Modeling the Dust Spectral Energy Distributions of Dwarf Galaxies

Recent efforts on the modeling of the infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of dwarf galaxies are summarised here. The characterisation of the dust properties in these low metallicity environments is just unfolding, as a result of recently available mid-infrared to millimetre observations. From the limited cases we know to date, it appears that the hard radiation fields that are present in these star-bursting dwarf galaxies, as well as the rampent energetics of supernovae shocks and winds have modified the dust properties, in comparison with those in the Galaxy, or other gas and dust rich galaxies. The sophistication of the SED models is limited by the availability of detailed data in the mid infrared and particularly in the submillimetre to millimetre regime, which will open up in the near future with space-based missions, such as Herschel.Comment: 8 pages presented at "The Spectral Energy Distribution of Gas-Rich Galaxies: Confronting Models with Data" Heidelberg (Germany), October 2004. To be published in The Spectral Energy Distribution of Gas-Rich Galaxies, ed. C. Popescu & R. Tuffs (Melville:AIP) in pres

Interstellar Gas in Low Mass Virgo Cluster Spiral Galaxies

We have measured the strengths of the [C II] 158 micron, [N II] 122 micron, and CO (1 - 0) lines from five low blue luminosity spiral galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, using the Infrared Space Observatory and the NRAO 12m millimeter telescope. Two of the five galaxies have high L([C II)]/L(CO) and L(FIR)/L(CO) ratios compared to higher mass spirals. These two galaxies, NGC 4294 and NGC 4299, have L([C II])/L(CO) ratios of >14,300 and 15,600, respectively, which are similar to values found in dwarf irregular galaxies. This is the first time that such enhanced L([C II])/L(CO) ratios have been found in spiral galaxies. This result may be due to low abundances of dust and heavy elements, which can cause the CO (1 - 0) measurements to underestimate the molecular gas content. Another possibility is that radiation from diffuse HI clouds may dominate the [C II] emission from these galaxies. Less than a third of the observed [C II] emission arises from HII regions.Comment: 24 pages, Latex, 2 Figures, 6 Tables To appear in the Astronomical Journal, July 199

A multi-transition study of the cyclic molecule cyclopropenylidene (C2H2) in the galaxy.

We report results of multi-transition observations and modeling of the hydrocarbon ring molecule cyclopropenylidene (C\sb3H\sb2). From a survey of the 1\sb{10}-1\sb{01} (18 GHz) and 2\sb{12}-1\sb{01} (85 GHz) transitions in the Galaxy, we have found C\sb3H\sb2 present in a variety of sources including cold, dark clouds, giant molecular clouds, the envelope of a carbon star, and diffuse clouds. Up to 10 transitions of C\sb3H\sb2 ranging in wavelength from 1.3 cm to 1.3 mm were observed in the dark clouds L1498, L134N, B335 and toward several positions in TMC-1. The Large Velocity Gradient (LVG) approximation was used to model the observations. Optical depth values of C\sb3H\sb2, estimated from C\sp{13}C\sb2H\sb2 observations, are necessary to constrain the results since the range in excitation energies of the observed C\sb3H\sb2 transitions does not contrast sufficiently. The molecular hydrogen density in TMC-1 is estimated to be 3.7 $\times$ 10\sp4 cm\sp{-3}, while the fractional abundance of C{\sb3}H\sb2 relative to H\sb2 is 5.7 $\times$ 10\sp{-9}. Previous estimates assuming LTE conditions overestimate the abundance of C\sb3H\sb2. The abundance in the ridge component in Orion is estimated to be approximately 8 $\times$ 10\sp{-10} cm \sp{-2}. Gas phase chemical models can reproduce the high C\sb3H\sb2 abundance found in dark clouds under assumptions such as steady state conditions with (C) / (O) / $\u3e$ 1.0, conditions of earlier evolutionary time, or \u27optimistic\u27 rate coefficients. However, large deuteration ratios (0.05 to 0.15) create difficulties for gas phase models

Discovery of PAHs in the Halo of NGC 5907

We have used sensitive archival data from the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) to make maps of the edge-on low SFR galaxy, NGC 5907, in 6 different MIR bands: LW2, LW5, LW6, LW7, LW8, and LW10, covering the spectrum from 6.5 to 15.0 microns and including several narrow bands that isolate the infrared aromatic spectral features commonly referred to as PAHs. Most of the MIR emission is dominated by PAHs and it is likely that emission from VSGs contribute only negligibly except in the broad IRAS-equivalent band. The flux ratios are typical of galaxies with low SFRs or quiesent regions within galaxies (e.g M~83) and a very high PAH/continuum ratio is observed. The PAH emission follows the CO distribution and also shows some correlation within the disk with the lambda 850 micron distribution. However, the PAH emission also reaches larger galactocentric radii than the CO and other correlations suggest that the PAHs are also more widespread. A significant new discovery is the presence of PAHs in the halo of the galaxy. In the narrow bands that isolate single PAH features, the emission shows structure similar to high latitude features seen in other galaxies in other tracers. The features extend as far as 6.5 kpc from the plane but scale heights of 3.5 kpc are more typical. The (lambda 11.3/lambda7.7) ratio also appears to increase with distance from the major axis. To our knowledge, this is the first time PAHs have been seen in the halo of an external galaxy. Just as significantly, they are seen in a low SFR galaxy, suggesting that strong SNe and winds are not necessary for these large molecules to reach high latitudes.Comment: A&A accept. 8 Sept. 05, 15 pages, 14 fig., pdf at www.astro.queensu.ca/~irwin/pub/ngc590

The LMC+ SOFIA Legacy Program

With the goal of elucidating the effects of low metallicity on the star formation activity, feedback and interstellar medium of low metallicity environments, SOFIA has observed a 40' x 20' (60 pc x 30 pc) area of our neighboring metal-poor Large Magellanic Cloud in 158 micron [CII] and 88 micron [OIII], targeting the southern molecular ridge just south of 30Doradus. We find extensive [CII] emission over the region, which encompasses a wide variety of local physical conditions, from bright compact star forming regions to lower density environments beyond, much of which does not correspond to CO structures. Preliminary analyses indicates that most of the molecular hydrogen is in a CO-dark gas component.Comment: Proceedings of the 7th Chile-Cologne-Bonn-Symposium "Physics and Chemistry of Star Formation, The Dynamical ISM Across Time and Spatial Scales", Puerto-Varas Chile, September 26-30, 2022 V. Ossenkopf-Okada, R. Schaaf, I. Breloy (eds.

A new view on the ISM of galaxies: far-infrared and submillimetre spectroscopy with Herschel

The FIR/submm window is amongst the least explored spectral regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. It is, however, a key to study the general properties of the interstellar medium of galaxies, as it contains important spectral line diagnostics from the neutral, ionized and molecular ISM. The Herschel Space Observatory, successfully launched on 14 May 2009, is the first observatory to cover the entire FIR/submm range between 57 and 672 mum. We discuss the main results from the ISO era on FIR spectroscopy of galaxies and the enormous science potential of the Herschel mission through a presentation of its spectroscopic extragalactic key programs.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in New Astronomy Review

Effects of CO-dark Gas on Measurements of Molecular Cloud Stability and the Size-Linewidth Relationship

Stars form within molecular clouds, so characterizing the physical states of molecular clouds is key in understanding the process of star formation. Cloud structure and stability is frequently assessed using metrics including the virial parameter and Larson (1981) scaling relationships between cloud radius, velocity dispersion, and surface density. Departures from the typical Galactic relationships between these quantities have been observed in low-metallicity environments. The amount of H$_2$ gas in cloud envelopes without corresponding CO emission is expected to be high under these conditions; therefore, this "CO-dark" gas could plausibly be responsible for the observed variations in cloud properties. We derive simple corrections that can be applied to empirical clump properties (mass, radius, velocity dispersion, surface density, and virial parameter) to account for CO-dark gas in clumps following power-law and Plummer mass density profiles. We find that CO-dark gas is not likely to be the cause of departures from Larson's relationships in low-metallicity regions, but that virial parameters may be systematically overestimated. We demonstrate that correcting for CO-dark gas is critical for accurately comparing the dynamical state and evolution of molecular clouds across diverse environments.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

The Mass Function of Super Giant Molecular Complexes and Implications for Forming Young Massive Star Clusters in the Antennae (NGC 4038/39)

We have used previously published observations of the CO emission from the Antennae (NGC 4038/39) to study the detailed properties of the super giant molecular complexes with the goal of understanding the formation of young massive star clusters. Over a mass range from 5E6 to 9E8 solar masses, the molecular complexes follow a power-law mass function with a slope of -1.4 +/- 0.1, which is very similar to the slope seen at lower masses in molecular clouds and cloud cores in the Galaxy. Compared to the spiral galaxy M51, which has a similar surface density and total mass of molecular gas, the Antennae contain clouds that are an order of magnitude more massive. Many of the youngest star clusters lie in the gas-rich overlap region, where extinctions as high as Av~100 imply that the clusters must lie in front of the gas. Combining data on the young clusters, thermal and nonthermal radio sources, and the molecular gas suggests that young massive clusters could have formed at a constant rate in the Antennae over the last 160 Myr and that sufficient gas exists to sustain this cluster formation rate well into the future. However, this conclusion requires that a very high fraction of the massive clusters that form initially in the Antennae do not survive as long as 100 Myr. Finally, we compare our data with two models for massive star cluster formation and conclude that the model where young massive star clusters form from dense cores within the observed super giant molecular complexes is most consistent with our current understanding of this merging system. (abbreviated)Comment: 40 pages, four figures; accepted for publication in Ap