Emission Line Data Research Articles

The physical state of selected cold clumps

Context. he study of prestellar cores is essential to understanding the initial stages of star formation. With $Herschel$ more cold clumps have been detected than ever before. For this study we have selected 21 cold clumps from 20 $Herschel$ fields observed as a follow-up on original $Planck$ detections. We have observed these clumps in $^{13}$CO (1-0), C$^{18}$O (1-0), and N$_2$H$^+$ (1-0) lines. Aims. Our aim is to find out if these cold clumps are prestellar. We have examined to what extent independent analysis of the dust and the molecular lines lead to similar conclusions about the masses of these objects. Methods. We calculate the clump masses and densities from the dust continuum and molecular line observations and compare these to each other and to the virial and Bonnor-Ebert masses calculated for each clump. Finally we examine two of the fields with radiative transfer models to estimate CO abundances. Results. When excitation temperatures could be estimated, the column densities derived from molecular line observations were comparable to those from dust continuum data. The median column density estimates are 4.2$\times 10^{21}$cm$^{-2}$ and 5.5$\times 10^{21}$cm$^{-2}$ for the line and dust emission data, respectively. The calculated abundances, column densities, volume densities, and masses all have large uncertainties and one must be careful when drawing conclusions. Abundance of $^{13}$CO was found in modeling the two clumps in the field G131.65$+$9.75 to be close to the usual value of 10$^{-6}$. The abundance ratio of $^{13}$CO and C$^{18}$O was $\sim$10. Molecular abundances could only be estimated with modeling, relying on dust column density data. Conclusions. The results indicate that most cold clumps, even those with dust color temperatures close to 11 K, are not necessarily prestellar.

THE SMARTS MULTI-EPOCH OPTICAL SPECTROSCOPY ATLAS (SaMOSA): AN ANALYSIS OF EMISSION LINE VARIABILITY IN SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE FERMI BLAZARS

We present multi-epoch optical spectroscopy of seven southern Fermi-monitored blazars from 2008 - 2013 using the Small and Medium Aperture Research Telescope System (SMARTS), with supplemental spectroscopy and polarization data from the Steward Observatory. We find that the emission lines are much less variable than the continuum; 4 of 7 blazars had no detectable emission line variability over the 5 years. This is consistent with photoionization primarily by an accretion disk, allowing us to use the lines as a probe of disk activity. Comparing optical emission line flux with Fermi $\gamma$-ray flux and optical polarized flux, we investigate whether relativistic jet variability is related to the accretion flow. In general, we see no such dependence, suggesting the jet variability is likely caused by internal processes like turbulence or shock acceleration rather than a variable accretion rate. However, three sources showed statistically significant emission line flares in close temporal proximity to very large Fermi $\gamma$-ray flares. While we do not have sufficient emission line data to quantitatively assess their correlation with the $\gamma$-ray flux, it appears that in some cases, the jet might provide additional photoionizing flux to the broad line region, which implies some gamma-rays are produced within the broad line region, at least for these large flares.

DISCOVERY OF LUMINOUS STAR FORMATION IN PMN 1452-5910/IRAS14482-5857: THE PTERODACTYL NEBULA

We present sensitive 1-3 GHz ATCA radio continuum observations of the hitherto unresolved star forming region known as either IRAS14482-5857 or PMN1452-5910. At radio continuum frequencies, this source is characterised by a "filled-bubble" structure reminiscent of a classical HII region, dominated by three point sources, and surrounded by low-surface-brightness emission out to the $3'\times4'$ source extent observed at other frequencies in the literature. The infrared emission corresponds well to the radio emission, with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission surrounding regions of hot dust towards the radio bubbles. A bright 4.5 $\mu$m point source is seen towards the centre of the radio source, suggesting a young stellar object. There is also a linear, outflow-like structure radiating brightly at 8 and 24 $\mu$m towards the brightest peak of the radio continuum. In order to estimate the distance to this source, we have used Mopra Southern Galactic Plane CO Survey $^{12}$CO(1-0) and $^{13}$CO(1-0) molecular line emission data. Integrated-intensity, velocity at peak intensity and line-fitting of the spectra all point towards the peak centred at $v_{LSR}$=-1.1 km/s being connected to this cloud. This infers a distance to this cloud of ~12.7 kpc. Assuming this distance, we estimate a column density and mass towards IRAS14482-5857 of ~$1.5\times10^{21}$ cm$^{-2}$ and $2\times10^4$ $M_\odot$, implying that this source is a site of massive star formation. Reinforcing this conclusion, our broadband spectral fitting infers dust temperatures of 19 and 110K, emission measures for the sub-pc radio point-source of emission measure $EM\sim10^{6-7}$ pc cm$^{-6}$, electron densities of $n_e\sim10^3$ cm$^{-3}$ and photon ionisation rates of $N_{Ly}~10^{46-48}$ s$^{-1}$. The evidence strongly suggests that IRAS14482-5857 is a distant, and hence intense site of massive star-formation.

ALLSMOG: an APEX Low-redshift Legacy Survey for MOlecular Gas – I. Molecular gas scaling relations, and the effect of the CO/H2 conversion factor

We present ALLSMOG, the APEX Low-redshift Legacy Survey for MOlecular Gas. ALLSMOG is a survey designed to observe the CO(2-1) emission line with the APEX telescope, in a sample of local galaxies (0.01 < z < 0.03), with stellar masses in the range 8.5 < log(M*/Msun) < 10. This paper is a data release and initial analysis of the first two semesters of observations, consisting of 42 galaxies observed in CO(2-1). By combining these new CO(2-1) emission line data with archival HI data and SDSS optical spectroscopy, we compile a sample of low-mass galaxies with well defined molecular gas masses, atomic gas masses, and gas-phase metallicities. We explore scaling relations of gas fraction and gas consumption timescale, and test the extent to which our findings are dependent on a varying CO/H2 conversion factor. We find an increase in the H2/HI mass ratio with stellar mass which closely matches semi-analytic predictions. We find a mean molecular gas fraction for ALLSMOG galaxies of MH2/M* = (0.09 - 0.13), which decreases with stellar mass. We measure a mean molecular gas consumption timescale for ALLSMOG galaxies of 0.4 - 0.7 Gyr. We also confirm the non-universality of the molecular gas consumption timescale, which varies (with stellar mass) from ~100 Myr to ~2 Gyr. Importantly, we find that the trends in the H2/HI mass ratio, gas fraction, and the non-universal molecular gas consumption timescale are all robust to a range of recent metallicity-dependent CO/H2 conversion factors.

13CO filaments in the Taurus molecular cloud

We have carried out a search for filamentary structures in the Taurus molecular cloud using $\rm^{13}CO$ line emission data from the FCRAO survey of $\rm \sim100 \, deg^2$. We have used the topological analysis tool, DisPerSe, and post-processed its results to include a more strict definition of filaments that requires an aspect ratio of at least 3:1 and cross section intensity profiles peaked on the spine of the filament. In the velocity-integrated intensity map only 10 of the hundreds of filamentary structures identified by DisPerSe comply with our criteria. Unlike Herschel analyses, which find a characteristic width for filaments of $\rm \sim0.1 \, pc$, we find a much broader distribution of profile widths in our structures, with a peak at 0.4 pc. Furthermore, even if the identified filaments are cylindrical objects, their complicated velocity structure and velocity dispersions imply that they are probably gravitationally unbound. Analysis of velocity channel maps reveals the existence of hundreds of `velocity-coherent' filaments. The distribution of their widths is peaked at lower values (0.2 pc) while the fluctuation of their peak intensities is indicative of stochastic origin. These filaments are suppressed in the integrated intensity map due to the blending of diffuse emission from different velocities. Conversely, integration over velocities can cause filamentary structures to appear. Such apparent filaments can also be traced, using the same methodology, in simple simulated maps consisting of randomly placed cores. They have profile shapes similar to observed filaments and contain most of the simulated cores.

Phase transition between atomic and molecular hydrogen in nearby spiral galaxies

Abstract We compared theoretical and observational molecular mass fractions (fmol: ratio of molecular gas density to total gas density) using observational data of ten nearby spiral galaxies. For determination of fmol, the three parameters–interstellar pressure P, UV radiation U, and metallicity Z–were obtained from the spectral line data of 12CO(J = 1–0), H i, Hα, [O iii], and [O ii]. Interstellar pressure was calculated with the sum of the hydrogen gas densities and the stellar potential based on the Ks-band data. For most data other than metallicity, we used archived NRO CO Atlas, THINGS, SINGS, and 2MASS data. For comparison, we also investigated the dependence of the CO-to-H2 conversion factor XCO. It was found that the theoretical fmol agreed with the observational fmol only when the interstellar pressure is calculated with both the gas density and stellar disk potential. To fit observations more accurately, either the metallicity or the UV radiation needs to be adjusted. It was also found that, in UV radiation scaling, scaling factor γ has a correlation with the diffuse fraction of the Hα emission line data, fDIG. As for XCO, it was shown that the difference between both values of fmol becomes the least when XCO is 1.0 × 1020 cm−2 (K km s−1)−1.

Molecules in the transition disk orbiting T Chamaeleontis

We seek to establish the presence and properties of gas in the circumstellar disk orbiting T Cha, a nearby (d~110 pc), relatively evolved (age ~5-7 Myr) yet actively accreting 1.5 Msun T Tauri star. We used the APEX 12 m radiotelescope to search for submillimeter molecular emission from the T Cha disk, and we reanalyzed archival XMM-Newton spectroscopy of T Cha to ascertain the intervening absorption due to disk gas along the line of sight to the star (N_H). We detected submillimeter rotational transitions of 12CO, 13CO, HCN, CN and HCO+ from the T Cha disk. The 12CO line appears to display a double-peaked line profile indicative of Keplerian rotation. Analysis of the CO emission line data indicates that the disk around T Cha has a mass (M_disk,H_2 = 80 M_earth) similar to, but more compact (R_disk, CO~80 AU) than, other nearby, evolved molecular disks (e.g. V4046 Sgr, TW Hya, MP Mus) in which cold molecular gas has been previously detected. The HCO+/13CO and HCN/13CO, line ratios measured for T Cha appear similar to those of other evolved circumstellar disks (i.e. TW Hya and V4046 Sgr), while the CN/13CO ratio appears somewhat weaker. Analysis of the XMM-Newton data shows that the atomic absorption $N_H$ toward T Cha is 1-2 orders of magnitude larger than toward the other nearby T Tauri with evolved disks. Furthermore, the ratio between atomic absorption and optical extinction N_H/A_V toward T Cha is higher than the typical value observed for the interstellar medium and young stellar objects in the Orion Nebula Cluster. This may suggest that the fraction of metals in the disk gas is higher than in the interstellar medium. Our results confirm that pre-main sequence stars older than ~5 Myr, when accreting, retain cold molecular disks, and that those relatively evolved disks display similar physical and chemical properties.

A cosmic growth spurt in an infant galaxy

One of the most extreme starburst galaxies in the early Universe has been identified and characterized. This system shows the rapid formation of a massive galaxy when the Universe was only 6% of its current age. See Letter p.329 The physical properties of the first massive starburst galaxies in the Universe provide important clues as to patterns of early cosmic structure formation. But as regions of intense star formation tend to be shrouded in dust, the search for such systems at very high redshift has been a major challenge. Now a massive starburst galaxy has been identified at a redshift z = 6.34, just 880 million years after the Big Bang when the Universe was one-sixteenth of its present age. Line-emission data reveal the presence of 100 billion solar masses of gas, equivalent to at least 40% of the galaxy's baryonic (visible matter) mass. The galaxy hosts an intense starburst, converting gas into stars at a rate more than 2,000 times that of the Milky Way. These findings are consistent with the theory that massive galaxies form via extreme starbursts in the early Universe.

The detailed nature of active central cluster galaxies

We present detailed integral field unit (IFU) observations of the central few kiloparsecs of the ionised nebulae surrounding four active central cluster galaxies (CCGs) in cooling flow clusters (Abell 0496, 0780, 1644 and 2052). Our sample consists of CCGs with H{\alpha} filaments, and have existing data from the X-ray regime available. Here, we present the detailed optical emission-line (and simultaneous absorption line) data over a broad wavelength range to probe the dominant ionisation processes, excitation sources, morphology and kinematics of the hot gas (as well as the morphology and kinematics of the stars). This, combined with the other multiwavelength data, will form a complete view of the different phases (hot and cold gas and stars) and how they interact in the processes of star formation and feedback detected in central galaxies in cooling flow clusters, as well as the influence of the host cluster. We derive the optical dust extinction maps of the four nebulae. We also derive a range of different kinematic properties, given the small sample size. For Abell 0496 and 0780, we find that the stars and gas are kinematically decoupled, and in the case of Abell 1644 we find that these components are aligned. For Abell 2052, we find that the gaseous components show rotation even though no rotation is apparent in the stellar components. To the degree that our spatial resolution reveals, it appears that all the optical forbidden and hydrogen recombination lines originate in the same gas for all the galaxies. Based on optical diagnostic ratios ([OIII]{\lambda}5007/H{\beta} against [NII]{\lambda}6584/H{\alpha}, [SII]{\lambda}{\lambda}6717,6731/H{\alpha}, and [OI]{\lambda}6300/H{\alpha}), all galaxies show extended LINER emission, but that at least one has significant Seyfert emission areas, and at least one other has significant HII like emission line ratios for many pixels. ABRIDGED.

High-dynamic-range extinction mapping of infrared dark clouds

Measuring the mass distribution of infrared dark clouds (IRDCs) over the wide dynamic range of their column densities is a fundamental obstacle in determining the initial conditions of high-mass star formation and star cluster formation. We present a new technique to derive high-dynamic-range, arcsecond-scale resolution column density data for IRDCs and demonstrate the potential of such data in measuring the density variance - sonic Mach number relation in molecular clouds. We combine near-infrared data from the UKIDSS/Galactic Plane Survey with mid-infrared data from the Spitzer/GLIMPSE survey to derive dust extinction maps for a sample of ten IRDCs. We then examine the linewidths of the IRDCs using 13CO line emission data from the FCRAO/Galactic Ring Survey and derive a column density - sonic Mach number relation for them. For comparison, we also examine the relation in a sample of nearby molecular clouds. The presented column density mapping technique provides a very capable, temperature independent tool for mapping IRDCs over the column density range equivalent to A_V=1-100 mag at a resolution of 2". Using the data provided by the technique, we present the first direct measurement of the relationship between the column density dispersion, \sigma_{N/<N>}, and sonic Mach number, M_s, in molecular clouds. We detect correlation between the variables with about 3-sigma confidence. We derive the relation \sigma_{N/<N>} = (0.047 \pm 0.016) Ms, which is suggestive of the correlation coefficient between the volume density and sonic Mach number, \sigma_{\rho/<\rho>} = (0.20^{+0.37}_{-0.22}) Ms, in which the quoted uncertainties indicate the 3-sigma range. When coupled with the results of recent numerical works, the existence of the correlation supports the picture of weak correlation between the magnetic field strength and density in molecular clouds (i.e., B ~ \rho^{0.5}).

A DIRECT MEASUREMENT OF THE BARYONIC MASS FUNCTION OF GALAXIES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE GALACTIC BARYON FRACTION

We use both an HI-selected and an optically-selected galaxy sample to directly measure the abundance of galaxies as a function of their "baryonic" mass (stars + atomic gas). Stellar masses are calculated based on optical data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and atomic gas masses are calculated using atomic hydrogen (HI) emission line data from the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA (ALFALFA) survey. By using the technique of abundance matching, we combine the measured baryonic function (BMF) of galaxies with the dark matter halo mass function in a LCDM universe, in order to determine the galactic baryon fraction as a function of host halo mass. We find that the baryon fraction of low-mass halos is much smaller than the cosmic value, even when atomic gas is taken into account. We find that the galactic baryon deficit increases monotonically with decreasing halo mass, in contrast with previous studies which suggested an approximately constant baryon fraction at the low-mass end. We argue that the observed baryon fractions of low mass halos cannot be explained by reionization heating alone, and that additional feedback mechanisms (e.g. supernova blowout) must be invoked. However, the outflow rates needed to reproduce our result are not easily accommodated in the standard picture of galaxy formation in a LCDM universe.

DERIVING PLASMA DENSITIES AND ELEMENTAL ABUNDANCES FROM SERTS DIFFERENTIAL EMISSION MEASURE ANALYSIS

We use high-resolution spectral emission line data obtained by the SERTS instrument during three rocket flights to demonstrate a new approach for constraining electron densities of solar active region plasma.We apply differential emission measure (DEM) forward-fitting techniques to characterize the multithermal solar plasma producing the observed EUV spectra, with constraints on the high-temperature plasma from the Yohkoh Soft X-ray Telescope. In this iterative process, we compare line intensities predicted by an input source distribution to observed line intensities for multiple iron ion species, and search a broad range of densities to optimize chi-square simultaneously for the many available density-sensitive lines. This produces a weighted by the DEM, which appears to be useful for characterizing the bulk of the emitting plasma over a significant range of temperature. This density technique is complementary to the use of density-sensitive line ratios and less affected by uncertainties in atomic data and ionization fraction for any specific line. Once the DEM shape and the DEM-weighted have been established from the iron lines, the relative elemental abundances can be determined for other lines in the spectrum. We have also identified spectral lines in the SERTS wavelength range that may be problematic

The detailed nature of active central cluster galaxies

AbstractWe present detailed integral field unit observations of the central few kiloparsecs of the ionized nebulae surrounding four active central cluster galaxies (CCGs) in cooling flow clusters (Abell 0496, 0780, 1644 and 2052). Our sample consists of CCGs with Hα filaments, and have existing data from the X-ray to radio wavelength regimes available, but lacked the detailed optical emission-line (and simultaneous absorption line) data over a broad wavelength range to probe the dominant ionisation processes, excitation sources, morphology and kinematics of the hot gas (as well as the morphology and kinematics of the stars). This, combined with the other multiwavelength data, will form a complete view of the different phases (hot and cold gas and stars) and how they interact in the processes of star formation and feedback detected in central galaxies in cooling flow clusters, as well as the influence of the host cluster. We derive the optical dust extinction maps of the four nebulae. We also derive a range of different kinematic properties, given the small sample size. For Abell 0496 and 0780, we find that the stars and gas are kinematically decoupled, and in the case of Abell 1644 we find that these components are aligned. For Abell 2052, we find that the gaseous components show rotation even though no rotation is apparent in the stellar components. To the degree that our spatial resolution reveals, it appears that all the optical forbidden and hydrogen recombination lines originate in the same gas for all the galaxies. Based on optical diagnostic ratios ([OIII]λ5007/Hβ against [NII]λ6584/Hα, [SII]λ6717,6731/Hα, and [OI]λ6300/Hα), all objects contain a LINER nucleus and show extended LINER-like gas emission. We also show that the hardness of the ionizing continuum does not decrease radially within our field-of-view as the emission line ratios do not vary significantly with radius, thus the derived nebular properties are spatially homogeneous. We fit AGN and pAGB stars photoionisation models as well as shock excitation models to our derived diagnostic ratios. We suggest that AGN photoionisation is the most likely ionisation mechanism even though shocks and pAGB stars can not be conclusively eliminated.

THE OPTICAL DEPTH OF H II REGIONS IN THE MAGELLANIC CLOUDS

We exploit ionization-parameter mapping as a powerful tool to measure the optical depth of star-forming HII regions. Our simulations using the photoionization code CLOUDY and our new, SURFBRIGHT surface brightness simulator demonstrate that this technique can directly diagnose most density-bounded, optically thin nebulae using spatially resolved emission line data. We apply this method to the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, using the data from the Magellanic Clouds Emission Line Survey. We generate new HII region catalogs based on photoionization criteria set by the observed ionization structure in the [SII]/[OIII] ratio and Ha surface brightness. The luminosity functions from these catalogs generally agree with those from Ha-only surveys. We then use ionization-parameter mapping to crudely classify all the nebulae into optically thick vs optically thin categories, yielding fundamental new insights into Lyman continuum radiation transfer. We find that in both galaxies, the frequency of optically thin objects correlates with Ha luminosity, and that the numbers of these objects dominate above log L\geq37.0. The frequencies of optically thin objects are 40% and 33% in the LMC and SMC, respectively. Similarly, the frequency of optically thick regions correlates with H I column density, with optically thin objects dominating at the lowest N(HI). The integrated escape luminosity of ionizing radiation is dominated by the largest regions, and corresponds to luminosity-weighted, ionizing escape fractions from the H II region population of \geq0.42 and \geq0.40 in the LMC and SMC, respectively. These values correspond to global galactic escape fractions of 4% and 11%, respectively. This is sufficient to power the ionization rate of the observed diffuse ionized gas in both galaxies. Our results suggest the possibility of significant galactic escape fractions of Lyman continuum radiation.

Line transfer through clumpy, large-scale outflows: Ly α absorption and haloes around star-forming galaxies

We present constrained radiative transfer calculations of Lyman Alpha (Lya) photons propagating through clumpy, dusty, large scale outflows, and explore whether we can quantitatively explain the Lya halos that have been observed around Lyman Break Galaxies. We construct phenomenological models of large-scale outflows which consist of cold clumps that are in pressure equilibrium with a constant-velocity hot wind. First we consider models in which the cold clumps are distributed symmetrically around the galaxy, and in which the clumps undergo a continuous acceleration in its 'circumgalactic' medium (CGM). We constrain the properties of the cold clumps (radius, velocity, HI column density, & number density) by matching the observed Lya absorption strength of the CGM in the spectra of background galaxies. We then insert a Lya source in the center of this clumpy outflow, which consists of 1e5-1e6 clumps, and compute observable properties of the scattered Lya photons. In these models, the scattered radiation forms halos that are significantly more concentrated than is observed. In order to simultaneously reproduce the observed Lya absorption line strengths and the Lya halos, we require - preferably bipolar - outflows in which the clumps decelerate after their initial acceleration. This deceleration is predicted naturally in 'momentum-driven' wind models of clumpy outflows. In models that simultaneously fit the absorption and emission line data, the predicted linear polarization is ~30-40% at a surface brightness contour of S=1e-18 erg/s/cm^2/arcsec^2. Our work illustrates clearly that Lya emission line halos around starforming galaxies provide valuable constraints on the cold gas distribution & kinematics in their circumgalactic medium, and that these constraints complement those obtained from absorption line studies alone.

PROPERTIES OF BULGELESS DISK GALAXIES. II. STAR FORMATION AS A FUNCTION OF CIRCULAR VELOCITY

We study the relation between the surface density of gas and star formation rate in twenty moderately-inclined, bulgeless disk galaxies (Sd-Sdm Hubble types) using CO(1-0) data from the IRAM 30m telescope, HI emission line data from the VLA/EVLA, H-alpha data from the MDM Observatory, and PAH emission data derived from Spitzer IRAC observations. We specifically investigate the efficiency of star formation as a function of circular velocity (v_circ). Previous work found that the vertical dust structure and disk stability of edge-on, bulgeless disk galaxies transition from diffuse dust lanes with large scale heights and gravitationally-stable disks at v_circ < 120 km/s (M_star <~ 10^10 M_sun) to narrow dust lanes with small scale heights and gravitationally-unstable disks at v_circ > 120 km/s. We find no transition in star formation efficiency (Sigma_SFR/Sigma_HI+H2) at v_circ = 120 km/s, or at any other circular velocity probed by our sample (v_circ = 46 - 190 km/s). Contrary to previous work, we find no transition in disk stability at any circular velocity in our sample. Assuming our sample has the same dust structure transition as the edge-on sample, our results demonstrate that scale height differences in the cold interstellar medium of bulgeless disk galaxies do not significantly affect the molecular fraction or star formation efficiency. This may indicate that star formation is primarily affected by physical processes that act on smaller scales than the dust scale height, which lends support to local star formation models.

Mass reservoirs surrounding massive infrared dark clouds

Context: Infrared Dark Clouds (IRDCs) harbor progenitors of high-mass stars. Little is known of the parental molecular clouds of the IRDCs. Aims: We demonstrate the feasibility of the near-infrared (NIR) dust extinction mapping in tracing the parental molecular clouds of IRDCs at the distances of D = 2.5 - 8 kpc. Methods: We derive NIR extinction maps for 10 prominent IRDC complexes using a color-excess mapping technique and NIR data from the UKIDSS/Galactic Plane Survey. We compare the resulting maps to the 13CO emission line data, to the 8 \mu m dust opacity data, and to the millimeter dust emission data. We derive distances for the clouds by comparing the observed NIR source densities to the Besancon stellar distribution model and compare them to the kinematic distance estimates. Results: The NIR extinction maps provide a view to the IRDC complexes over the dynamical range of Av = 2 - 40 mag, in spatial resolution of 30". The NIR extinction data correlate well with the 13CO data and probe a similar gas component, but also extend to higher column densities. The NIR data reveal a wealth of extended structures surrounding the dense gas traced by the 8 \mu m shadowing features and sub-mm dust emission, showing that the clouds contain typically > 10 times more mass than traced by those tracers. The IRDC complexes of our sample contain relatively high amount of high-column density material, and their cumulative column density distributions resemble active nearby star-forming clouds like Orion rather than less active clouds like California. Conclusions: NIR dust extinction data provide a new powerful tool to probe the mass distribution of the parental molecular clouds of IRDCs up to the distances of D = 8 kpc. This encourages for deeper NIR observations of IRDCs, because the sensitivity and resolution of the data can be directly enhanced with dedicated observations.

MAPPING LARGE-SCALE CO DEPLETION IN A FILAMENTARY INFRARED DARK CLOUD

Infrared Dark Clouds (IRDCs) are cold, high mass surface density and high density structures, likely to be representative of the initial conditions for massive star and star cluster formation. CO emission from IRDCs has the potential to be useful for tracing their dynamics, but may be affected by depleted gas phase abundances due to freeze-out onto dust grains. Here we analyze C18O J=1-0 and J=2-1 emission line data, taken with the IRAM 30m telescope, of the highly filamentary IRDC G035.39.-0033. We derive the excitation temperature as a function of position and velocity, with typical values of ~7K, and thus derive total mass surface densities, Sigma_C18O, assuming standard gas phase abundances and accounting for optical depth in the line, which can reach values of ~1. The mass surface densities reach values of ~0.07 g/cm^2. We compare these results to the mass surface densities derived from mid-infrared (MIR) extinction mapping, Sigma_SMF, by Butler & Tan, which are expected to be insensitive to the dust temperatures in the cloud. With a significance of >10sigma, we find Sigma_C18O/Sigma_SMF decreases by about a factor of 5 as Sigma increases from ~0.02 to ~0.2 g/cm^2, which we interpret as evidence for CO depletion. Several hundred solar masses are being affected, making this one of the most massive clouds in which CO depletion has been observed directly. We present a map of the depletion factor in the filament and discuss implications for the formation of the IRDC.

THE DYNAMICAL STATE OF FILAMENTARY INFRARED DARK CLOUDS

The dense, cold gas of Infrared Dark Clouds (IRDCs) is thought to be representative of the initial conditions of massive star and star cluster formation. We analyze 13CO(J=1-0) line emission data from the Galactic Ring Survey of Jackson et al. for two filamentary IRDCs, comparing the mass surface densities derived from 13CO, Sigma_13CO, with those derived from mid-infrared small median filter extinction mapping, Sigma_SMF, by Butler & Tan. After accounting for molecular envelopes around the filaments, we find approximately linear relations between Sigma_CO and Sigma_SMF, i.e. an approximately constant ratio Sigma_CO/Sigma_SMF in the clouds. There is a variation of about a factor of two between the two clouds. We find evidence for a modest decrease of Sigma_CO/Sigma_SMF with increasing mass surface density, which may be due to a systematic decrease in temperature, increase in importance of high 13CO opacity cores, increase in dust opacity, or decrease in 13CO abundance due to depletion in regions of higher column density. We perform ellipsoidal and filamentary virial analyses of the clouds, finding that the surface pressure terms are dynamically important and that globally the filaments may not yet have reached virial equilibrium. Some local regions along the filaments appear to be close to virial equilibrium, although still with dynamically important surface pressures, and these appear to be sites where star formation is most active.

THERMAL X-RAY IRON LINE EMISSION FROM THE ADVECTION-DOMINATED ACCRETION FLOW IN THE GALACTIC BINARY GX 339–4

We explore thermal X-ray iron line emission from the galactic X-ray binary GX 339−4 in the off state, using the models of the advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF) without or with outflows. The equivalent widths of hydrogen-like and helium-like thermal iron lines are calculated with different model parameters including viscosity parameter α, mass accretion rate at the outer radius of the ADAF , and outflow strength parameter p. Our calculations show that the equivalent widths of thermal iron lines emitted from the pure ADAF, i.e., the ADAF without outflows, should be very small, assuming a solar metallicity for the accreting gas in the accretion flow. Strong thermal iron lines are expected to be emitted from the ADAF with relatively strong outflows. For a reasonable choice of parameters, the total equivalent width of the He-like and H-like thermal iron lines reaches to ≳500 eV for accreting gas with solar metallicity. The observation of strong thermal X-ray lines from GX 339−4 at the off state may give a clue to the accretion mode of the source and provide evidence for the presence of outflows/winds in the accretion flow around the black hole in GX 339−4. It is found that the values of and p are degenerate, i.e., the observed X-ray continuum spectrum can be fairly well reproduced with different sets of the parameters and p. Such degeneracy can be broken when the thermal X-ray line emission data are available. We also compare our results with those in a previous similar work.