686$ emission. The blue compact dwarf galaxy ESO 338-IG04 (ESO 338-4) provides a nearby laboratory for studying stellar feedback in a low-metallicity starburst, combining vigorous recent star formation, low metallicity ($12+\log(\mathrm{O/H})\approx7.9$), and a rich population of massive stellar clusters. We characterize the X-ray emission of ESO 338-4 and its halo using new deep Chandra and XMM-Newton observations. We analyze X-ray spectra, light curves, and images to constrain the nature of its X-ray sources. We identify five ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs) and diffuse hot gas surrounding the galaxy. Two ULXs are spatially associated with stellar clusters. The total X-ray luminosity exceeds $10^{41}\,\mathrm{erg\,s^{-1}}$. The brightest source, ULX1, shows variability on day timescales and lacks a stellar-cluster counterpart. Photoionization modeling shows that X-ray sources significantly impact the ionizing photon budget; models with ULX1 as the ionizing source predict nebular He II $\lambda4686$ luminosities of $\sim10^{39}\,\mathrm{erg\,s^{-1}}$. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_10979 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | X-ray stellar feedback in low-metallicity starbursts: Insights from the template starburst galaxy ESO 338-IG04 and its halo Chatzis, M. Oskinova, L. M. Serantes, S. Reyero Lehmer, B. D. Östlin, G. Bik, A. Hayes, M. Mas-Hesse, J. M. Gallagher, J. S. Fürst, F. High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena Astrophysics of Galaxies The X-ray output of low-metallicity starburst galaxies is a key component of stellar feedback, tracing the processes responsible for gas ionization and chemical enrichment. The integrated X-ray luminosity ($L_X$) from high-mass X-ray binaries in star-forming galaxies scales with both the star formation rate (SFR) and host-galaxy metallicity $Z$. Due to the inverse correlation between $L_X/\mathrm{SFR}$ and $Z$, the contribution of X-ray binaries to the ionizing photon budget is enhanced in metal-poor systems and may ionize He II in the surrounding interstellar medium, powering nebular He II $\lambda4686$ emission. The blue compact dwarf galaxy ESO 338-IG04 (ESO 338-4) provides a nearby laboratory for studying stellar feedback in a low-metallicity starburst, combining vigorous recent star formation, low metallicity ($12+\log(\mathrm{O/H})\approx7.9$), and a rich population of massive stellar clusters. We characterize the X-ray emission of ESO 338-4 and its halo using new deep Chandra and XMM-Newton observations. We analyze X-ray spectra, light curves, and images to constrain the nature of its X-ray sources. We identify five ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs) and diffuse hot gas surrounding the galaxy. Two ULXs are spatially associated with stellar clusters. The total X-ray luminosity exceeds $10^{41}\,\mathrm{erg\,s^{-1}}$. The brightest source, ULX1, shows variability on day timescales and lacks a stellar-cluster counterpart. Photoionization modeling shows that X-ray sources significantly impact the ionizing photon budget; models with ULX1 as the ionizing source predict nebular He II $\lambda4686$ luminosities of $\sim10^{39}\,\mathrm{erg\,s^{-1}}$. |
| title | X-ray stellar feedback in low-metallicity starbursts: Insights from the template starburst galaxy ESO 338-IG04 and its halo |
| topic | High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena Astrophysics of Galaxies |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.10979 |