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High-resolution mapping of interstellar clouds with near-infrared scattered light

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2006

M. Juvela ,
V.-M. Pelkonen ,
P. Padoan  and
K. Mattila
M. Juvela
Affiliation:
Helsinki University Observatory, FI-00014, Finland
V.-M. Pelkonen
Affiliation:
Helsinki University Observatory, FI-00014, Finland
P. Padoan
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego
K. Mattila
Affiliation:
Helsinki University Observatory, FI-00014, Finland
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Abstract

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We examine the intensity of scattered near-infrared (NIR) light in the case of interstellar clouds illuminated by the normal interstellar radiation field. We have developed a way to convert the observed surface brightness into estimates of the column density and have estimated the accuracy of the new method. The NIR intensities can be converted into reliable estimates of the column density in regions with AV up to almost 20 magnitudes. The errors can be further reduced with detailed radiative transfer modelling and by using the lower resolution information that is provided by the colour excess data of background stars. Therefore, NIR scattered light is a promising new way to map quiescent interstellar clouds at a high, even sub-arcsecond resolution.

Keywords

ISM: cloudsISM: structureinfrared: ISMscattering
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 2 , Symposium S237: Triggered Star Formation in a Turbulent ISM , August 2006 , pp. 430
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2007

References

Foster, J. & Goodman, A. 2006, ApJ 636, L105CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Juvela, M., Padoan, P., Pelkonen, V.-M. & Mattila, K. 2006, A&A (in press)Google Scholar
Padoan, P., Juvela, M. & Pelkonen, V.-M. 2006, ApJ 636, L101CrossRefGoogle Scholar