An upper limit on the H I content of the Carina dwarf spheroidal galaxy

Abstract

Neutral hydrogen 21 cm measurements of the Carina dwarf spheroidal galaxy yield an upper limit on its H I content of ~ 10^3^ M_sun_. For (M/L) ~ 30, this translates into an upper limit of 10^-4^ on its fractional H I content. It is possible that Carina has efficiently cleansed itself of gas because red giant wind velocities are of the order of the escape velocity. It is then interesting to ask how Carina retained its gas for the first few billion years of its existence.