791 research outputs found
Infrared and radio observations of W51: Another Orion-KL at a distance of 7kpc
The bright infrared sources W51-IRS2 has at least three components with different physical and evolutionary properties. The spatial distribution and the near infrared spectra of the components in IRS2 are remarkably similar to, but more luminous than those found in Orion, where an H2 region of comparable linear size is also located close to a cluster of compact infrared sources. The characteristics of the nearby W51-NORTH H2O maser source, and the detection of 2 micro m H2 quadrupole emission in IRS2 indicate that the mass loss phenomena found in Orion-KL also exist in W51
A LOFAR mini-survey for low-frequency radio emission from the nearest brown dwarfs
We have conducted a mini-survey for low-frequency radio emission from some of the closest brown dwarfs to the Sun with rapid rotation rates: SIMP J013656.5 +093347, WISEPC 150649.97+702736.0, and WISEPA J174124.26+255319.5.We have placed robust 3s upper limits on the flux density in the 111 â 169 MHz frequency range for these targets: WISE 1506: < 0:72 mJy; WISE 1741: < 0:87 mJy; SIMP 0136: < 0:66 mJy. At 8 hours of integration per target to achieve these limits, we find that systematic and detailed study of this class of object at LOFAR frequencies will require a substantial dedication of resources
High Resolution Infrared Imaging and Spectroscopy of the Pistol Nebula: Evidence for Ejection
We present new NICMOS/HST infrared images and CGS4/UKIRT Br-alpha (4.05 um)
spectroscopy of the Pistol Star and its associated nebula, finding strong
evidence to support the hypothesis that the Pistol Nebula was ejected from the
Pistol Star. The Pa-alpha NICMOS image shows that the nebula completely
surrounds the Pistol Star, although the line intensity is much stronger on its
northern and western edges. The Br-alpha spectra show the classical ring-like
signature of quasi-spherical expansion, with weak blueshifted emission (V_max
approx -60 km/s) and strong redshifted emission (V_max approx +10 km/s), where
the velocities are with respect to the velocity of the Pistol Star; further,
the redshifted emission appears to be "flattened" in the position-velocity
diagram. These data suggest that the nebula was ejected from the star several
thousand years ago, with a velocity between the current terminal velocity of
the stellar wind (95 km/s) and the present expansion velocity of gas in the
outer shell of the nebula (60 km/s). The Pa-alpha image reveals several
emission-line stars in the region, including two newly-identified emission-line
stars north of the Pistol Star with spectral types earlier than WC8 (T_eff >
50,000 K). The presence of these stars, the morphology of the Pa-alpha
emission, and the velocity field in the gas suggest that the side of the nebula
furthest from us is approaching, and being ionized by, the hot stars of the
Quintuplet, and that the highest velocity redshifted gas has been decelerated
by winds from the Quintuplet stars. We also discuss the possibility that the
nebular gas might be magnetically confined by the ambient magnetic field
delineated by the nearby nonthermal filaments.Comment: Figure 1 is included as a JPG file. Figure 1 and 2 also available at
ftp://quintup.astro.ucla.edu/pistol2
Submillimeter Array Observation of the Proto-Planetary Nebula CRL 618 in the CO J=6-5 Line
We report on the results of a Submillimeter Array interferometric observation
of the proto-planetary nebula CRL 618 in the 12CO J=6-5 line. With the new
capability of SMA enabling us to use two receivers at a time, we also observed
simultaneously in the 12CO J=2-1 and 13CO J=2-1 lines. The 12CO J=6-5 and 13CO
J=2-1 lines were first interferometrically observed toward CRL 618. The flux of
the high velocity component of the 12CO J=6-5 line is almost fully recovered,
while roughly 80% of the flux of the low velocity component is resolved out.
The low recovery rate suggests that the emission region of the low velocity
component of the 12CO J=6-5 line is largely extended. Continuum emission is
detected both at 230 and 690 GHz. The flux of the 690 GHz continuum emission
seems to be partially resolved out, suggesting dust emission partly
contaminates the 690 GHz continuum flux. The cavity structure, which has been
confirmed in a previous observation in the 12CO J=2-1 line, is not clearly
detected in the 12CO J=6-5 line, and only the south wall of the cavity is
detected. This result suggests that the physical condition of the molecular
envelope of CRL 618 is not exactly axial symmetric.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in AJ. Full
resolution version available at
http://www.asiaa.sinica.edu.tw/~junichi/paper
High-Resolution Continuum Imaging at 1.3 and 0.7 cm of the W3 IRS 5 Region
High-resolution images of the hypercompact HII regions (HCHII) in W3 IRS 5
taken with the Very Large Array (VLA) at 1.3 and 0.7 cm are presented. Four
HCHII regions were detected with sufficient signal-to-noise ratios to allow the
determination of relevant parameters such as source position, size and flux
density. The sources are slightly extended in our ~0.2 arcsecond beams; the
deconvolved radii are less than 240 AU. A comparison of our data with VLA
images taken at epoch 1989.1 shows proper motions for sources IRS 5a and IRS
5f. Between 1989.1 and 2002.5, we find a proper motion of 210 mas at a position
angle of 12 deg for IRS 5f and a proper motion of 190 mas at a position angle
of 50 deg for IRS 5a. At the assumed distance to W3 IRS 5, 1.83 +/- 0.14 kpc,
these offsets translate to proper motions of ~135 km/s and ~122 km/s$
respectively. These sources are either shock ionized gas in an outflow or
ionized gas ejected from high mass stars. We find no change in the positions of
IRS 5d1/d2 and IRS 5b; and we show through a comparison with archival NICMOS
2.2 micron images that these two radio sources coincide with the infrared
double constituting W3 IRS 5. These sources contain B or perhaps O stars. The
flux densities of the four sources have changed compared to the epoch 1989.1
results. In our epoch 2002.5 data, none of the spectral indicies obtained from
flux densities at 1.3 and 0.7 cm are consistent with optically thin free-free
emission; IRS 5d1/d2 shows the largest increase in flux density from 1.3 cm to
0.7 cm. This may be an indication of free-free optical depth within an ionized
wind, a photoevaporating disk, or an accretion flow. It is less likely that
this increase is caused by dust emission at 0.7 cm.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures To be published in The Astrophysical Journa
Expansion of W 3(OH)
A direct measurement of the expansion of W 3(OH) is made by comparing Very
Large Array images taken about 10 yr apart. The expansion is anisotropic with a
typical speed of 3 to 5 km/s, indicating a dynamical age of only 2300 yr. These
observations are inconsistent with either the freely expanding shell model or a
simple bow shock model. The most favored model is a slowly expanding shell-like
HII region, with either a fast rarefied flow or another less massive diffuse
ionized region moving towards the observer. There is also a rapidly evolving
source near the projected center of emission, perhaps related to the central
star.Comment: LaTeX file, 28 pages, includes 8 figures. To appear in ApJ in
December 10 (1998) issue. Also available at
http://www.submm.caltech.edu/~kawamura/w3oh_pp.p
Resolved 24.5 micron emission from massive young stellar objects
Massive young stellar objects (MYSO) are surrounded by massive dusty
envelopes. Our aim is to establish their density structure on scales of ~1000
AU, i.e. a factor 10 increase in angular resolution compared to similar studies
performed in the (sub)mm. We have obtained diffraction-limited (0.6") 24.5
micron images of 14 well-known massive star formation regions with
Subaru/COMICS. The images reveal the presence of discrete MYSO sources which
are resolved on arcsecond scales. For many sources, radiative transfer models
are capable of satisfactorily reproducing the observations. They are described
by density powerlaw distributions (n(r) ~ r^(-p)) with p = 1.0 +/-0.25. Such
distributions are shallower than those found on larger scales probed with
single-dish (sub)mm studies. Other sources have density laws that are
shallower/steeper than p = 1.0 and there is evidence that these MYSOs are
viewed near edge-on or near face-on, respectively. The images also reveal a
diffuse component tracing somewhat larger scale structures, particularly
visible in the regions S140, AFGL 2136, IRAS 20126+4104, Mon R2, and Cep A. We
thus find a flattening of the MYSO envelope density law going from ~10 000 AU
down to scales of ~1000 AU. We propose that this may be evidence of rotational
support of the envelope (abridged).Comment: 21 pages, accepted for A&
The IRAS galaxy 0421 + 040P06 - an active spiral (?) galaxy with extended radio lobes
The infrared bright galaxy 0421 + 040P06 detected by IRAS at 25 and 60 ÎŒm has been studied at optical, infrared, and radio wavelengths. It is a luminous galaxy with apparent spiral structure emitting 4 x 10^(37) W (1 x 10^(11) L_â) from far-infrared to optical wavelengths, assuming H_0 = 75 km s^(-1) Mpc^(-1). Optical spectroscopy reveals a Seyfert 2 emission-line spectrum, making 0421 +040P06 the first active galaxy selected from an unbiased infrared survey of galaxies. The fact that this galaxy shows a flatter energy distribution with more 25 ÎŒm emission than other galaxies in the infrared sample may be related to the presence of an intense active nucleus. The radio observations reveal the presence of a nonthermal source that, at 6 cm, shows a prominent double lobed structure 20-30 kpc in size extending beyond the optical confines of the galaxy. The radio source is 3-10 times larger than structures previously seen in spiral galaxies and may represent a transition between the relatively small, weak sources seen in some active spirals and the stronger, larger ones seen toward elliptical galaxies with active nuclei
The properties and polarization of the H2O and CH3OH maser environment of NGC7538-IRS1
NGC7538 is a complex massive star-forming region. The region is composed of
several radio continuum sources, one of which is IRS1, a high-mass protostar,
from which a 0.3 pc molecular bipolar outflow was detected. Several maser
species have been detected around IRS1. The CH3OH masers have been suggested to
trace a Keplerian-disk, while the H2O masers are almost aligned to the outflow.
More recent results suggested that the region hosts a torus and potentially a
disk, but with a different inclination than the Keplerian-disk that is supposed
to be traced by the CH3OH masers. Tracing the magnetic field close to
protostars is fundamental for determining the orientation of the disk/torus.
Recent studies showed that during the protostellar phase of high-mass star
formation the magnetic field is oriented along the outflows and around or on
the surfaces of the disk/torus. The observations of polarized maser emissions
at milliarcsecond resolution can make a crucial contribution to understanding
the orientation of the magnetic field and, consequently, the orientation of the
disk/torus in NGC7538-IRS1. The NRAO Very Long Baseline Array was used to
measure the linear polarization and the Zeeman-splitting of the 22GHz H2O
masers toward NGC7538-IRS1. The European VLBI Network and the MERLIN telescopes
were used to measure the linear polarization and the Zeeman-splitting of the
6.7GHz CH3OH masers toward the same region. We detected 17 H2O masers and 49
CH3OH masers at high angular resolution. We detected linear polarization
emission toward two H2O masers and toward twenty CH3OH masers. The CH3OH
masers, most of which only show a core structure, seem to trace rotating and
potentially infalling gas in the inner part of a torus. Significant
Zeeman-splitting was measured in three CH3OH masers. [...] We also propose a
new description of the structure of the NGC7538-IRS1 maser region.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, 4 Tables, accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysic
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