Herbig-Haro objects—tracers of the formation of low-mass stars and sub-stellar objects

Herbig-Haro objects (HHOs) are caused by outflows from young objects. Since the outflow relies on mass accretion from a circumstellar disk, it indicates ongoing growth. Recent results of infrared observations yielded evidence for disks around brown dwarfs. This suggests that at least a certain fraction of brown dwarfs forms like stars. Thus, young sub-stellar objects might cause HHOs as well. We present selected results of a general survey for HHOs based on DSS-II plates and CCD images taken with the Tautenburg Schmidt telescope. Numerous young objects could be identified due to their association with newly detected HHOs. In some cases the luminosity is consistent with very low-mass stars or close to sub-stellar values. This holds for L1415-IRS and a few infrared sources embedded in other dark clouds (e.g., GF9, BHR111). The question on the minimum mass for outflow activity is addressed.     

GMRT observations of interstellar clouds in the 21cm line of atomic hydrogen

Nearby interstellar clouds with high (|ν|≥10km s⁻¹) random velocities although easily detected in NaI and CaII lines have hitherto not been detected (in emission or absorption) in the HI 21cm line. We describe here deep Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) HI absorption observations toward radio sources with small angular separation from bright O and B stars whose spectra reveal the presence of intervening high random velocity CaII absorbing clouds. In 5 out of the 14 directions searched we detect HI 21cm absorption features from these clouds. The mean optical depth of these detections is ∼0.09 and FWHM is ∼10km s⁻¹, consistent with absorption arising from CNM clouds.     

Ice in the Southern Coalsack

To better understand the conditions under which ice mantles form on grains in molecular clouds, three globules in the Southern Coalsack have been searched for the presence of H₂O ice. Given the total lack of star formation in the Coalsack, it is an ideal site for studying unprocessed icy molecular mantles. In our sample of eight field stars lying behind the Coalsack we detect strong H₂O ice absorption in the lines of sight to two stars and possible weak absorption in four others. We estimate H₂O ice column densities or upper limits for these lines of sight. Compared to dark clouds such as Taurus, the Coalsack H₂O ice column densities are lower than expected given the quiescent nature of the Coalsack region. It is possible that the chemical evolution of the Coalsack may simply be at too early a stage for significant ice mantles to appear on the grains, except perhaps in the densest parts of some of the globules. Alternatively, the presence or absence of ice absorption may be related to the distribution of dust along each line of sight, specifically, the relative contributions of dense globules and a more extended diffuse component. For example, our observations are consistent with an ice threshold extinction similar to that observed in the Taurus dark cloud if extinction amounting to   A _V∼5  towards Globules 2 and 3 arises in the extended component. Globule 1 appears to have no extended component.     

Analysis on the interplanetary causes of the great magnetic storms in solar maximum (2000-2001)

In this paper, we analyze the interplanetary causes of eight great geomagnetic storms during the solar maximum (2000-2001). The result shows that the interplanetary causes were the intense southward magnetic field and the notable characteristic among the causal mechanism is compression. Six of eight great geomagnetic storms were associated with the compression of southward magnetic field, which can be classified into (1) the compression between ICMEs (2) the compression between ICMEs and interplanetary medium. It suggests that the compressed magnetic field would be more geoeffective. At the same time, we also find that half of all great storms were related to successive halo CMEs, most of which originated from the same active region. The interactions between successive halo CMEs usually can lead to greater geoeffectiveness by enhancing their southward field B_s interval either in the sheath region of the ejecta or within magnetic clouds (MCs). The types of them included: the compression between the fast speed transient flow and the slow speed background flow, the multiple MCs, besides shock compression. Further, the linear fit of the D_st versus gives the weights of and Δt as α=2.51 and β=0.75, respectively. This may suggest that the compression mechanism, with associated intense B_s, rather than duration, is the main factor in causing a great geomagnetic storm.     

‘A Case Study on a Polar Cold Air Outbreak over Fram Strait using a Mesoscale Weather Prediction Model’

The mesoscale weather prediction model ’Lokal-Modell’ (LM) of the Deutscher Wetterdienst is applied to the situation of an Arctic cold air outbreak in the Fram Strait region in April 1998. Observations are available from a flight along 5⁰E carried out during the ARTIST campaign. Initial and time-dependent boundary data for the simulation are taken from a larger scale operational model system. Using the standard configuration of LM, the simulation reproduced the propagation of cold air and the characteristic structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) in fair agreement with the observations. However, a detailed comparison revealed three basic problems. Firstly, there is evidence that the available data on sea-ice conditions were insufficient approximations to the true state for several reasons. A modification of the sea-ice data towards observations revealed that parts of the discrepancies were due to the original sea-ice data. Secondly, a control run with the model in its standard configuration shows an insufficient warming of the ABL downstream of the ice edge due to underestimation of surface heat fluxes. A simple modification of the approach for the scalar roughness length resulted in the strongest benefit, while comparative studies showed only a slight sensitivity to different types of parametrisation of turbulent mixing or the inclusion of an additional moist convection parametrisation. Thirdly, in all the simulations the deepening of the convective ABL downstream of the ice edge is weaker than observed. This may be partly due to the thermal stratification above the ABL in the analysis data, which is more stable than observed; but it may also be a hint to the fact that processes near the inversion are insufficiently parametrised in mesoscale models with resolutions as used in LM. The simulated cloud layer in the convective ABL is similar to that observed with respect to condensate content, a sharply defined cloud top, a diffuse lower bound, and continuous light precipitation.     

一次降水性积层混合云系的微物理特征分析

利用山东省2007年10月27日1架次机载粒子测量系统（Particles Measuring System,PMS）积层混合云探测资料,分析了云中粒子浓度和尺度、液态含水量,以及小云滴和大云滴谱的垂直分布特征,比较了催化前后云微物理特征的变化。结果表明,催化前,云层中小云滴谱型为单峰,谱宽随高度增加先变窄后变宽,大云滴谱型在云低层为单峰,中高层为双峰谱,谱宽随高度增加先变宽后变窄,并且没有探测到降水粒子。催化后,小云滴尺度在低层减小、高层增加,整层液态水含量减小;大云滴浓度增加,尺度增大,出现降水粒子,固态粒子类型增多。在3 700~4 000 m高度层内小于10μm粒子明显增加,说明凝结过程比较明显,并且10~27.5μm粒子开始出现,启动了云滴的碰并机制。小云滴谱变化较小,基本为单峰谱,但在较大云滴处谱型略有起伏,在3 000m和3 300m高度的谱宽增宽。大云滴粒子谱有较大的变化,低层变成双峰谱,谱宽最宽可达650μm,中高层为双峰或多峰,峰值从小值向较大值移动。2D-P探头在催化云高层探测到降水粒子,谱型呈单调下降形态,谱宽最大为600μm。     

Kinematics of the young stellar objects associated with the cometary globules in the Gum Nebula

An analysis of the proper motion measurements of the young stellar objects (YSOs) associated with the cometary globules (CGs) in the Gum Nebula is presented. While earlier studies based on the radial-velocity measurements of the CGs suggested expansion of the system of the CGs, the observed proper motion of the YSOs shows no evidence for expansion. In particular, the kinematics of two YSOs embedded in CGs are inconsistent with the supernova explosion of the companion of ζ Pup, about 1.5 Myr ago being the cause of the expansion of the system of the CGs. YSOs associated with the CGs share the average proper motion of the member stars of the Vela OB2 association. A few YSOs that have relatively large proper motions are found to show relatively low infrared excesses.     

Wind-swept clouds and possible triggered star formation associated with the supernova remnant G357.7+0.3

We present evidence for interaction between the supernova remnant (SNR) G357.7+0.3 and nearby molecular clouds, leading to the formation of wind-swept structures and bright emission rims. These features are not observed at visual wavelengths, but are clearly visible in mid-infrared mapping undertaken using the Spitzer Space Telescope . Analysis of one of these clouds, the bright cometary structure G357.46+0.60, suggests that it contains strong polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission features in the 5.8 and 8.0 μm photometric bands, and that these are highly variable over relatively small spatial scales. The source is also associated with strong variations in electron density; a far-infrared continuum peak associated with dust temperatures of ∼30 K; and has previously been observed in the 1720 MHz maser transition of OH, known to be associated with SNR shock excitation of interstellar clouds. This source also appears to contain a young stellar object (YSO) within the bright rim structure, with a steeply rising spectrum between 1.25 and 24 μm. If the formation of this star has been triggered recently by the SNR, then YSO modelling suggests a stellar mass  ∼5–10 M_⊙  , and luminosity   L _YSO∼10²–2 × 10³ L_⊙  .
Finally, it is noted that a further, conical emission region appears to be associated with the Mira V1139 Sco, and it is suggested that this may represent the case of a Mira outflow interacting with a SNR. If this is the case, however, then the distance to the SNR must be ∼half of that determined from CS   J = 2–1  and 3–2 line radial velocities.     

Irradiation of dust in molecular clouds. I. UV doses

The radiation fluxes inside molecular clouds owing to a neighboring class A star or to isotropic interstellar irradiation are calculated. Radiation within the interval 912 ? < λ < 2067 ? is found to penetrate deeply enough to ensure a radiation dose for water ice on the order of 100 eV/amu or more over the lifetime of the clouds, whether a star formation region is present or not. The possibility is discussed of using these results for an astrophysical interpretation of published data from laboratory experiments on irradiation of ices of the type H₂O:CH₃OH:NH₃:CO. The resulting radiation-chemical transformation of complex organic materials may play an important role in the prebiological evolution of the dust component of molecular clouds. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 52, No. 2, pp. 311–324 (May 2009).