Ultraviolet absorption by interstellar gas at large distances from the galactic plane

Eighteen high dispersion International Ultraviolet Exploration spectra of 6 stars in the large magellanic cloud (LMC) 3 stars in the small magellanic cloud (SMC) and 2 foreground stars were studied. Fourteen spectra cover the wavelengths lambda 1150-2000 A and 4 cover lambda 1900-3200 A. All the Magellanic Cloud star spectra exhibit exceedingly strong interstellar absorption lines due to a wide range of ionization stages at galactic velocities and at velocities associated with the LMC or SMC. The analysis is restricted to the Milky Way absorption features. Toward the LMC stars, the strong interstellar lines have a positive velocity extension, which exceeds the extension recorded toward the SMC stars. The most straightforward interpretation of these velocity extensions is obtained by assuming that gas at large distances away from the plane of the galaxy participates in the rotation of the galaxy as found in the galactic disk