Temperature, Density, and Collision Rates in the IC63 Nebula
Abstract
The IC 63 reflection nebula provides a near-by, well characterized, laboratory for a number of astrophysical processes, including radiation driven chemistry, gas dynamics and grain alignment physics. To provide improved constraints on many of these phenomena we have acquired high-resolution maps of tracers of the gas density and temperature in the nebula. We will present initial results from mapping the (1,1) and (2,2) rotational inversion transitions in ammonia with the Green Bank Telescope, which trace the gas temperature, and observations of HCO+ (J=1-0 and J=3-2) with IRAM 30m/Plateau de Bure, which probe the gas density. Specifically, we discuss the impact of the variations in gas-grain collision rates on the dust grain alignment and the resulting polarization of background starlight that passes through the nebula.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #223
- Pub Date:
- January 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014AAS...22345437V