Deep Near-Infrared Survey toward the M17 Region

Details Deep Near-Infrared Survey toward the M17 Region Deep Near-Infrared Survey toward the M17 Region

Sep 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002apj...577..245j&link_type=abstract

The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 577, Issue 1, pp. 245-259.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

40

Infrared: Ism, Ism: Individual: Messier Number: M17, Ism: Lines And Bands, Stars: Formation, Stars: Pre-Main-Sequence

Scientific paper

We conducted a deep JHKs-band imaging survey of the M17 region, using a near-infrared camera, the Simultaneous 3-color InfraRed Imager for Unbiased Survey (SIRIUS), mounted on the InfraRed Survey Facility (IRSF) 1.4 m telescope at the South African Astronomical Observatory. This survey covers an area of ~200 arcmin2 with 10 σ limiting magnitudes of J~18.7, H~18.2, and Ks~17.5. The near-infrared (NIR) images reveal an unprecedented view of the region. The NIR nebulae are highly structured, with two nebular bars corresponding to, but a little larger than, the H II region defined by Felli, Massi, & Churchwell, constructing a conical shape. Fine structures are found all over the nebular area. The central region contains a congregation of intermediate- to high-mass stars. From the slope of the Ks-band luminosity function and the frequency of young stellar objects (YSOs) we infer that the central cluster has an age less than 3 Myr. The central OB cluster provides tremendous energy that heats and ionizes its surrounding materials, triggering the star formation of second-generation in the nebular bars. The second generation stars are so numerous that could they affect the star formation efficiency in the whole region. To the southwest of the central cluster and the nebular bars, where a giant molecular cloud core is located, a large number of red stars are detected. We argue that these red stars are most probably associated YSOs with intrinsic color excesses, not normal field stars reddened by the molecular cloud in front of them. Being located beyond the photodissociation region, the star-forming process in the molecular region could be independent of the impact of the central cluster.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Deep Near-Infrared Survey toward the M17 Region 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 Deep Near-Infrared Survey toward the M17 Region, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Deep Near-Infrared Survey toward the M17 Region will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1311827