The neutral interface adjoining theHII region DR21

Observations of C100 and C125 atomic carbon recombination lines were made at the Algonquin Radio Observatory, towards the neutral interface separating theHii region DR21 (at RA=20^h37^m14^s, Dec=+42°0900) from its associated molecular cloud. An analysis of the Cn observations in conjunction with a simple model of a neutral interface enabled the derivation of the following parameters: electron density of 300 cm^–3, electron temperature of 30 K, microturbulent velocity of 2.3 km s^–1, and depth of the neutral interface of 0.01 pc. A single,stimulated emission model is sufficient to reproduce the Cn observations in the wavelength range from 4.6 cm (C100) to 21 cm (C166). All the known Cn data do support a pressure equilibrium between the neutral interface and theHii region, after the usual allowance is made for carbon depletion on grains.