Bow Shocks Around Runaway Stars.III.The High Resolution Maps
Abstract
In a recent survey for bow shock structures around OB runaway stars using the ISSA/IRAS archival data and excess maps at 60 \mum, 58 candidates were found. These objects are surrounded by extended infrared emission at 60 \mum, characteristic of warm dust heated by ultraviolet photons, a signature of wind bow shocks. High resolution IRAS (HiRes) images have been produced for these 58 objects and some of those spatially resolved are presented in this study. The images were used to distinguish between multiple confused IR sources, possible artifacts and unambiguous bow shocks, as the sources of the extended 60 \mum emission. Six new bow shocks have been identified using this method, and three have been rejected. Twenty two of the targets, however, remain spatially unresolved even at the nominal HiRes resolution of ~ 1arcmin . For the larger and better defined bow shocks some internal substructure is discernible. The length of these features suggest that they arise as the result of a subtle dynamical instability. It can not be ruled out, however, that some of the bow shock morphology could be imprinted by the surrounding medium.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- February 1997
- DOI:
- 10.1086/118298
- Bibcode:
- 1997AJ....113..780N