H{alpha}+[NII] observations of M81 HII regions

We determine the continuum component of our H{alpha}+[NII] image via interpolation from the more accurately measured backgrounds (M81 starlight) obtained from the two neighboring (in wavelength) BATC filter images. We use the calibrated fluxes of H{alpha}+[NII] emission from the spectra to normalize this interpolated, continuum-subtracted H{alpha}+[NII] image. We estimate the zero-point uncertainty of the measured H{alpha}+[NII] emission flux to be 8%.

A catalog of H{alpha}+[NII] fluxes for 456 HII regions is provided, with those fluxes being on a more consistent linear scale than previously available. The logarithmically binned H{alpha}+[NII] luminosity function of HII regions is found to have slope {alpha}=-0.70, consistent with previous results (which allowed {alpha}=-0.5 to -0.8). From the overall H{alpha}+[NII] luminosity of the HII regions, the star formation rate of M81 is found to be ~0.68M_{sun}_/yr, modulo uncertainty with extinction corrections.