Far-infrared emission in the Rho Ophiuchi region - A comparison with molecular gas emission and visual extinction
- Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory, Amherst, MA (USA) Van Vleck Observatory, Middletown, CT (USA)
The dust characteristics of a 40 arcmin x 40 arcmin section of the Rho Ophiuchi molecular clouds complex revealed by the IRAS satellite are compared with both molecular line and deep star count data for the region. The data reveal the cloud to be clearly visible at 12 and 25 microns, as well as at 60 and 100 microns. Modeling the infrared emission from the cloud as being due to two populations of dust grains, the short-wavelength emission is found not to reflect the internal structure of the molecular cloud. The 60 micron opacity determined using a single grain emission model correlates reasonably well with (C-13)O column density and visual extinction up to roughly 5 mag. The cloud edges appear to be heated by the interstellar radiation field. The far-infrared luminosity to mass ratio for the region is determined to be 0.9 solar luminosity/solar mass, a value much smaller than the average ratio for the inner Galaxy. 50 refs.
- OSTI ID:
- 5125854
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Vol. 345; ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC DUST
INFRARED RADIATION
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
ABSORPTION
CARBON MONOXIDE
COSMIC GASES
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
HEATING
INTERSTELLAR GRAINS
LUMINOSITY
MASS
OPACITY
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DUSTS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FLUIDS
GASES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
SPACE
640105* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies