Vibrationally excited molecular hydrogen near Herschel 36
- Department of Physics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 3700 Willow Creek Road, Prescott, AZ 86301-3720 (United States)
- Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy, Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0389 (United States)
We present the first high resolution UV spectra toward Herschel 36, a Trapezium-like system of high-mass stars contained within the Lagoon Nebula (M8, NGC 6523). The spectra reveal extreme rovibrational excitation of molecular hydrogen in material at a single velocity or very small range of velocities, with this component presumably lying near the star system and undergoing fluorescent excitation. The overall H{sub 2} excitation is similar to, but apparently larger than, that seen toward HD 37903 which previously showed the largest vibrationally excited H{sub 2} column densities seen in UV absorption spectra. While the velocities of the highly excited H{sub 2} lines are consistent within each observation, it appears that they underwent a ∼60 km s{sup –1} redshift during the 3.6 yr between observations. In neither case does the velocity of the highly excited material match the velocity of the bulk of the line-of-sight material which appears to mostly be in the foreground of M8. Recent work shows unusually excited CH and CH{sup +} lines and several unusually broad diffuse interstellar bands toward Herschel 36. Along with the H{sub 2} excitation, all of these findings appear to be related to the extreme environment within ∼0.1 pc of the massive young stellar system.
- OSTI ID:
- 22356914
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 786, 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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