Comparative analysis of the far-infrared and (13)CO (J = 0-1) emissions of the Taurus complex
A. Abergel, F. Boulanger, A. Mizuno, Y. Fukui;
ApJ, 1994, 423, L59
ABSTRACT:Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) images of the Taurus complex are presented.
The map of the cold IR emission, emission with a low 60 to 100 micrometer
color ratio, is dominated by a spectacular network of filament-like
structures, with a typcial width equal to approximately 1 pc, including almost all
star-forming regions.
Comparable in angular resolution with the IRAS data, the
velocity-integrated (13)CO (J = 1-0) molecular maps of the Taurus region obtained by Fukui
& Mizuno (1991) at Nagoya (Japan) is strongly correlated with the cold
component of the IR emission maps.
We have analyzed the correlation inside small
boxes whose size is 0.9 pc.
The slope of regression line between the two
emissions goes from 0.8 to 1.4 MJy sec/sr/K/km.
Moreover, slope gradients are
visible within given structures.
Independent conversions of the (13)CO (J =
1-0) and the cold component emissions into H2 column densities show that the
(13)CO and cold component emitting volumes are roughly comparable.
This
could explain the correlation and the limited range of values found for the
regression line slope between the two emissions.
The slope variations of a factor
of approximately 2 with distances as small as our analysis box, i.e., 0.9
pc, should result from different physical properties of the dust or
differences in (13)CO abundance, excitation, and radiation transfer
conditions.
KEYWORDS: astronomical models, carbon monoxide, far infrared radiation, infrared astronomy, interstellar matter, molecular clouds, radio emission, taurus constellation, computation, histograms, infrared astronomy satellite, local thermodynamic equilibrium, numerical analysis, velocity distribution
PERSOKEY:DUST, FIR, IRAS, CO, MOLECULAR CLOUDS, ,
CODE: abergel94