CHARACTERIZING COSMIC-RAY PROPAGATION IN MASSIVE STAR-FORMING REGIONS: THE CASE OF 30 DORADUS AND THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD
- Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States)
- Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States)
- California Institute of Technology, MC 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
Using infrared, radio, and {gamma}-ray data, we investigate the propagation characteristics of cosmic-ray (CR) electrons and nuclei in the 30 Doradus (30 Dor) star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) using a phenomenological model based on the radio-far-infrared correlation within galaxies. Employing a correlation analysis, we derive an average propagation length of {approx}100-140 pc for {approx}3 GeV CR electrons resident in 30 Dor from consideration of the radio and infrared data. Assuming that the observed {gamma}-ray emission toward 30 Dor is associated with the star-forming region, and applying the same methodology to the infrared and {gamma}-ray data, we estimate a {approx}20 GeV propagation length of 200-320 pc for the CR nuclei. This is approximately twice as large as for {approx}3 GeV CR electrons, corresponding to a spatial diffusion coefficient that is {approx}4 times higher, scaling as (R/GV){sup {delta}} with {delta} Almost-Equal-To 0.7-0.8 depending on the smearing kernel used in the correlation analysis. This value is in agreement with the results found by extending the correlation analysis to include {approx}70 GeV CR nuclei traced by the 3-10 GeV {gamma}-ray data ({delta} Almost-Equal-To 0.66 {+-} 0.23). Using the mean age of the stellar populations in 30 Dor and the results from our correlation analysis, we estimate a diffusion coefficient D{sub R} Almost-Equal-To (0.9-1.0) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 27}(R/GV){sup 0.7} cm{sup 2} s{sup -1}. We compare the values of the CR electron propagation length and surface brightness for 30 Dor and the LMC as a whole with those of entire disk galaxies. We find that the trend of decreasing average CR propagation distance with increasing disk-averaged star formation activity holds for the LMC, and extends down to single star-forming regions, at least for the case of 30 Dor.
- OSTI ID:
- 22034501
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 750, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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