Spectral And Photometric Imaging Receiver Research Articles

The statistical properties of 28 IR-bright dust-obscured galaxies and SED modelling using CIGALE

Abstract The aim of this study is to characterize the physical and statistical properties of a sample of infrared-bright dust-obscured galaxies (DOGs) by fitting their spectral energy distributions (SEDs). We examined 28 DOGs at redshifts 0.47 ≤ z ≤ 1.63 discovered by combining images of the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) survey, the VISTA Kilo-degree Infrared Galaxy (VIKING) survey, and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) all-sky survey, and detected at Herschel Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) bands. We have detected a significant active galactic nucleus (AGN) contribution to the mid-infrared luminosity for $71\%$ of DOGs. Our DOGs contain several types of AGNs; the majority of AGN emission originates from Type 2 AGNs. Our DOG sample shows very high values of stellar mass [log (M*/M${}_\odot $) = 11.49 ± 1.61] compared with other samples of DOGs selected at infrared wavelengths. Our study is promising to identify a new type of DOGs called “overweight” DOGs (ODOGs). ODOGs may indicate the end of the DOG phase, and then they become visible quasars. Principal component (PC) analysis is applied to reduce the number of dimensions of our sample, removing the dependency on the observed variables. There are two significant PCs describing $72.7\%$ of the total variance. The first PC strongly correlates with redshift, dust luminosity, dust mass, and stellar mass, while far-ultraviolet (FUV) attenuation strongly correlates with the second PC, which is orthogonal to the first one. The partial correlation between the resulted physical parameters is tested, supporting the reliability of the correlations.

The physical properties of IR-bright Dust-Obscured Galaxies

AbstractThis work aims to represent the physical properties of a sample of infrared-bright dust-obscured galaxies (DOGs) studied by Suleiman et al. (2022) by fitting the spectral energy distributions (SEDs). Twenty-eight DOGs were examined at redshifts 0.47 ≤ z ≤ 1.63 discovered by combining images of the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) survey, VISTA Kilo-degree Infrared Galaxy (VIKING) survey, and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) all-sky survey, and detected at Herschel Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) bands. The results show a correlation between the star formation rate (SFR) and the dust luminosity of Suleiman et al. (2022) DOG sample, the SFR ranges of the sample according to different redshifts, and a comparison between Suleiman et al. (2022) sample and other samples of DOGs.

The Herschel SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer Spectral Feature Finder – V. Rotational measurements of NGC 891

ABSTRACT The ESA Herschel Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) Spectral Feature Finder (FF) project is an automated spectral feature fitting routine developed within the SPIRE instrument team to extract all prominent spectral features from all publicly available SPIRE FTS observations. In this work, we demonstrate the use of the FF information extracted from three observations of the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 891 to measure the rotation of N ii and C i gas at far-infrared frequencies in complement to radio observations of the [H i] 21-cm line and the CO(1-0) transition as well as optical measurements of Hα. We find that measurements of both N ii and C i gas follow a similar velocity profile to that of H i and Hα showing a correlation between neutral and ionized regions of the interstellar medium in the disc of NGC 891.

The multi-phase ISM in the nearby composite AGN-SB galaxy NGC 4945: large-scale (parsecs) mechanical heating

Context. Understanding the dominant heating mechanism in the nuclei of galaxies is crucial to understanding star formation in starbursts (SBs), active galactic nuclei (AGN) phenomena, and the relationship between star formation and AGN activity in galaxies. Analysis of the carbon monoxide (12CO) rotational ladder versus the infrared continuum emission (hereafter, 12CO/IR) in galaxies with different types of activity reveals important differences between them. Aims. We aim to carry out a comprehensive study of the nearby composite AGN-SB galaxy, NGC 4945, using spectroscopic and photometric data from the Herschel satellite. In particular, we want to characterize the thermal structure in this galaxy using a multi-transition analysis of the spatial distribution of the 12CO emission at different spatial scales. We also want to establish the dominant heating mechanism at work in the inner region of this object at smaller spatial scales (≲200 pc). Methods. We present far-infrared (FIR) and sub-millimeter (sub-mm) 12CO line maps and single spectra (from Jup = 3 to 20) using the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared (HIFI), the Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS), and the Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE) onboard Herschel, and the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX). We combined the 12CO/IR flux ratios and the local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) analysis of the 12CO images to derive the thermal structure of the interstellar medium (ISM) for spatial scales raging from ≲200 pc to 2 kpc. In addition, we also present single spectra of low- (12CO, 13CO and [CI]) and high-density (HCN, HNC, HCO+, CS and CH) molecular gas tracers obtained with APEX and HIFI applying LTE and non-LTE (NLTE) analyses. Furthermore, the spectral energy distribution of the continuum emission from the FIR to sub-mm wavelengths is also presented. Results. From the NLTE analysis of the low- and high-density tracers, we derive gas volume densities (103–106 cm−3) for NGC 4945 that are similar to those found in other galaxies with different types of activity. From the 12CO analysis we find a clear trend in the distribution of the derived temperatures and the 12CO/IR ratios. It is remarkable that at intermediate scales (360 pc–1 kpc, or 19″–57″) we see large temperatures in the direction of the X-ray outflow while at smaller scales (≲200 pc–360 pc, or ∼9″–19″), the highest temperature, derived from the high-J lines, is not found toward the nucleus but toward the galaxy plane. The thermal structure derived from the 12CO multi-transition analysis suggests that mechanical heating, like shocks or turbulence, dominates the heating of the ISM in the nucleus of NGC4945 located beyond 100 pc (≳5″) from the center of the galaxy. This result is further supported by published models, which are able to reproduce the emission observed at high-J (PACS) 12CO transitions when mechanical heating mechanisms are included. Shocks and/or turbulence are likely produced by the barred potential and the outflow observed in X–rays.

Herschel SPIRE Discovery of Far-infrared Excess Synchrotron Emission from the West Hot Spot of the Radio Galaxy Pictor A

Abstract A far-infrared counterpart to the west hot spot of the radio galaxy Pictor A is discovered with the Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE) on board Herschel. The color-corrected flux density of the source is measured as 70.0 ± 9.9 mJy at the wavelength of 350 μm. A close investigation into its radio-to-optical spectrum indicates that the mid-infrared excess over the radio synchrotron component, detected with Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and Spitzer, significantly contributes to the far-infrared band. Thanks to the SPIRE data, it is revealed that the spectrum of the excess is described by a broken power-law model subjected to a high-energy cutoff. By applying the radiative cooling break under continuous energy injection (Δα = 0.5), the broken power-law model supports an idea that the excess originates in 10 pc scale substructures within the hot spot. From the break frequency, Hz, the magnetic field was estimated as B ≃ 1–4 mG. This is higher than the minimum-energy magnetic field of the substructures by a factor of 3–10. Even if the origin of the excess is larger than ∼100 pc, the magnetic field stronger than the minimum-energy field is confirmed. It is proposed that regions with a magnetic field locally boosted via plasma turbulence are observed as the substructures. The derived energy index below the break, α ∼ 0.22 (conservatively <0.42), is difficult to be attributed to the strong-shock acceleration (α = 0.5). Stochastic acceleration and magnetic reconnection are considered as a plausible alternative mechanism.

Star formation in luminous LoBAL quasars at 2.0 < z < 2.5

ABSTRACT Low-ionization broad absorption line quasars (LoBALs) mark an important, yet poorly understood, population of quasars showing direct evidence for energetic mass outflows. We outline a sample of 12 luminous (Lbol > 1046 ergs−1) LoBALs at 2.0 < z < 2.5 – a key epoch in both star formation and black hole accretion, which have been imaged as part of a targeted program with the Herschel Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE). We present K-band NOTCam spectra for three of these targets, calculating their spectroscopic redshifts, black hole masses, and bolometric luminosities, and increasing the total number of LoBAL targets in our sample with spectral information from five to eight. Based on FIR observations from Herschel SPIRE, we derive prolific star formation rates (SFRs) ranging 740–2380 M⊙ yr−1 for the detected targets, consistent with LoBALs existing in an evolutionary phase associated with starburst activity. Furthermore, an upper limit of <440 M⊙ yr−1 is derived for the non-detections, meaning moderate-to-high SFRs cannot be ruled out, even among the undetected targets. Indeed, we detect an enhancement in both the SFRs and FIR fluxes of LoBALs compared to HiBAL and non-BAL quasars, further supporting the evolutionary LoBAL paradigm. Despite this enhancement in SFR, however, the environments of LoBALs appear entirely consistent with the general galaxy population at 2.0 < z < 2.5.

The Herschel SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer Spectral Feature Finder – IV. Neutral carbon detection in the SPIRE FTS spectra

ABSTRACT The SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) Spectral Feature Finder (FF), developed within the Herschel Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) FTS instrument team, is an automated spectral feature fitting routine that attempts to find significant features in SPIRE FTS spectra. The 3P1–3P0 and 3P2–3P1 neutral carbon fine structure lines are common features in carbon-rich far-infrared astrophysical sources. These features can be difficult to detect using an automated feature detection routine due to their typically low amplitude and line blending. In this paper, we describe and validate the FF subroutine designed to detect the neutral carbon emission observed in SPIRE spectral data.

The Herschel SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer Spectral Feature Finder – III. Line identification and off-axis spectra

ABSTRACT The European Space Agency Herschel Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) Spectral Feature Finder (FF) project is an automated spectral feature fitting routine developed within the SPIRE instrument team to extract all prominent spectral features from all publicly available SPIRE FTS observations. We present the extension of the FF to include the off-axis detectors of the FTS in sparsely sampled single-pointing observations, the results of which have been ingested into the catalogue. We also present the results from an automated routine for identifications of the atomic/molecular transitions that correspond to the spectral features extracted by the FF. We use a template of 307 atomic fine structure and molecular lines that are commonly found in SPIRE FTS spectra for the cross-match. The routine makes use of information provided by the line identification to search for low signal-to-noise ratio features that have been excluded or missed by the iterative FF. In total, the atomic/molecular transitions of 178 942 lines are identified (corresponding to 83 per cent of the entire FF catalogue), and an additional 33 840 spectral lines associated with missing features from SPIRE FTS observations are added to the FF catalogue.

Observational study of hydrocarbons in the bright photodissociation region of Messier 8

Aims. Hydrocarbons are ubiquitous in the interstellar medium, but their formation is still not well understood, depending on the physical environment in which they are found. Messier 8 (M8) is host to one of the brightest H II regions and photodissociation regions (PDRs) in our galaxy. With the observed C2H and c-C3H2 data toward M8, we aim at obtaining their densities and abundances and to shed some light on their formation mechanism. Methods. Using the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) 12 m, and the Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique (IRAM) 30 m telescopes, we performed a line survey toward Herschel 36 (Her 36), which is the main ionizing stellar system in M8, and an imaging survey within 1.3 × 1.3 pc around Her 36 of various transitions of C2H and c-C3H2. We used both local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and non-LTE methods to determine the physical conditions of the emitting gas along with the column densities and abundances of the observed species, which we compared with (updated) gas-phase photochemical PDR models. In order to examine the role of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the formation of small hydrocarbons and to investigate their association with the H II region, the PDR and the molecular cloud, we compared archival Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire (GLIMPSE) 8 μm and the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) 250 μm continuum images with the C2H emission maps. Results. We observed a total of three rotational transitions of C2H with their hyperfine structure components and four rotational transitions of c-C3H2 with ortho and para symmetries toward the H II region and the PDR of M8. Fragmentation of PAHs seems less likely to contribute to the formation of small hydrocarbons as the 8 μm emission does not follow the distribution of C2H emission, which is more associated with the molecular cloud toward the north west of Her 36. From the quantitative analysis, we obtained abundances of ~10−8 and 10−9 for C2H and c-C3H2 respectively, and volume densities of the hydrocarbon emitting gas in the range n(H2) ~5 × 104–5 × 106 cm−3. Conclusions. The observed column densities of C2H and c-C3H2 are reproduced reasonably well by our PDR models. This supports the idea that in high-UV flux PDRs, gas-phase chemistry is sufficient to explain hydrocarbon abundances.

Bok globule CB 17: polarization, extinction and distance

Abstract In this article, the results obtained from a polarimetric study of Bok globule CB 17 in both optical and submillimetre wavelengths are presented. Optical polarimetric observations in the R band (λ = 630 nm, Δλ = 120 nm) were conducted with the 1.04-m Sampurnanand Telescope, Aryabhatta Research Institute of observational sciencES (ARIES), in Nainital, India on 2016 March 9, while submillimetre polarimetric data are taken from the Submillimetre Common-User bolometer array POLarimeter (SCUPOL) data archive, which has been reanalysed. The contours of Herschel1 Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) 500-μm dust continuum emission of CB 17 (typically a cometary-shaped globule) are overlaid on the Digital Sky Survey (DSS) image of CB 17 along with polarization vectors (optical and submm). The magnetic field strength at the core of the globule is estimated to be 99 μG. Using near-infrared photometric technique and Gaia data, the distance to CB 17 is found to be 253 ± 43 pc. The correlation between the various quantities of the globule is also studied. It is observed that the magnetic field in the cloud core as revealed by polarization measurements of the submillimetre dust emission is found to be almost aligned along the minor axis of the globule, which fits the magnetically regulated star formation model. A misalignment between core-scale magnetic field direction and molecular outflow direction is also found.

SPIRE Spectroscopy of Early-type Galaxies

Abstract We present Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) spectroscopy for nine early-type galaxies (ETGs) representing the most CO-rich and far-infrared (FIR) bright galaxies of the volume-limited Atlas3D sample. Our data include detections of mid- to high-J CO transitions (J = 4–3 to J = 13–12) and the [C i] (1–0) and (2–1) emission lines. CO spectral line energy distributions (SLEDs) for our ETGs indicate low gas excitation, barring NGC 1266. We use the [C i] emission lines to determine the excitation temperature of the neutral gas, as well as estimate the mass of molecular hydrogen. The masses agree well with masses derived from CO, making this technique very promising for high-redshift galaxies. We do not find a trend between the [N ii] 205 flux and the infrared luminosity, but we do find that the [N ii] 205/CO(6–5) line ratio is correlated with the 60/100 μm Infrared Astronomical Satellite colors. Thus the [N ii] 205/CO(6–5) ratio can be used to infer a dust temperature and hence the intensity of the interstellar radiation field. Photodissociation region models show that use of [C i] and CO lines in addition to the typical [C ii], [O i], and FIR fluxes drive the model solutions to higher densities and lower values of G 0. In short, the SPIRE lines indicate that the atomic and molecular gas in the CO-rich ETGs have similar properties to other galaxies. As might be expected from their low levels of star formation activity, the ETGs have rather low excitation CO SLEDs, low temperatures inferred from the [C i] lines, and modestly lower [C i]/CO ratios.

Herschel water maps towards the vicinity of the black hole Sgr A*

Aims. We study the spatial distribution and kinematics of water emission in a ~8 × 8 pc2 region of the Galactic center (GC) that covers the main molecular features around the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). We also analyze the water excitation to derive the physical conditions and water abundances in the circumnuclear disk (CND) and the “quiescent clouds”. Methods. We presented the integrated line intensity maps of the ortho 110 − 101, and para 202 − 111 and 111 − 000 water transitions observed using the On the Fly mapping mode with the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared (HIFI) on board Herschel. To study the water excitation, we used HIFI observations of the ground state ortho and para H218O transitions toward three selected positions in the vicinity of Sgr A*. In our study, we also used dust continuum measurements of the CND, obtained with the Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE) instrument. Using a non-local thermodynamical equilibrium (LTE) radiative transfer code, the water line profiles and dust continuum were modeled, deriving H2O abundances (XH2O), turbulent velocities (V t), and dust temperatures (Td). We also used a rotating ring model to reproduce the CND kinematics represented by the position velocity (PV) diagram derived from para 202 − 111 H2O lines. Results. In our H2O maps we identify the emission associated with known features around Sgr A*: CND, the Western Streamer, and the 20 and 50 km s−1 clouds. The ground-state ortho water maps show absorption structures in the velocity range of [−220,10] km s−1 associated with foreground sources. The PV diagram reveals that the 202 − 111 H2O emission traces the CND also observed in other high-dipole molecules such as SiO, HCN, and CN. Using the non-LTE code, we derive high XH2O of ~(0.1–1.3) × 10−5, V t of 14–23 km s−1 , and Td of 15–45 K for the CND, and the lower XH2O of 4 × 10−8 and V t of 9 km s−1 for the 20 km s−1 cloud. Collisional excitation and dust effects are responsible for the water excitation in the southwest lobe of the CND and the 20 km s−1 cloud, whereas only collisions can account for the water excitation in the northeast lobe of the CND. We propose that the water vapor in the CND is produced by grain sputtering by shocks of 10–20 km s−1, with some contribution of high temperature and cosmic-ray chemistries plus a photon-dominated region chemistry, whereas the low XH2O derived for the 20 km s−1 cloud could be partially a consequence of the water freeze-out on grains.

Gemini, SOFIA, and ATCA Reveal Very Young, Massive Protostars in the Collapsing Molecular Cloud BYF 73

Abstract We present multi-wavelength data on the globally infalling molecular cloud/protostellar cluster BYF 73. These include new far-infrared (FIR) spectral line and continuum data from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy’s (SOFIA’s) Far Infrared Field-Imaging Line Spectrometer (FIFI-LS), mid-infrared (MIR) observations with the Thermal-Region Camera Spectrograph (T-ReCS) on Gemini-South, and 3 mm continuum data from the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA), plus archival data from Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera (IRAC), and Herschel/Photodetecting Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE). The FIFI-LS spectroscopy in [O i] , [O iii] , [O i] , and [C ii] highlights different gas environments in and between the dense molecular cloud and H ii region. The photo dissociation region (PDR) between the cloud and H ii region is best traced by [O i] and may have density >1010 m−3, but the observed and λ63 μm/λ158 μm line ratios in the densest gas are well outside model values. The H ii region is well-traced by [C ii], with the λ158 μm/λ145 μm line ratio, indicating a density of 108.5 m−3 and a relatively weak ionizing radiation field, 1.5 ≲ log(G/G 0) ≲ 2. The T-ReCS data reveal eight protostellar objects in the cloud, of which six appear deeply embedded (A V > 30 m or more) near the cloud’s center. MIR 2 has the most massive core at ∼240 M , more massive than all the others combined by up to tenfold, with no obvious gas outflow, negligible cooling line emission, and ∼3%–8% of its 4.7 × 103 L luminosity originating from the release of gravitational potential energy. MIR 2's dynamical age may be as little as 7000 years. This fact, and the cloud’s total embedded stellar mass being far less than its gas mass, confirm BYF 73's relatively early stage of evolution.

Constraining physical conditions for the PDR of Trumpler 14 in the Carina Nebula

We investigate the physical conditions of the CO gas, based on the submillimeter imaging spectroscopy from a 2′ × 7′ (1.5 × 5 pc2) area near the young star cluster, Trumpler 14 of the Carina Nebula. The observations presented in this work are taken with the Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) of the Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE) onboard the Herschel Space Observatory. The newly observed spectral lines include [CI] 370 μm [CI] 609 μm, and CO transitions from J = 4−3 to J = 13−12. Our field of view covers the edge of a cavity carved by Trumpler 14 about 1 Myr ago and marks the transition from H ii regions to photo-dissociation regions. The observed CO intensities are the most prominent at the northwest region, Car I-E. With the state-of-the-art Meudon PDR code, we successfully derive the physical conditions, which include the thermal pressure (P) and the scaling factor of radiation fields (GUV), from the observed CO spectral line energy distributions (SLEDs) in the observed region. The derived GUV values generally show excellent agreement with the UV radiation fields created by nearby OB-stars and thus confirm that the main excitation source of the observed CO emission is the UV-photons provided by the massive stars. The derived thermal pressure is in the range 0.5−3 × 108 K cm-3 with the highest values found along the ionization front in Car I-E region facing Trumpler 14, hinting that the cloud structure is similar to the recent observations of the Orion Bar. We also note a discrepancy at a local position (<0.17 × 0.17 pc2) between the photo-dissociation region (PDR) modeling result and the UV radiation fields estimated from nearby massive stars, which requires further investigation on nearby objects that could contribute to local heating, including outflow. Comparing the derived thermal pressure with the radiation fields, we report the first observationally derived and spatially resolved P ~ 2 × 104 GUV relationship. As direct comparisons of the modeling results to the observed 13CO, [O I] 63 μm, and [C II] 158 μm intensities are not straightforward, we urge the reader to be cautious when constraining the physical conditions of PDRs with combinations of 12CO, 13CO, [C I], [O I] 63 μm, and [C II] 158 μm observations.

High-J CO emission spatial distribution and excitation in the Orion Bar

Context. With Herschel, we can for the first time observe a wealth of high-J CO lines in the interstellar medium with a high angular resolution. These lines are specifically useful for tracing the warm and dense gas and are therefore very appropriate for a study of strongly irradiated dense photodissocation regions (PDRs). Aims. We characterize the morphology of CO J = 19–18 emission and study the high-J CO excitation in a highly UV-irradiated prototypical PDR, the Orion Bar. Methods. We used fully sampled maps of CO J = 19–18 emission with the Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) on board the Herschel Space Observatory over an area of ~110′′ × 110′′ with an angular resolution of 9′′. We studied the morphology of this high-J CO line in the Orion Bar and in the region in front and behind the Bar, and compared it with lower-J lines of CO from J = 5–4 to J = 13–12 and 13CO from J = 5–4 to J = 11–10 emission observed with the Herschel Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE). In addition, we compared the high-J CO to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission and vibrationally excited H2. We used the CO and 13CO observations and the RADEX model to derive the physical conditions in the warm molecular gas layers. Results. The CO J = 19–18 line is detected unambiguously everywhere in the observed region, in the Bar, and in front and behind of it. In the Bar, the most striking features are several knots of enhanced emission that probably result from column and/or volume density enhancements. The corresponding structures are most likely even smaller than what PACS is able to resolve. The high-J CO line mostly arises from the warm edge of the Orion Bar PDR, while the lower-J lines arise from a colder region farther inside the molecular cloud. Even if it is slightly shifted farther into the PDR, the high-J CO emission peaks are very close to the H/H2 dissociation front, as traced by the peaks of H2 vibrational emission. Our results also suggest that the high-J CO emitting gas is mainly excited by photoelectric heating. The CO J = 19–18/J = 12–11 line intensity ratio peaks in front of the CO J = 19–18 emission between the dissociation and ionization fronts, where the PAH emission also peak. A warm or hot molecular gas could thus be present in the atomic region where the intense UV radiation is mostly unshielded. In agreement with recent ALMA detections, low column densities of hot molecular gas seem to exist between the ionization and dissociation fronts. As found in other studies, the best fit with RADEX modeling for beam-averaged physical conditions is for a density of 106 cm−3 and a high thermal pressure (P∕k = nH × T) of ~1–2 × 108 K cm−3. Conclusions. The high-J CO emission is concentrated close to the dissociation front in the Orion Bar. Hot CO may also lie in the atomic PDR between the ionization and dissociation fronts, which is consistent with the dynamical and photoevaporation effects.

The dense cores and filamentary structure of the molecular cloud in Corona Australis: Herschel SPIRE and PACS observations from the Herschel Gould Belt Survey

We present a catalogue of prestellar and starless cores within the Corona Australis molecular cloud using photometric data from the Herschel Space Observatory. At a distance of d ~ 130 pc, Corona Australis is one of the closest star-forming regions. Herschel has taken multi-wavelength data of Corona Australis with both the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) and the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) photometric cameras in a parallel mode with wavelengths in the range 70–500 μm. A complete sample of starless and prestellar cores and embedded protostars is identified. Other results from the Herschel Gould Belt Survey have shown spatial correlation between the distribution of dense cores and the filamentary structure within the molecular clouds. We go further and show correlations between the properties of these cores and their spatial distribution within the clouds, with a particular focus on the mass distribution of the dense cores with respect to their filamentary proximity. We find that only lower-mass starless cores form away from filaments, while all of the higher-mass prestellar cores form in close proximity to or directly on the filamentary structure. This result supports the paradigm that prestellar cores mostly form on filaments. We analyse the mass distribution across the molecular cloud, finding evidence that the region around the Coronet appears to be at a more dynamically advanced evolutionary stage in comparison to the rest of the clumps within the cloud.

Far-infrared observations of a massive cluster forming in the Monoceros R2 filament hub⋆.

We present far-infrared observations of Monoceros R2 (a giant molecular cloud at approximately 830 pc distance, containing several sites of active star formation), as observed at 70 μm, 160 μm, 250 μm, 350 μm, and 500 μm by the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) instruments on the Herschel Space Observatory as part of the Herschel imaging survey of OB young stellar objects (HOBYS) Key programme. The Herschel data are complemented by SCUBA-2 data in the submillimetre range, and WISE and Spitzer data in the mid-infrared. In addition, C18O data from the IRAM 30-m Telescope are presented, and used for kinematic information. Sources were extracted from the maps with getsources, and from the fluxes measured, spectral energy distributions were constructed, allowing measurements of source mass and dust temperature. Of 177 Herschel sources robustly detected in the region (a detection with high signal-to-noise and low axis ratio at multiple wavelengths), including protostars and starless cores, 29 are found in a filamentary hub at the centre of the region (a little over 1% of the observed area). These objects are on average smaller, more massive, and more luminous than those in the surrounding regions (which together suggest that they are at a later stage of evolution), a result that cannot be explained entirely by selection effects. These results suggest a picture in which the hub may have begun star formation at a point significantly earlier than the outer regions, possibly forming as a result of feedback from earlier star formation. Furthermore, the hub may be sustaining its star formation by accreting material from the surrounding filaments.

Multi-transition study of the peculiar merger Arp 299

We present a multi-transition study to investigate the physical properties of dust and molecular gas in the archetypical merger Arp 299 by using data including James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) 850 and 450 μm observations, Herschel 500, 350, 250, 160 and 70 μm continuum maps, as well as the CO(3–2), CO(4–3) low-J CO lines and CO(11–10), CO(13–12), CO(14–13) high-J CO lines. The CO(3–2) and CO(4–3) lines are observed by JCMT, and the CO(11–10), CO(13–12), CO(14–13) lines are available on the Herschel Science Archive. The resolution of the Herschel Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) CO(11–10) data is similar to that of the JCMT CO(3–2) line, while the resolution of the SPIRE/FTS CO(13–12) and Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) CO(14–13) data is similar to that of JCMT CO(4–3), allowing us to obtain accurate line ratios of , and . By modeling the spectral energy distribution of the continuum data, we conclude that two components (cold and warm) exist in the dust, with the warm component occupying a small percent of the total dust mass. We further use a radiative transfer analysis code, RADEX, to calculate the density, temperature and column density of warm gas in the central region, which shows that the kinetic temperature is in the range 110 to 150 K and hydrogen density is in the range . We show that the hot dust is located in the central region of IC 694 with a radius of ∼ 4″ and estimate that the warm gas mass is in the range to , which contains 5.0%–15.0% of the total H2 mass for the region of IC 694. We also calculate the star formation rate of the galaxy in particular, which is much higher than that of the Milky Way.

PHYSICS REVEALED BY BROAD-RANGE CO LADDERS AND FINE-STRUCTURE LINES IN M83

Since the launch of the Herschel Space Observatory, our understanding about the photo-dissociation regions (PDR) has taken a step forward. In the bandwidth of the Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) of the Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE) on board Herschel, ten CO rotational transitions, including J = 4 - 3 to J = 13 - 12, and three fine structure lines, including [<TEX>$C{\small{I}}$</TEX>] 609, [<TEX>$C{\small{I}}$</TEX>] 370, and [<TEX>$N{\small{II}}$</TEX>] <TEX>$205{\mu}m$</TEX>, are covered. I present our findings from the FTS observations at the nuclear region of M83, based on the spatially resolved physical parameters derived from the CO spectral line energy distribution (SLED) map and the comparisons with the dust properties and star-formation tracers. This article discusses (1) the potential of using [<TEX>$N{\small{II}$</TEX>] 205 and [<TEX>$C{\small{I}}$</TEX>] <TEX>$370{\mu}m$</TEX> as star-formation tracers; (2) the excitation mechanisms of warm CO in the nuclear region of M83.

The Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey: Herschel Image Atlas and Aperture Photometry*

Abstract Far-infrared images and photometry are presented for 201 Luminous and Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies [LIRGs: log , ULIRGs: log ], in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS), based on observations with the Herschel Space Observatory Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) instruments. The image atlas displays each GOALS target in the three PACS bands (70, 100, and 160 μm) and the three SPIRE bands (250, 350, and 500 μm), optimized to reveal structures at both high and low surface brightness levels, with images scaled to simplify comparison of structures in the same physical areas of ∼100 × 100 kpc2. Flux densities of companion galaxies in merging systems are provided where possible, depending on their angular separation and the spatial resolution in each passband, along with integrated system fluxes (sum of components). This data set constitutes the imaging and photometric component of the GOALS Herschel OT1 observing program, and is complementary to atlases presented for the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Chandra X-ray Observatory. Collectively, these data will enable a wide range of detailed studies of active galactic nucleus and starburst activity within the most luminous infrared galaxies in the local universe.