The WHAM Northern Sky Survey and the Nature of the Warm Ionized Medium in the Galaxy

Abstract

The Wisconsin H-Alpha Mapper (WHAM) has completed a velocity-resolved map of diffuse H-alpha emission of the entire northern sky, providing the first comprehensive picture of both the distribution and kinematics of diffuse ionized gas in the Galaxy. WHAM continues to advance our understanding of the physical conditions of the warm ionized medium through observations of other optical emission lines throughout the Galactic disk and halo. We discuss some highlights from the survey, including an optical window into the inner Galaxy and the relationship between HI and HII in the diffuse ISM.