The large-scale distribution of molecular gas in the first Galactic quadrant
D. P. Clemens, D. B. Sanders, N. Z. Scoville;
ApJ, 1988, 327, 139

ABSTRACT:The emission parameters for the molecular component of the interstellar medium are determined throughout the first Galactic quadrant. Face-on maps of the peak midplane molecular density, scale height, and offset from b = 0 deg with roughly 300 pc resolution are presented. These maps are compared with the distribution of cataloged H II regions to test whether both species trace the same Galactic locations. The properties of the spiral (or ringlike) arms are deduced from the derived images and pitch-angle upper limits are estimated. The H II regions are strongly correlated with the dense molecular rings.
KEYWORDS: disk galaxies, galactic structure, h ii regions, interstellar gas, molecular gases, stellar coronas, gas density, hydrogen, pitch (inclination), sagittarius constellation, spiral galaxies, star formation
CODE: clemens88