Very cold dust associated with molecular gas

R. J. Laureijs - L. Haikala - M. Burgdorf - F.O. Clark - T. Liljeström - K. Mattila - T. Prusti

Abstract:

We report the detection of very cold dust in a small and isolated dust cloud. Observations at 60, 90, 135, and 200 microns show a constant surface brightness ratio I135/I200 and a flattening of I90/I200 towards the cloud centre. The dust temperature derived from the far-infrared colours can be confined to the range of 12-15 K assuming a Lambda-2 dust emissivity. The 60 micron emission comes mainly from outer dust layers surrounding the core. We infer that a fraction of the power in the 90 micron band comes from the warmer grain component also causing I60 . This fraction is approximately equal to the total power in the 60 micron band.

The cloud is also detected in 12CO, 13CO, 18CO, HCO+ and CS. The detections indicate that the dust emission is associated with a molecular cloud core where n(H2) >= 3 104 cm -3. Using the column density derived from the molecular observations we find an extinction cross section per H-atom of 4.1-9.5 cm2/H-atom.

Keywords:
interstellar medium: dust, extinction - interstellar medium: clouds - interstellar medium: molecules

Full text


   [ ISO Home Page | Astronomy and Astrophysics Page ]