The Distribution of Atomic Hydrogen Around Two Irregular Galaxies

We present radio interferometric observations of two irregular galaxies that were candidates for having unusually extended HI emission. The galaxies, UGC 199 and DDO 26, otherwise appeared to be normal, low-luminosity systems with modest star-formation rates. To a detection limit of 2--3E19 /cm^2 at a resolution of about 50", however, the HI around neither galaxy is unusually extended compared to other irregulars. The HI around UGC 199 appears as a regular, symmetric distribution with regular rotation and a maximum rotation speed of about 80 km/s. By contrast, the HI around DDO 26 shows a concentration into two blobs with an arm in the outer parts to the northwest and some additional emission to the northwest of that. The kinematical major axis is approximately 75 deg from the HI and optical morphological axis which is unusual for Im galaxies. In addition the velocity field in the outer parts of the galaxy is messy and the velocity profiles at the two HI peaks are broad. We suggest that DDO 26 has been perturbed externally or may be two dwarfs in the process of merging.