WFPC2 Imaging of Dust Structures and Star Formation in the Disk-Halo Interface of Spiral Galaxies

Details WFPC2 Imaging of Dust Structures and Star Formation in the Disk-Halo Interface of Spiral Galaxies WFPC2 Imaging of Dust Structures and Star Formation in the Disk-Halo Interface of Spiral Galaxies

Jul 1999

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1999hst..prop.8242s&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #8242

Computer Science

Hst Proposal Id #8242 Galaxy Structure And Dynamics

Scientific paper

WFPC2 images of five edge-on spirals to study star formation and dusty interstellar clouds in the disk-halo interface of these galaxies. Ground-based and HST images of the nearby {9 Mpc} edge-on spiral NGC 891 show an unexpected web of hundreds of dust structures at heights 0.4 <= z <= 1.7 kpc {Howk & Savage 1997}. With masses >10^5-10^6 M{sun}, the more prominent extraplanar dust complexes may be sites of star formation at high-z, and there is evidence for H II regions associated with unresolved continuum sources far above the plane of NGC 891. We have established that such high-z dust features and H II regions are not unique to NGC 891. We propose to image five edge-on spiral galaxies {D 17 - 70 Mpc} with the WFPC2. The proposed BVI images will be used to identify sites of on- going star formation in the thick disks of these galaxies, all of which show evidence for high-z dust complexes, and with ground-based H Alpha images will be used to study the stellar content o f any such regions. The resolution and point-source sensitivity of the WFPC2 are crucial for studying these star-forming regions. We will also use these images to study interstellar matter in the thick disks of these galaxies with unprecedented detail and derive the fundamental properties of high-z dusty clouds-including sizes, extinctions, column densities, masses, and gravitational potential energies.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

WFPC2 Imaging of Dust Structures and Star Formation in the Disk-Halo Interface of Spiral Galaxies 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 WFPC2 Imaging of Dust Structures and Star Formation in the Disk-Halo Interface of Spiral Galaxies, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and WFPC2 Imaging of Dust Structures and Star Formation in the Disk-Halo Interface of Spiral Galaxies will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-992965