Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Nov 1990
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1990apj...364...77p&link_type=abstract
Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 364, Nov. 20, 1990, p. 77-86.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
86
Atomic Spectra, Emission Spectra, Hydrogen, Molecular Spectra, Star Formation, Starburst Galaxies, Astronomical Models, Star Clusters, Stellar Mass, Ultraviolet Radiation
Scientific paper
Models of the generation of molecular and atomic hydrogen line emission from star-forming regions are discussed. These take into account the variations in the efficiency with which fluorescent H2 emission is produced as the ratio of the incident soft UV to the gas density changes. The results from the models are compared with the ratio of the observed intensities of the H2 v = 1-0 S(1)( and Br-gamma lines from the nuclear regions for a sample of 29 galaxies whose optical spectra are dominated by H II regions. It is found that the scatter in the ratio of the two lines is quite small, suggesting a common mechanism for the H2 excitation. The line ratios are found to be consistent with H2 emission from photodissociation zones and in most of the sample can be understood in terms of ensembles of hot stars intimately mixed with molecular clouds, and perhaps forming blisters at their surface, although a few galaxies require much higher ratios of the UV intensity to the gas density, conditions which imply the presence of large numbers of massive stars in compact clusters.
Hawarden Tim G.
Mountain Charles M.
Puxley Phil J.
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