A nonthermal superbubble in the irregular galaxy IC 10

Abstract

We present synthesis radio continuum observations of the nearby irregular galaxy IC 10. These observations, at 6, 20, and 49 cm, allow us to measure the flux and spectral index of a number of resolved sources in IC 10. While most of these are easily identified as thermal emission from H II regions and a few are nonthermal background sources, one extended, nonthermal source appears to be a superbubble in IC 10. Its large size (about 250 pc) implies that it is most likely the product of several supernovae. Comparisons of these radio observations with Halpha, H I, and optical imaging observations reveal that the large nonthermal superbubble is associated with a region of star formation containing two of the most luminous H II regions and the most massive H I cloud in IC 10. We tentatively identify a stellar cluster with two Wolf-Rayet stars in the center of the superbubble. We propose that this superbubble in IC 10 represents a bridge between the giant H II regions and the H I shells and supershells observed in our Galaxy and external galaxies.