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We present an HST Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) spectrum of the QSO SDSSJ095109.12+330745.8 ($z_{em} = 0.645$) whose sightline passes through theSMC-like dwarf galaxy UGC 5282 ($M_B = -16.0$, $cz = 1577$ km s$^{-1}$ ), 1.2kpc in projection from the central HII region of the galaxy. Damped Ly$\alpha$(DLA) absorption is detected at the redshift of UGC 5282 with $\log$[$N$(HI)cm$^{-2}\:$] = 20.89$^{+0.12}_{-0.21}\:\:$. Analysis of the accompanying SII,PII and OI metal lines yields a neutral gas metallicity, $Z_{HI}$, of [S/H]$\simeq$ [P/H] $= -0.80\pm0.24$. The metallicity of ionized gas from thecentral HII region, $Z_{HII}\:$, measured from its emission lines is [O/H]$=-0.37\pm0.10$, a difference of $+0.43\pm 0.26$ from $Z_{HI}\:$. This difference$\delta$ is consistent with that seen towards HII regions in other star-forminggalaxies and supports the idea that ionized gas near star forming regions showssystematically higher metallicities than exist in the rest of a galaxy'sneutral interstellar medium (ISM). The positive values of $\delta$ found in UGC5282 (and the other star forming galaxies) is likely due to infalling lowmetallicity gas from the intergalactic medium that mixes with the galaxy's ISMon kpc scales. This model is also consistent with broad Ly$\alpha$ emissiondetected at the bottom of the DLA absorption, offset by $\sim 125$ km s$^{-1}$from the absorption velocity. Models of galaxy evolution that attempt toreplicate population characteristics, such as the mass-metallicity relation,may need to start with a galaxy metallicity represented by $Z_{HI}$ rather thanthat measured traditionally from $Z_{HII}\:$.

The physics regulating star formation (SF) in Hickson Compact Groups (HCG)has thus far been difficult to describe, due to their unique kinematicproperties. In this study we expand upon previous works to devise a morephysically meaningful SF relation able to better encompass the physics of theseunique systems. We combine CO(1--0) data from the Combined Array from Researchin Millimeter Astronomy (CARMA) to trace the column density of molecular gas$\Sigma_\mathrm{gas}$ and deep H$\alpha$ imaging taken on the SouthernAstrophysical Research (SOAR) Telescope tracing $\Sigma_\mathrm{SFR}$ toinvestigate star formation efficiency across face-on HCG, NGC7674. We find alack of universality in star formation, with two distinct sequences present inthe $\Sigma_\mathrm{gas}-\Sigma_\mathrm{SFR}$ plane; one for inside and one foroutside the nucleus. We devise a SF relation based on the multi-freefall natureof gas and the critical density, which itself is dependent on the virialparameter $\alpha_{\mathrm{vir}}$, the ratio of turbulent to gravitationalenergy. We find that our modified SF relation fits the data and describes thephysics of this system well with the introduction of a virial parameter ofabout 5--10 across the galaxy. This $\alpha_{\mathrm{vir}}$ leads to anorder-of-magnitude reduction in SFR compared to $\alpha_{\mathrm{vir}}\approx1$ systems.