Small-scale structure in the Rosette molecular cloud revealed by Herschel

Abstract

We present a preliminary analysis of the small-scale structure found in new 70-520 <i>μ<i/>m continuum maps of the Rosette molecular cloud (RMC), obtained with the SPIRE and PACS instruments of the <i>Herschel<i/> Space Observatory. We find 473 clumps within the RMC using a new structure identification algorithm, with sizes up to ~1.0 pc in diameter. A comparison with recent <i>Spitzer<i/> maps reveals that 371 clumps are “starless” (without an associated young stellar object), while 102 are “protostellar.” Using the respective values of dust temperature, we determine the clumps have masses (<i>M<i/><sub>C<sub/>) over the range -0.75 <i>≤<i/> log (<i>M<i/><sub>C<sub/>/) <i>≤<i/> 2.50. Linear fits to the high-mass tails of the resulting clump mass spectra (CMS) have slopes that are consistent with those found for high-mass clumps identified in CO emission by other groups.