Physics and Chemistry of Radiation Driven Cloud Evolution. [C II] Kinematics of IC 59 and IC 63

Abstract

We used high-resolution [C II] 158 $μ$m mapping of two nebulae IC 59 and IC 63 from SOFIA/upGREAT in conjunction with ancillary data on the gas, dust, and polarization to probe the kinematics, structure, and magnetic properties of their photo-dissociation regions (PDRs). The nebulae are part of the Sh 2-185 H II region illuminated by the B0 IVe star $γ$ Cas. The velocity structure of each PDR changes with distance from $γ$ Cas, consistent with driving by the radiation. Based on previous FUV flux measurements of, and the known distance to $γ$ Cas along with the predictions of 3D distances to the clouds, we estimated the FUV radiation field strength (G0) at the clouds. Assuming negligible extinction between the star and clouds, we find their 3D distances from $γ$ Cas. For IC 63, our results are consistent with earlier estimates of distance from Andersson et al. (2013), locating the cloud at 2 pc from $γ$ Cas, at an angle of 58 to the plane of the sky, behind the star. For IC 59, we derive a distance of 4.5 pc at an angle of 70 in front of the star. We do not detect any significant correlation between the orientation of the magnetic field (Soam et al. 2017) and the velocity gradients of [C II] gas, indicating a moderate magnetic field strength. The kinetic energy in IC 63 is estimated to be order of ten higher than the magnetic energies. This suggests that kinetic pressure in this nebula is dominant.