arXiv subjects

Mark H. Heyer

Publications and source records attributed to Mark H. Heyer.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

TIMES II: Investigating the Relation Between Turbulence and Star-forming Environments in Molecular Clouds

We investigate the effect of star formation on turbulence in the Orion A and Ophiuchus clouds using principal component analysis (PCA). We measure the properties of turbulence by applying PCA on the spectral maps in $^{13}$CO, C$^{18}$O, HCO$^+$ $J=$1$-$0, and CS $J=$2$-$1. First, the scaling relations derived from PCA of the $^{13}$CO maps show that the velocity difference ($δv$) for a given spatial scale ($L$) is the highest in the integral shaped filament (ISF) and L1688, where the most active star formation occurs in the two clouds. The $δv$ increases with the number density and total bolometric luminosity of the protostars in the sub-regions. Second, in the ISF and L1688 regions, the $δv$ of C$^{18}$O, HCO$^+$, and CS are generally higher than that of $^{13}$CO, which implies that the dense gas is more turbulent than the diffuse gas in the star-forming regions; stars form in dense gas, and dynamical activities associated with star formation, such as jets and outflows, can provide energy into the surrounding gas to enhance turbulent motions.

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arXiv2021

TIMES I: a Systematic Observation in Multiple Molecular Lines Toward the Orion A and Ophiuchus Clouds

We have used the Taeduk Radio Astronomy Observatory to observe the Orion A and Ophiuchus clouds in the $J=$1$-$0 lines of $^{13}$CO, C$^{18}$O, HCN, HCO$^+$, and N$_2$H$^+$ and the $J=$2$-$1 line of CS. The fully sampled maps with uniform noise levels are used to create moment maps. The variations of the line intensity and velocity dispersion with total column density, derived from dust emission maps, are presented and compared to previous work. The CS line traces dust column density over more than one order of magnitude, and the N$_2$H$^+$ line best traces the highest column density regime ($\log(N_\mathrm{H_2}$) $>$ 22.8). Line luminosities, integrated over the cloud, are compared to those seen in other galaxies. The HCO$^+$-to-HCN luminosity ratio in the Orion A cloud is similar to that of starburst galaxies, while that in the Ophiuchus cloud is in between those of active galactic nuclei and starburst galaxies.

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arXiv2021

AzTEC Survey of the Central Molecular Zone: Data Reduction, Analysis, and Preliminary Results

We present a large-scale survey of the central molecular zone (CMZ) of our Galaxy, as well as a monitoring program of Sgr A*, with the AzTEC/Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT) in the 1.1 mm continuum. Our 1.1 mm map covers the main body of the CMZ over a field of $1.6 \times 1.1$ deg$^2$ with an angular resolution of $10.5''$ and a depth of 15 mJy/beam. To account for the intensity loss due to the background removal process, we combine this map with lower resolution CSO/Bolocam and \textit{Planck}/HFI data to produce an effective full intensity 1.1 mm continuum map. With this map and existing \textit{Herschel} surveys, we have carried out a comprehensive analysis of the spectral energy distribution (SED) of dust in the CMZ. A key component of this analysis is the implementation of a model-based deconvolution approach, incorporating the Point Spread Functions (PSFs) of the different instruments, and hence recovering a significant amount of spatial information on angular scales larger than $10.5''$. The monitoring of Sgr A* was carried out as part of a worldwide, multi-wavelength campaign when the so-called G2 object was undergoing the pericenter passage around the massive black hole (MBH). Our preliminary results include 1) high-resolution maps of column density, temperature and dust spectral index across the CMZ; 2) a 1.1~mm light curve of Sgr A* showing an outburst of $140\%$ maximum amplitude on 9th May, 2014 but otherwise only stochastic variations of $10\%$ and no systematic long-term change, consistent with other observations.

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arXiv2013

The Dense Gas Mass Fraction of Molecular Clouds in the Milky Way

The mass fraction of dense gas within giant molecular clouds (GMCs) of the Milky Way is investigated using 13CO data from the FCRAO Galactic Plane Surveys and the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS) of 1.1 mm dust continuum emission. A sample of 860 compact dust sources are selected from the BGPS catalog and kinematically linked to 344 clouds of extended (>3') 13CO J=1-0 emission. Gas masses are tabulated for the full dust source and subregions within the dust sources with mass surface densities greater than 200 M_solar/pc^2, which are assumed to be regions of enhanced volume density. Masses of the parent GMCs are calculated assuming optically thin 13CO J=1-0 emission and LTE conditions. The mean fractional mass of dust sources to host GMC mass is 0.11 (-0.06, +0.12). The high column density subregions comprise 0.07 (-0.05, +0.13) of the mass of the cloud. Owing to our assumptions, these values are upper limits to the true mass fractions. The fractional mass of dense gas is independent of GMC mass and gas surface density. The low dense gas mass fraction suggests that the formation of dense structures within GMCs is the primary bottleneck for star formation. The distribution of velocity differences between the dense gas and the low density material along the line of sight is also examined. We find a strong, centrally peaked distribution centered on zero velocity displacement. This distribution of velocity differences is modeled with radially converging flows towards the dense gas position that are randomly oriented with respect to the observed line of sight. These models constrain the infall velocities to be 2-4 km/s for various flow configurations.

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arXiv2012

Identification of Ambient Molecular Clouds Associated with Galactic Supernova Remnant IC443

The Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) IC443 is one of the most studied core-collapse SNRs for its interaction with molecular clouds. However, the ambient molecular clouds with which IC443 is interacting have not been thoroughly studied and remain poorly understood. Using Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory 14m telescope, we obtained fully sampled maps of ~ 1° \times 1° region toward IC443 in the 12CO J=1-0 and HCO+ J=1-0 lines. In addition to the previously known molecular clouds in the velocity range v_lsr = -6 to -1 km/s (-3 km/s clouds), our observations reveal two new ambient molecular cloud components: small (~ 1') bright clouds in v_lsr = -8 to -3 km/s (SCs), and diffuse clouds in v_lsr = +3 to +10 km/s (+5 km/s clouds). Our data also reveal the detailed kinematics of the shocked molecular gas in IC443, however the focus of this paper is the physical relationship between the shocked clumps and the ambient cloud components. We find strong evidence that the SCs are associated with the shocked clumps. This is supported by the positional coincidence of the SCs with shocked clumps and other tracers of shocks. Furthermore, the kinematic features of some shocked clumps suggest that these are the ablated material from the SCs upon the impact of the SNR shock. The SCs are interpreted as dense cores of parental molecular clouds that survived the destruction by the pre-supernova evolution of the progenitor star or its nearby stars. We propose that the expanding SNR shock is now impacting some of the remaining cores and the gas is being ablated and accelerated producing the shocked molecular gas. The morphology of the +5 km/s clouds suggests an association with IC443. On the other hand, the -3 km/s clouds show no evidence for interaction.

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arXiv2011

Trans-Alfvenic Motions in the Taurus Molecular Cloud

Magnetically aligned velocity anisotropy over varying physical conditions and environments within the Taurus Molecular Cloud is evaluated from analysis of wide field spectroscopic imaging of 12CO and 13CO J=1-0 emission. Such anisotropy is a result of MHD turbulence in the strong magnetic field regime and provides an indirect measure of the role of magnetic fields upon the gas. Velocity anisotropy aligned with the local, projected mean magnetic field direction is limited to fields with low surface brightness 12CO emission corresponding to regions of low visual extinction and presumably, low gas volume density. The more optically thin 13CO J=1-0 emission shows little evidence for velocity anisotropy. We compare our results with computational simulations with varying degrees of magnetic field strength and Alfvenic Mach numbers. In the diffuse, molecular envelope of the cloud, a strong magnetic field and sub-Alfvenic turbulent motions are inferred. Super-Alfvenic motions are present within the high column density filaments of the Taurus cloud. From this trans-Alfvenic flow, we constrain the scaling exponent, kappa, of the magnetic field density relation (B ~ n^kappa) to be near zero as expected for ambipolar diffusion or material loading of magnetic flux tubes.

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arXiv2008

Spectra of Nearby Galaxies Measured with a New Very Broadband Receiver

Three-millimeter-wavelength spectra of a number of nearby galaxies have been obtained at the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory (FCRAO) using a new, very broadband receiver. This instrument, which we call the Redshift Search Receiver, has an instantaneous bandwidth of 36 GHz and operates from 74 to 110.5 GHz. The receiver has been built at UMass/FCRAO to be part of the initial instrumentation for the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT) and is intended primarily for determination of the redshift of distant, dust-obscured galaxies. It is being tested on the FCRAO 14m by measuring the 3mm spectra of a number of nearby galaxies. There are interesting differences in the chemistry of these galaxies.

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arXiv2008

The Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory CO Mapping Survey of the Taurus Molecular Cloud

The FCRAO Survey of the Taurus Molecular Cloud observed the 12CO and 13CO J=1-0 emission from 98 square degrees of this important, nearby star forming region. This set of data with 45" resolution comprises the highest spatial dynamic range image of an individual molecular cloud constructed to date, and provides valuable insights to the molecular gas distribution, kinematics, and the star formation process. In this contribution, we describe the observations, calibration, data processing, and characteristics of the noise and line emission of the survey. The angular distribution of 12CO and 13CO emission over 1 km/s velocity intervals and the full velocity extent of the cloud are presented. These reveal a complex, dynamic medium of cold, molecular gas.

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arXiv2006

The COMPLETE Survey of Star-Forming Regions: Phase I Data

We present an overview of data available for the Ophiuchus and Perseus molecular clouds from ``Phase I'' of the COMPLETE Survey of Star-Forming Regions. This survey provides a range of data complementary to the Spitzer Legacy Program ``From Molecular Cores to Planet Forming Disks.'' Phase I includes: Extinction maps derived from 2MASS near-infrared data using the NICER algorithm; extinction and temperature maps derived from IRAS 60 and 100um emission; HI maps of atomic gas; 12CO and 13CO maps of molecular gas; and submillimetre continuum images of emission from dust in dense cores. Not unexpectedly, the morphology of the regions appears quite different depending on the column-density tracer which is used, with IRAS tracing mainly warmer dust and CO being biased by chemical, excitation and optical depth effects. Histograms of column-density distribution are presented, showing that extinction as derived from 2MASS/NICER gives the closest match to a log-normal distribution as is predicted by numerical simulations. All the data presented in this paper, and links to more detailed publications on their implications are publically available at the COMPLETE website.

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arXiv2003

High resolution imaging of CO outflows in OMC-2 and OMC-3

A large scale, high resolution map of CO(1-0) emission toward the OMC-2 and OMC-3 star forming regions is presented. The map is a mosaic of 46 fields using the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Array (BIMA) and covers $\sim 10'\times 15'$ at $\sim 10" $ resolution. These data are combined with singledish FCRAO observations and analyzed to identify and determine the properties of nine protostellar outflows. The BIMA data alone almost completely resolve out the cloud emission at central velocities and only recover 1/20 of the flux in the high velocity gas showing that outflows are generally broadly dispersed over $\sim 1'$ angular scales. All nine identified outflows emanate from known Class 0 or borderline Class 0/I sources, are associated with knots of shocked \h2\ emission, and have short dynamical times. It is suggested that only the youngest, most spatially compact, and energetic outflows have been found and that more distributed high velocity gas undetected by BIMA is due to older outflows continuing through the Class I phase of protostellar evolution. The mechanical energy injection rate into the cloud is estimated to be $\sim 1.5 L_\odot$ which is comparable to the turbulent energy dissipation rate. Outf`lows appear capable, therefore, of sustaining cloud turbulence but a high starformation rate is required implying a short cloud lifetime $\leq 5$ `Myr.

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arXiv2001

Interstellar Turbulence: II. Energy Spectra of Molecular Regions in the Outer Galaxy

The multivariate tool of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is applied to 23 fields in the FCRAO CO Survey of the Outer Galaxy. PCA enables the identification of line profile differences which are assumed to be generated from fluctuations within a turbulent velocity field. The variation of these velocity differences with spatial scale within a molecular region is described by a singular power law, delta v= c L^alpha which can be used as a powerful diagnostic to turbulent motions. For the ensemble of 23 fields, we find a mean value alpha = 0.62 +- 0.11. From a recent calibration of this method using fractal Brownian motion simulations (Brunt & Heyer 2001), the measured velocity difference-size relationship corresponds to an energy spectrum, E(k), which varies as k^-beta, where beta = 2.17 +- 0.31. We compare our results to both decaying and forced hydrodynamic simulations of turbulence. We conclude that energy must be continually injected into the regions to replenish that lost by dissipative processes such as shocks. The absence of large, widely distributed shocks within the targeted fields suggests that the energy is injected at spatial scales less than several pc.

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arXiv2001

A Mapping Survey of the 12CO and 13CO Emission in Galaxies

We present spectra of the extended 12CO and 13CO J=1-0 emission along the major axes of 17 nearby galaxies. Spatial variations in the ratio of CO and 13CO integrated intensities, R, are found in nearly every galaxy observed. There is an overall variation in R of 20-40% from the inner 2 kpc to the disk. Roughly a third of the survey galaxies have such gradients in R detected above the 2-sigma confidence level. Though some galaxies show a lower central value of R, on average R inside 2 kpc is 10-30% higher than R outside of 2 kpc. An increase in the CO/13CO intensity ratio from disk to nucleus may imply that the conversion factor between CO intensity and H2 column density, X, is lower in galactic nuclei. Also variations in physical conditions, most notably the gas kinetic temperature, affect both R and X. Abundance variations probably do not cause the gradient in R, though we do not rule out a decrease in effective cloud column densities in galactic nuclei possibly caused by destructive starburst superwinds. A modest rise in temperature (less than a factor of 2 or 3) from outside a 2 kpc radius towards the nucleus can easily account for the observed gradient. These results support previous work implying that X is lower in the center of the Milky Way and probably most galactic nuclei. Therefore calculating H2 masses using the standard Galactic X-factor, especially within the central few kpc of galaxies, overestimates the true mass by factors of a few. The standard X-factor still appears to be appropriate for galactic disks.

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arXiv2000

Embedded Stellar Clusters in the W3/W4/W5 Molecular Cloud Complex

We analyze the embedded stellar content in the vicinity of the W3/W4/W5 HII regions using the FCRAO Outer Galaxy 12CO(J=1-0) Survey, the IRAS Point Source Catalog, published radio continuum surveys, and new near-infrared and molecular line observations. Thirty-four IRAS Point Sources are identified that have far-infrared colors characteristic of embedded star forming regions, and we have obtained K' mosaics and 13CO(J=1-0) maps for 32 of them. Ten of the IRAS sources are associated with an OB star and 19 with a stellar cluster, although three OB stars are not identified with a cluster. Half of the embedded stellar population identified in the K' images is found in just the 5 richest clusters, and 61% is contained in IRAS sources associated with an embedded OB star. Thus rich clusters around OB stars contribute substantially to the stellar population currently forming in the W3/W4/W5 region. Approximately 39% of the cluster population is embedded in small clouds with an average mass of ~130 Mo that are located as far as 100 pc from the W3/W4/W5 cloud complex. We speculate that these small clouds are fragments of a cloud complex dispersed by previous episodes of massive star formation. Finally, we find that 4 of the 5 known embedded massive star forming sites in the W3 molecular cloud are found along the interface with the W4 HII region despite the fact that most of the molecular mass is contained in the interior regions of the cloud. These observations are consistent with the classical notion that the W4 HII region has triggered massive star formation along the eastern edge of the W3 molecular cloud.

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