Continuum emission at 3. 4 millimeters from Orion-KL

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/184547· OSTI ID:5733774

Wright, M C.H.; Vogel, S N

The 3.4 mm radio continuum emission from the Kleinmann-Low nebula (KL) in Orion has been mapped with 3 arcsec angular resolution using the Hat Creek millimeter-interferometer. The continuum emission in this wavelength region is attributable to a blend of spectral lines and to thermal emission from dust. It is found that the integrated flux density from dust emission is not less than 1.2 Jy from the central 30 arcsec of the Orion molecular cloud. This implies that the dust emissivity in this cloud varies approximately as lambda exp -1.3 between 0.4 and 3.4 mm. The continuum emission is strongest approximately 2 arcsec SE of the infrared source IRc2, suggesting that a dense condensation lies along this line of sight. In this direction the dust has an optical depth of 0.01 at 3.4 mm, which implies a hydrogen column density of 10 to the 24th/sq cm and a total mass of 1-3 solar masses for this condensation. This condensation may be responsible for much of the hot core emission seen in NH3 and in other molecular lines. 18 references.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Berkeley
• OSTI ID: 5733774
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 297; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640103* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC DUST
COSMIC GASES
DENSITY
DUSTS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
FLUIDS
GASES
INTERFEROMETRY
NEBULAE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SPECTRA