The infrared continuum spectrum of X ray illuminated molecular gas

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Active Galaxies, Bremsstrahlung, Continuous Spectra, Cosmic Dust, Cosmic Gases, Infrared Radiation, Infrared Spectra, Molecular Gases, Photoelectrons, Starburst Galaxies, Stellar Winds, Supernovae, Thermal Emission, X Ray Sources, X Rays, Active Galactic Nuclei, Continuums, Distribution Functions, Electron Energy, Electrons, Energy Transfer, Heating, Ultraviolet Radiation, X Ray Absorption

Scientific paper

In starburst galaxies, active galaxies, and the mysterious ultraluminous infrared galaxies, x rays are likely to interact with molecular gas and dust, thereby inducing infrared emission. X ray heated thermal dust will emit the IR continuum, and x ray photoelectrons will excite an IR emission-line spectrum. Here, researchers model the IR continuum emission characteristic of some selected x ray spectral fluxes, in particular the x ray bremsstrahlung characteristic of supernova and stellar wind bubble shocks in dense media and the power law spectra characteristic of active galactic nuclei. These models are part of a larger project to determine the complete IR spectra, lines plus continuum, of x ray sources embedded in molecular gas. They modeled the thermal emission from grains by calculating a grain temperature/size/composition distribution function, f(T,a,Comp.), which accounts for temperature fluctuations by averaging over all grain thermal histories. In determining the grain thermal distribution, researchers account for both direct grain heating (by x ray absorption and subsequent electron energy deposition) and indirect grain heating (by absorption of the UV emission stimulated by non-thermal photo- and Auger electrons in the gas phase). We let the grain size distribution be proportional to a-3.5, and they consider two types of grain composition: graphites, which we assume to be pure carbon, and silicates, which contain all other depleted heavy elements. They derive the grain composition distribution function from solar abundances and interstellar depletion data.

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