Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
1998-10-15
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
25 pages, uses AASTeX and psfig; Accepted for Publication in the Astronomical Journal
Scientific paper
10.1086/300741
We report a detection of cold atomic hydrogen in the Magellanic Bridge using 21-cm absorption spectroscopy toward the radio source B0312-770. With a column density of N_HI=1.2E20 cm^-2, a maximum absorption optical depth of tau=0.10 and a maximum 21-cm emission brightness temperature of 1.4 K, this line of sight yields a spin temperature, T_s, between 20 K and 40 K. H I 21-cm absorption and emission spectroscopy toward 7 other low column density sightlines on the periphery of the LMC and SMC reveal absorption toward one additional background radio source behind the SMC with tau=0.03. The data have typical sensitivities of sigma_tau=0.005 to 0.070 in absorption and sigma_{T_B}=0.03 K in emission. These data demonstrate the presence of a cold atomic phase which is probably accompanied by molecular condensations in the tenuous interstellar medium of the Bridge region. Young OB stars observed in the Magellanic Bridge could form "in situ" from these cold condensations rather than migrate from regions of active star formation in the main body of the SMC. The existence of cold condensations and star formation in the Magellanic Bridge might be understood as a small scale version of the mechanism that produces star formation in the tidal tails of interacting galaxies.
Dickey John
Kobulnicky Henry A.
No associations
LandOfFree
Detection of Cold Atomic Clouds in the Magellanic Bridge does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Detection of Cold Atomic Clouds in the Magellanic Bridge, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Detection of Cold Atomic Clouds in the Magellanic Bridge will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-311687