The far-infrared luminosity of molecular clouds in the Galaxy

Journal Article · Sat Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/167283· OSTI ID:5841780

Scoville, N Z; Good, J C

A detailed analysis is presented of the IR emission and CO properties of a large sample of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) with and without H II regions. It is found that high-mass star-forming clouds have significantly higher peak dust temperatures, but averaged over the entire cloud volume, their IR color temperatures are not very different from those of the general GMC population and the mean disk temperature. The results indicate that the bulk of the IR emission in GMCs is excited by embedded stars within the clouds rather than the exterior interstellar radiation field, that only a small fraction of the IR luminosity originates from stars which ionize the H II region. An overall higher level of star-formation activity for the H II region GMCs than the general population is indicated. 27 refs.

• Research Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5841780
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 339; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC DUST
COSMIC GASES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
DUSTS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
FLUIDS
GALAXIES
GASES
H2 REGIONS
INFRARED RADIATION
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LUMINOSITY
MASS
MILKY WAY
MOLECULES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
SPACE
SPECTRA
STELLAR RADIATION