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arXiv · 1711.03153

Pillars of creation amongst destruction: Star formation in molecular clouds near R136 in 30 Doradus

Venu M. Kalari·Monica Rubio·Bruce G. Elmegreen·Viviana V. Guzmán·Cinthya N. Herrera·Hans Zinnecker
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Abstract

New sensitive CO(2-1) observations of the 30 Doradus region in the Large Magellanic Cloud are presented. We identify a chain of three newly discovered molecular clouds we name KN1, KN2 and KN3 lying within 2--14 pc in projection from the young massive cluster R136 in 30 Doradus. Excited H$_2$ 2.12$\mu$m emission is spatially coincident with the molecular clouds, but ionized Br$\gamma$ emission is not. We interpret these observations as the tails of pillar-like structures whose ionized heads are pointing towards R136. Based on infrared photometry, we identify a new generation of stars forming within this structure.

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Venu M. Kalari, Monica Rubio, Bruce G. Elmegreen, Viviana V. Guzmán, Cinthya N. Herrera, Hans Zinnecker. 2017-11-08. Pillars of creation amongst destruction: Star formation in molecular clouds near R136 in 30 Doradus. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357%2Faa99dc

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