Atomic hydrogen in galactic molecular clouds.
Abstract
By comparing observations of galactic carbon monoxide clouds with high-resolution (FWHP equals 3 arcmin) observations of atomic hydrogen, it is found that the molecular emission is strongly correlated with the appearance of narrow minima in the H I profiles. The steep wings of these minima suggest that they are due to self-absorption. Similarities of the spatial and kinematic behavior in the molecular and atomic observations lead to the attribution of these features to a residual amount of very cold (temperature less than 20 K) H I in molecular clouds. The correlations suggest the plausibility of studying the statistics and intrinsic physical characteristics of cold star-forming regions throughout the galactic disk by using high-resolution observations of H I.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- January 1978
- DOI:
- 10.1086/182608
- Bibcode:
- 1978ApJ...219L..67B
- Keywords:
-
- Carbon Monoxide;
- Cosmic Dust;
- Hydrogen Atoms;
- Interstellar Gas;
- Microwave Spectra;
- Absorption Spectra;
- Astronomical Maps;
- Emission Spectra;
- Hydrogen Clouds;
- Astrophysics;
- Galaxy:Molecular Clouds;
- Hydrogen:Molecular Clouds