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Stacey, G. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Stacey, G. J..

At least 55 records · Page 3
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NASA NTRS1990

The 158 micrometer (CII) line: A measure of global star formation activity in galaxies

Some 158 micron (CII) fine structure line observations from a sample of fourteen gas rich galaxies are reported. These measurements confirm and generalize previous basic results that the (CII) line is bright amounting to approximately 0.1 to 1 percent of the Far Infra Red (FIR) luminosity of the nuclear regions of galaxies; the (CII) line is formed in the warm (temperature of the gas is greater than 200 K), dense (n sub H greater than 1000/cu cm) photodissociated gas at the interfaces between giant molecular clouds and ionized gas regions and is therefore associated with the molecular gas component in spiral galaxies; the (CII) line tracks the FIR continuum in a manner consistent with the PDR models; the integrated (CII) to isotope (12)CO (transition 1 to 0) line ratio is large (greater than or equal to 1000) in all galaxies studied, and is similarly large for galactic molecular clouds; the (CII) line is therefore energetically very important for the study of giant molecular clouds. Conclusions obtained from these results are given.

Stacey, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Far-infrared, submillimeter, and millimeter spectroscopy of the Galactic center - Radio ARC and +20/+50 kilometer per second clouds

Results are presented from FIR, sub-mm, and mm spectroscopic observations of the radio arc and the +20/+50 km/s molecular clouds in the Galactic center. The results for the radio arc are analyzed, including the spatial distribution of C II forbidden line emission, the spatial distribution of CO emission, the luminosity and mass of C(+) regions, and the CO 7 - 6 emission and line profiles. Model calculations are used to study molecular gas in the radio arc. In addition, forbidden C II, CO 7 - 6, and C(O-18) mapping is presented for the +20/+50 km/x clouds. Consideration is given to the impact of the results on the interpretation of the physical conditions, excitation, and heating of the gas clouds in the arc and near the center.

Genzel, R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Warm dense gas in the reflection nebula NGC 2023

A photodissociation region (PDR) with a known UV excitation source was studied by examining emission from atomic and molecular material. In agreement with models of externally excited PDRs, the photodissociation region southwest of HD 37903 contains both atomic and excited molecular material and arises close to the exciting star than does the bulk of the molecular cloud. The C(+) emission arises closest to the star but is 1.5 x 10 to the 17th cm or less from the peaks in the excited CO and fluorescent H2 emission regions. The (C-18)O J = 2 - 1 line, which traces molecular column density, has its emission peak about 4 x 10 to the 17th cm beyond the C(+) peak. Even in a source with an incident UV flux as low as about 1000 times the mean interstellar radiation field, there is a significant amount of CO 7 - 6 emission arising from regions with T(gas) greater than 85 K which is substantially greater than T(dust).

Jaffe, D. T.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Further observations of rotationally excited far-infrared O-16H and O-18H emission in Orion-KL - Tighter constraints on the nature of the emitting region

Observations within 1 arcmin of Orion-KL have led to the detection of the O-16H rotational cross-ladder transition at 53.351 microns and the O-18H rotational ground-state transition at 120.1719 microns, both of which exhibit a P-Cygni profile and demonstrate that the OH gas is expanding out from the central BN/KL IR cluster. The best overall fit to these data requires emission from the three main components of the gas: (1) postshocked gas, (2) the cool postshocked region, and (3) the plateau region. All three components require a significant radiative background in order to fit the data.

Melnick, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Stressed detector arrays for airborne astronomy

The development of stressed Ge:Ga detector arrays for far-infrared astronomy from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO) is discussed. Researchers successfully constructed and used a three channel detector array on five flights from the KAO, and have conducted laboratory tests of a two-dimensional, 25 elements (5x5) detector array. Each element of the three element array performs as well as the researchers' best single channel detector, as do the tested elements of the 25 channel system. Some of the exciting new science possible with far-infrared detector arrays is also discussed.

Stacey, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Far-infrared spectroscopy of galaxies

Far infrared (FIR) spectral line emission from galaxies is discussed with respect to past, present and near future observations. A review of the importance of the FIR lines as probes of the interstellar medium is presented. The various fine structure emission lines detected from the archetypal starburst galaxy M82, and the (C II) line radiation which is now observed toward a large variety of external galaxies are discussed. The improvements allowed by the advent of the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) and the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) are underlined.

Stacey, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Far infrared, submm and mm spectroscopy of the galactic center: Radio arc and +20/+50 km s (exp -1) clouds

The observations of the par improved spectroscopy and the molecular clouds at the galactic center are reported. The results show: the spatial distributions of C(II) 158 microns and molecular line radiation and of the thermal radio continuum emission in the arched filaments of the radio arc are similar; about 2 x 10(exp 4) of the solar mass, or 10 percent of the total gas mass in the radio arc, are contained in C(+) regions; the H(+)/C(+) regions are probably located at the surfaces of the dense molecular clouds in the arc. Profiles, fluxes and spatial distributions of the C(II) fine structure and CO rotational lines are reported. It is demonstrated that the data does not fit models in which the neutral interstellar clouds in the arc are ionized by shocks or by magnetohydrodynamic phenomena. Moreover, that the high temperatures and densities derived previously from NH3 and CS observations may not be characteristic of the bulk of the molecular gas.

Genzel, R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Further observations of rotationally excited far infrared OH16 and OH18 emission in Orion-KL: Tighter constraints on the nature of the emitting region

The Orion-KL region, within 1 arc minute, is observed. The rotational cross ladder (53.351 microns) and rotational ground state (120.1719 microns) transitions are studied. It is shown that these lines exhibit a P-Cygni profile and unambiguously show that the OH gas is expanding out from the central BN-KL infrared cluster. The OH-16 rotational ground state transition (119.234 microns) is velocity resolved and it is found that its intrinsic full width at half maximum is 75 km/s. The line fluxes and line profiles are modeled and it is shown that no single temperature and density component can reproduce the data. Rather, the best fit to the data requires emission from three main components of the gas: post shocked gas with the profiles of temperature, density, and OH abundance; a high density component to the cool post shocked region; and the plateau region.

Melnick, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Shocked carbon monoxide in G333.6-0.2

Rotationally excited carbon monoxide has been detected in the Galactic H II region/molecular cloud complex G333.6-0.2 in the 163-micron J = 16 to 15 and 186-micron J = 14 to 13 transitions. These detections, together with an upper limit to the J = 21 to 20 transition at 124 microns indicate that the excited CO emission comes from gas of kinetic temperature 200 to 800 K and pressure of about 5 x 10 to the 7th/cu cm. A high-resolution spectrum of the J = 14 to 13 transition shows CO emission over more than 80 km/s, possibly with a double peaked profile centered near the systemic velocity of G333.6-0.2. The far-infrared CO emission probably comes from shocked gas in the mass outflow from newly formed, massive stars. The detection of the J = 14 to 13 transition is the first to be made of this line in any source, and is the longest wavelength line yet detected in interstellar space by nonheterodyne techniques.

Storey, J. W. V.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Observations of the rotational transitions of OH from the Orion molecular cloud

A summary of observed rotationally excited, far infrared OH line emissions from Orion-KL made using the Kuiper Airborne Observatory is given, together with a list of the resulting publications, talks, and lectures based on this data. In addition, a paper is appended, particularly addressing the (16)OH and (18)OH emission from Orion-KL. The first detections of the (16)OH (2)pi(1/2) to (2)pi(3/2) J = 3/2(-) to 3/2(+) rotational cross-ladder transition (53.351 micrometer) and the (18)OH (2)pi(3/2) J = 5/2(+) to 3/2(-) rotational ground-state transition (120.1719 micrometer). It is found that both of these lines exhibit a P-Cygni profile.

Melnick, Gary J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

C II forbidden line emission from spiral galaxies

Measurements of 158-micron forbidden emission taken from a sample of 13 gas-rich galaxies are analyzed. The new data are combined with the previous sample of six infrared-bright galaxies. The 158-micron line emission line is bright in all of the galaxies detected, amounting to between 0.1 and 0.2 percent of the total nuclear far-infrared luminosity, and is therefore one of the primary gas coolants in these regions. A close association between 158-micron line emission and CO line emission is noted, with the integrated 158-micron/CO line intensity ratio being substantially less in galaxies than in Galactic star-formation regions. However, for the starburst galaxies the integrated line intensity ratio is the same as that for star-formation regions in the Galaxy.

Stacey, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Detection of far-infrared (C-13)O line emission

Observations of the Ori KL star-formation region, obtained in the 151.4315-micron line of (C-13)O using the MkII UCB cryogenic tandem Fabry-Perot spectrometer on the NASA Kuiper Airborne Observatory in January 1988, are reported. The data are presented in tables and graphs and characterized in detail. The emission detected is found to be consistent with 10-30 solar masses of dense gas at temperature 200 K or greater, or with two or more regions (optically thin emission from a zone at 700 K or more and optically thick emission from a region of high column density identified with the hot core).

Genzel, R.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Submillimeter and far-infrared line observations of M17 SW - A clumpy molecular cloud penetrated by ultraviolet radiation

Millimeter, submillimeter, and far-IR spectroscopic observations of the M17 SW star formation region are reported. Strong forbidden C II 158 micron and CO J = 7 - 6 line emission arises in an H II region/molecular cloud interface of several pc thickness. Weaker forbidden C II emission appears to be extended over 15 pc throughout the molecular cloud. CO J = 14 - 13 and forbidden O I 145 micron spectra indicate high temperatures and densities for both molecular and atomic gas in the interface. The results require the molecular cloud near the interface to be clumpy or filamentary. The extended forbidden C II emission throughout the molecular cloud has a level around 20 times higher than expected from a single molecular cloud interface exposed to an ultraviolet radiation field typical of the solar neighborhood. The high gas temperature of molecular material in the UV-illuminated interface region suggests that CO self-shielding and heating of CO by photoelectrons are important.

Stutzki, J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Submillimeter and far infrared line observations of M17 SW: A clumpy molecular cloud penetrated by UV radiation

Millimeter, submillimeter, and far infrared spectroscopic observations of the M17 SW star formation region are discussed. The results require the molecular cloud near the interface to be clumpy or filamentary. As a consequence, far ultraviolet radiation from the central OB stellar cluster can penetrate into the dense molecular cloud to a depth of several pc, thus creating bright and extended (CII) emission from the photodissociated surfaces of dense atomic and molecular clumps or sheets. The extended (CII) emission throughout the molecular cloud SW of the M17 complex has a level 20 times higher than expected from a single molecular cloud interface exposed to an ultraviolet radiation field typical of the solar neighborhood. This suggests that the molecular cloud as a whole is penetrated by ultraviolet radiation and has a clumpy or filamentary structure. The number of B stars expected to be embedded in the M17 molecular cloud probably can provide the UV radiation necessary for the extended (CII) emission. Alternatively, the UV radiation could be external, if the interstellar radiation in the vicinity of M17 is higher than in the solar neighborhood.

Stutzki, J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Submillimeter and Far-Infrared Spectroscopy of M17 and S106: UV-Heated, Quiescent Molecular Gas?

Measurements of CO line emission toward the interface between molecular cloud and HII region in M17, and the center of the bipolar nebula S106 are discussed. The warm quiescent molecular gas is in the interface between the exciting OB stars and the surrounging molecular cloud. Comparison of the submillimeter, far-IR, and millimeter CO line intensities and profiles suggests a model in which clumps of relatively cool gas (T = 50 K) have warm surfaces or are embedded in a warm surrounding medium. Heating of the warm, quiescent molecular gas by collisions with dust grains can be excluded. Slow shocks or heating by photoelectrons are possible. The most promising mechanism is photoelectric heating. The existence of a substantial amount of warm, quiescent molecular gas in UV illuminated regions may be of importance locally in most OB star formation regions and globally in external galaxies with large rates of star formation.

Harris, A. I.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Observations of the 157.7 micron (C II) emission from the galactic H II regions W3 and W51

The 157.7 micron ground-state fine-structure transition of singly ionized carbon was detected from three positions, each in galactic H II region W3 and W51. These findings show that this emission goes beyond the H II regions and the carbon recombination region in each source. In addition these observations establish a lower limit to the luminosity in the 157.7 micron (C II) line of 360 solar luminosity from W3 and 41 solar luminosity from W51. Mechanisms for 157.7 micron-line excitation are discussed, and it is noted that a substantial part of the observed emission originates in the thin carbon recombination line-emitting region which borders on the H II regions and the warm atomic and molecular gas at the surface of neighboring molecular clouds. It is proposed that excitation by electrons present in the diffuse gas surrounding W51 contributes to the extended 157.7 micron (C II) line emission from this region. It was found that the (C II)FIR continuum ratios for W3 and W51 are in agreement with those of other galactic H II regions.

Melnick, G.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Is IRAS cirrus cloud emission largely fine-structure radiation?

The contribution of line emission to the diffuse 'cirrus' radiation components observed by IRAS at 60 and 100 microns, respectively, is evaluated. The cirrus radiation was observed straddling the galactic plane to latitudes of + or - 80 degrees. Comparison of the observed brightness from cirrus clouds with forbidden line emission of O I and O III at 63 and 88 microns showed that the flux levels observed by IRAS are of the same order as the fine-structure line emission predicted by Stacey et al. (1985). It is argued that the fine-structure line emission from neutral gas at 63 microns as well as the line emission from diffuse ionized clouds at 88 microns, are significant components in most clouds, in some clouds they are the prime source of cirrus radiation.

Harwit, M.↗