Extensive shocked molecular hydrogen emission in NGC 6334

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics

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Emission Spectra, H Ii Regions, Hydrogen, Interstellar Gas, Molecular Clouds, Astronomical Spectroscopy, Line Spectra, Luminosity, Molecular Spectra, Spectrum Analysis, Star Formation

Scientific paper

The results of a survey of molecular hydrogen line emission in the southern giant molecular cloud/H II region NGC 6334 are presented. Widespread, diffuse emission is found in the v = 1 - 0 S(1) line of H2, with strong radiation associated with all five current OB star formation sites along the active ridge. A variety of morphologies are seen: fan-shaped peaks in regions I and IV, diffuse structure in III, an extensive ridge in V, and an intense arc in II. In addition, two sources of H2 emission have been discovered which appear unrelated to the known sites of OB star formation. Moderate resolution CVF spectra have been obtained at points within some of these features, and the relative strengths of the molecular hydrogen lines indicate shock excitation as the probable dominant mechanism in all cases. Integrating the S(1) line emission spatially for each of the sources, and dereddening the resultant flux, it is found that most of the regions in NGC 6334 are comparable in intrinsic luminosity to Orion. The implications of the H2 source morphologies and luminosities for the individual sites of star formation, and for the history of star formation in NGC 6334 as a whole, are discussed.

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