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arXiv · 1108.0941

Filaments and ridges in Vela C revealed by Herschel: from low-mass to high-mass star-forming sites

Tracey Hill·Frederique Motte·Pierre Didelon·Sylvain Bontemps·Vincent Minier·Martin Hennemann·Nicola Schneider·Philippe Andre·Alexander Men'shchikov·Loren D. Anderson·Doris Arzoumanian·Jean-Philippe Bernard·James di Francesco·Davide Elia·Teresa Giannini·Matt J. Griffin·Jason Kirk·Vera Konyves·Anthony P. Marston·Peter Martin·Sergio Molinari·Quang Nguyen Luong·Nicolas Peretto·Stefano Pezzuto·Helene Roussel·Marc Sauvage·Thierry Sousbie·Leonardo Testi·Derek Ward-Thompson·Glenn J. White·Christine D. Wilson·Annie Zavagno
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Abstract

We present the first Herschel PACS and SPIRE results of the Vela C molecular complex in the far-infrared and submillimetre regimes at 70, 160, 250, 350, and 500 um, spanning the peak of emission of cold prestellar or protostellar cores. Column density and multi-resolution analysis (MRA) differentiates the Vela C complex into five distinct sub-regions. Each sub-region displays differences in their column density and temperature probability distribution functions (PDFs), in particular, the PDFs of the `Centre-Ridge' and `South-Nest' sub-regions appear in stark contrast to each other. The Centre-Ridge displays a bimodal temperature PDF representative of hot gas surrounding the HII region RCW 36 and the cold neighbouring filaments, whilst the South-Nest is dominated by cold filamentary structure. The column density PDF of the Centre-Ridge is flatter than the South-Nest, with a high column density tail, consistent with formation through large-scale flows, and regulation by self-gravity. At small to intermediate scales MRA indicates the Centre-Ridge to be twice as concentrated as the South-Nest, whilst on larger scales, a greater portion of the gas in the South-Nest is dominated by turbulence than in the Centre-Ridge. In Vela C, high-mass stars appear to be preferentially forming in ridges, i.e., dominant high column density filaments.

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Tracey Hill, Frederique Motte, Pierre Didelon, Sylvain Bontemps, Vincent Minier, Martin Hennemann, Nicola Schneider, Philippe Andre, Alexander Men'shchikov, Loren D. Anderson, Doris Arzoumanian, Jean-Philippe Bernard, James di Francesco, Davide Elia, Teresa Giannini, Matt J. Griffin, Jason Kirk, Vera Konyves, Anthony P. Marston, Peter Martin, Sergio Molinari, Quang Nguyen Luong, Nicolas Peretto, Stefano Pezzuto, Helene Roussel, Marc Sauvage, Thierry Sousbie, Leonardo Testi, Derek Ward-Thompson, Glenn J. White, Christine D. Wilson, Annie Zavagno. 2011-08-03. Filaments and ridges in Vela C revealed by Herschel: from low-mass to high-mass star-forming sites. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201117315

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