The Molecular Environment of the Gamma-Ray Source TeV J2032+4130

Abstract

The mysterious very high energy gamma-ray source, TeV J2032+4130, is coincident with the powerful Cygnus OB2 stellar association, although a physical association between the two remains uncertain. It is possible that the detected very high energy photons are produced via an overdensity of locally accelerated cosmic rays impinging on molecular clouds in the source region. In order to test this hypothesis, we used the Kitt Peak 12 m, the Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope (HH-SMT), and the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory (FCRAO) to obtain observations in the J = 1 → 0 and J = 2 → 1 lines of both 12CO and 13CO. We report here on the detection of significant molecular material toward the TeV source region which could be acting as the target of locally accelerated CRs. We also find evidence of compact molecular clumps, showing large line widths in the CO spectra, possibly indicative of energetic processes in this region of Cygnus OB2.