The interstellar tunnel of neutral-free gas toward Beta Canis Majoris

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Astrophysical Journal; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/170074· OSTI ID:5587273

Welsh, B Y ^[1]

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1. California, University, Berkeley (USA)

Using high-resolution sodium absorption observations of early-type stars to determine the distribution of neutral interstellar gas in the direction of the star Beta CMa, the contours of a large feature in the local interstellar medium, some 50 pc in diameter and 300 pc long, that appears to be virtually free of neutral gas have been mapped. This rarefied 'interstellar tunnel' is an extension of a region of very low gas density surrounding the sun called the Local Bubble, which may well have been formed by the interaction of expanding interstellar cavities produced by multiple supernova events. This large region of unusually low gas density will be a prime area for study in the soft X-ray and EUV spectral regions. 21 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5587273
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (United States), Vol. 373; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC GASES
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
CAVITIES
EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
IONIZED GASES
MASS DISTRIBUTION
MILKY WAY
SOFT X RADIATION
SUPERNOVAE
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GASES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
RADIATIONS
SPACE
STARS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VARIABLE STARS
X RADIATION
640105* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies