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Supergiant shells and molecular cloud formation in the large magellanic cloud
Citation
Dawson, JR and McClure-Griffiths, NM and Wong, T and Dickey, JM and Hughes, A and Fukui, Y and Kawamura, A, Supergiant shells and molecular cloud formation in the large magellanic cloud, Astrophysical Journal, 763, (1) Article 56. ISSN 0004-637X (2013) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2013 The American Astronomical Society
DOI: doi:10.1088/0004-637X/763/1/56
Abstract
We investigate the influence of large-scale stellar feedback on the formation of molecular clouds in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Examining the relationship between H I and 12CO(J = 1-0) in supergiant shells (SGSs), we find that the molecular fraction in the total volume occupied by SGSs is not enhanced with respect to the rest of the LMC disk. However, the majority of objects (~70% by mass) are more molecular than their local surroundings, implying that the presence of a supergiant shell does on average have a positive effect on the molecular gas fraction. Averaged over the full SGS sample, our results suggest that ~12%-25% of the molecular mass in supergiant shell systems was formed as a direct result of the stellar feedback that created the shells. This corresponds to ~4%-11% of the total molecular mass of the galaxy. These figures are an approximate lower limit to the total contribution of stellar feedback to molecular cloud formation in the LMC, and constitute one of the first quantitative measurements of feedback-triggered molecular cloud formation in a galactic system.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | evolution; galaxies: ISM; ISM: bubbles; ISM: molecules; Magellanic Clouds |
Research Division: | Physical Sciences |
Research Group: | Astronomical sciences |
Research Field: | Galactic astronomy |
Objective Division: | Expanding Knowledge |
Objective Group: | Expanding knowledge |
Objective Field: | Expanding knowledge in the physical sciences |
UTAS Author: | Dawson, JR (Dr Joanne Dawson) |
UTAS Author: | Dickey, JM (Professor John Dickey) |
ID Code: | 84555 |
Year Published: | 2013 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 41 |
Deposited By: | Mathematics and Physics |
Deposited On: | 2013-05-20 |
Last Modified: | 2017-11-30 |
Downloads: | 125 View Download Statistics |
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