Ionizing mechanism of the DEM171 H-alpha shell

Determine the ionizing mechanism responsible for the DEM171 H-alpha shell in the Magellanic Bridge.

Background

The paper examines the H-alpha shell DEM171 and its associated H I shell, Shell-91. Although previous studies proposed stellar winds, supernovae, or a Wolf-Rayet star as possible sources, the authors compare the estimated shell energy with the expected energy from these mechanisms and find no unambiguous explanation. The ionizing source therefore remains unresolved.

References

The ionizing mechanism for DEM171 remains unclear.

— A Detailed GASKAP-HI View of Shells and Loops in the Magellanic Bridge  (2609.18160 - Kim et al., 16 Sep 2026) in Section “Ionized phase and ionizing mechanism”