The 158 micron forbidden C II line - A measure of global star formation activity in galaxies

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Astrophysical Journal; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/170062· OSTI ID:5587345

Stacey, G J; Lugten, J B; Geis, N; Genzel, R; Poglitsch, A ^[1]

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1. California, University, Berkeley (USA) Max-Planck-Institut fuer Physik und Astrophysik, Garching (West Germany)

Some 158 micron forbidden C II fine structure line observations from a sample of fourteen gas rich galaxies are reported. These measurements confirm and generalize previous basic results that the C II line is bright amounting to approximately 0.1 to 1 percent of the FIR luminosity of the nuclear regions of galaxies; the C II line is formed in the warm (temperature of the gas is greater than 200 K), dense (n sub H greater than 1000/cu cm) photodissociated gas at the interfaces between giant molecular clouds and ionized gas regions and is therefore associated with the molecular gas component in spiral galaxies; the C II line tracks the FIR continuum in a manner consistent with the PDR models; the integrated C II to isotope (C-12)D (transition 1 to 0) line ratio is large (greater than or equal to 1000) in all galaxies studied, and is similarly large for galactic molecular clouds; the C II line is therefore energetically very important for the study of giant molecular clouds. Conclusions obtained from these results are given. 156 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5587345
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (United States) Vol. 373; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CONFIGURATION
COSMIC GASES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
FINE STRUCTURE
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GALAXY NUCLEI
GASES
INFRARED RADIATION
IONIZED GASES
LUMINOSITY
MOLECULES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
SPIRAL CONFIGURATION
STAR EVOLUTION