Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Dec 2001
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001pasj...53.1037s&link_type=abstract
Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, Vol.53, No. 6, pp. 1037-1051
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
12
Ism: Clouds, Ism: Molecules, Stars: Early-Type, Stars: Formation
Scientific paper
New observations of the 12CO, 13CO, and 18CO (J = 1 -- 0) emission lines have been extensively made toward the Centaurus tangential region (308°.5 <= l <= 310°.5 and -1°.0 <= b <= 1°.0) using the ``NANTEN''telescope. These observations have revealed a massive molecular complex in 18CO of ~ 1.8 × 105 Msolar, the most massive one observed in 18CO to date in the Galaxy. This complex is highly elongated with a size of ~ 80 pc × ~ 25 pc at 309° <= l <= 309°.5 and - 0°.9 <= b <= 0°.4, including 35 dense molecular clumps whose mass ranges from 4.7 × 102 Msolar to 3.4 × 104 Msolar. Twenty-seven of the 35 clumps are associated with IRAS point sources whose luminosity ranges from 7.2 × 102 Lsolar to 3.6 × 105 Lsolar. We find that the luminosity of the candidate protostellar IRAS sources is well correlated with the molecular line width, as fitted by a power law, log (LIRAS) = 1.1 + (9.2 +/- 0.6) log (Δ V). This suggests that the mass of the formed stars is determined by the internal velocity dispersion of the dense cores. A comparison with an HI distribution shows that the molecular gas forms a ring-like structure inside an HI hole of ~ 55 -- 70 pc radius. Since the HI gas surrounding the hole shows a signature of expansion at several km s-1, we suggest that the HI hole exhibits a shell created by some explosive events, like supernovae, during the last ~ (6 -- 8) × 106 yr. The ring-like structure of the CO distribution may be found due to the interaction between the expanding shell and the interstellar medium, leading to a trigger of massive star formation.
Fukui Yasuo
Matsunaga Ken'ichi
Mizuno Akira
Mizuno Norikazu
Moriguchi Yoshiaki
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