Discovery of luminous star formation in PMN 1452-5910/IRAS 14482-5857: The Pterodactyl nebula
- Department of Astrophysics/IMAPP, Radboud University, Heijendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen (Netherlands)
We present sensitive 1–3 GHz ATCA radio continuum observations of the hitherto unresolved star-forming region known as either IRAS 14482-5857 or PMN 1452-5910. At radio continuum frequencies, this source is characterized by a “filled bubble” structure reminiscent of a classical Hii region, dominated by three point sources and surrounded by low surface brightness emission out to the ∼3{sup ′}×4{sup ′} source extent observed at other frequencies in the literature. The infrared emission corresponds well to the radio emission, with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission surrounding regions of hot dust toward the radio bubbles. A bright 4.5 μm point source is seen toward the center of the radio source, suggesting a young stellar object. There is also a linear, outflowlike structure radiating brightly at 8 and 24 μm toward the brightest peak of the radio continuum. In order to estimate the distance to this source, we have used Mopra Southern Galactic Plane CO Survey {sup 12}CO (1–0) and {sup 13}CO(1–0) molecular line emission data. Integrated intensity, velocity at peak intensity, and line fitting of the spectra all point toward the peak centered at V {sub LSR} =−1.1 km s{sup −1} being connected to this cloud. This infers a distance to this cloud of ∼12.7 kpc. Assuming this distance, we estimate a column density and mass toward IRAS 14482-5857 of ∼1.5×10{sup 21} cm{sup −2} and 2 × 10{sup 4} M {sub ⊙} , implying that this source is a site of massive star formation. Reinforcing this conclusion, our broadband spectral fitting infers dust temperatures of 19 and 110 K, emission measures for the sub-parsec radio point source of EM∼10{sup 6−7} pc cm{sup −6}, electron densities of n{sub e}∼10{sup 3} cm{sup −3}, and photon ionization rates of N{sub Ly}∼10{sup 46−48} s{sup −1}. The evidence strongly suggests that IRAS 14482-5857 is a distant—hence intense—site of massive star formation.
- OSTI ID:
- 22342112
- Journal Information:
- Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online), Vol. 149, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1538-3881
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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