An Isolated, Well-defined Infrared Cirrus Cloud
Abstract
High spatial resolution H I measurements of a high-latitude FIR cirrus cloud (l = 9 deg, b = 51 deg) were obtained with the Arecibo 310 m telescope. The cloud is well isolated spatially and has a velocity well-separated from other H I clouds, providing an ideal laboratory for studying diffuse interstellar clouds. The Iv(100)/N(H) and Iv(60)/Iv(100) ratios are consistent with the Draine and Anderson model which includes a distribution of grain sizes down to 3 A. The small grains undergo transient heating and affect the 60 micron FIR continuum emission. Current models, however, underpredict Iv(12)/Iv(100) and Iv(25)/Iv(100) by more than a factor of 2. The effects small grains have on the thermal equilibrium of diffuse interstellar clouds are discussed.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- March 1990
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 1990ApJ...352..149H
- Keywords:
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- Infrared Cirrus (Astronomy);
- Interstellar Matter;
- Milky Way Galaxy;
- Absorption Spectra;
- H Lines;
- Infrared Astronomy Satellite;
- Interstellar Gas;
- Spatial Resolution;
- Astrophysics;
- HIGH-LATITUDE OBJECTS;
- INTERSTELLAR: GRAINS;
- INTERSTELLAR: MATTER;
- NEBULAE: GENERAL;
- NEBULAE: INTERNAL MOTIONS