Far-infrared line emission from the Galaxy

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5857289

Stacey, G J

The diffuse 157.74 ..mu..m (CII) emission from the Galaxy was sampled at several galactic longitudes near the galactic plane including complete scans across the plane at 2.16/sup 0/ and 7.28/sup 0/. The observed (CII) emission profiles follow closely the nearby /sup 12/CO (J = 1 ..-->.. 0) emission profiles. The (CII) emission probably arises in neutral photodissociation regions near the edges of giant molecular clouds (GMC's). These regions have densities approx. 350 cm/sup -3/ and temperatures T approx. 300/sup 0/K, and amount to approx. 4 x 10/sup 8/ M sub solar of hydrogen in the inner Galaxy. The total 157.74-..mu..m luminosity of the Galaxy is estimated to be approx. 6 x 10/sup 7/ L sub solar. The volume filling factor of the (CII) emitting regions is approx. 10/sup -3/. Estimates were also made of the galactic emission in other far-infrared (FIR) cooling lines. The (CII) line was found to be the dominant FIR emission line from the Galaxy and the primary coolant for the warm neutral gas near the galactic plane. Other FIR cooling lines predicted to be prominent in the galactic spectrum include the 51.82-..mu..m and 88.36-..mu..m fine structure lines of OIII and the 63.17-..mu..m and 145.53-..mu..m (OI) fine-structure lines. The OIII lines are principal coolants for the ionized gas while the OI lines are significant coolants for the warm neutral gas.

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5857289
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
MILKY WAY
INFRARED SPECTRA
CARBON IONS
CARBON MONOXIDE
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
FINE STRUCTURE
OXYGEN
OXYGEN IONS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHARGED PARTICLES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
GALAXIES
INFRARED RADIATION
IONS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIATIONS
SPECTRA
640105* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies