First direct electron temperature measurement in [O II] zone in I Zw 18

Abstract

We present new precise measurements of electron temperatures and oxygen abundances in the southeast knot of I Zw 18, one of the most metal-poor blue compact dwarf galaxies known, using spectroscopic data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Data Release 1 (DESI DR1). For the first time in I Zw 18, we directly measure electron temperature in the low-ionization zone using the rarely detected [O II] $\lambda\lambda7320,7330$ doublet. We also detect the auroral lines [O III] $\lambda4363$ and [S III] $\lambda6312$, associated with high and intermediate ionization zones, respectively. We derive $T_{\mathrm{e}}([\mathrm{O}\,\mathrm{III}])=21\,200\pm860\ \mathrm{K}$, $T_{\mathrm{e}}([\mathrm{O}\,\mathrm{II}])=16\,170\pm950\ \mathrm{K}$, and $T_{\mathrm{e}}([\mathrm{S}\,\mathrm{III}])=17\,290\pm1750\ \mathrm{K}$, highlighting a significant temperature difference between ionization zones. Using these direct temperature measurements, we determine a total oxygen abundance of $12+\log(\mathrm{O}/\mathrm{H})=7.066\pm0.046$, $\log(\mathrm{N}/\mathrm{O})=-1.509\pm0.097$, and $\log(\mathrm{S}/\mathrm{O})=-1.558\pm0.041$. Our results extend the calibration of $t_2$--$t_3$ relations to the highest temperatures, providing important anchor points for the temperature structure of extremely metal-poor H II regions, including high-redshift galaxies where direct temperature measurements are especially challenging.