Jet-driving protostars identified from infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

Ohlendorf, Henrike; Preibisch, Thomas; Gaczkowski, B.; Ratzka, Thorsten; Grellmann, R.; McLeod, Anna F.

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118181

Cited by 30 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 32 publications

(72 reference statements)

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“…Several studies of the youngest stellar populations in the CNC concluded that the currently ongoing star formation process is, to a large degree, spatially restricted to the edges and surfaces of irradiated clouds, e.g., the tips of the numerous pillars (Smith et al 2010;Ohlendorf et al 2012;Gaczkowski et al 2013). This suggests a causal connection between the star formation process and local cloud compression.…”

Section: Total Fir Luminositymentioning

confidence: 99%

Herschelfar-infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

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Ratzka

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Context. The star formation process in large clusters/associations can be strongly influenced by the feedback from high-mass stars. Whether the resulting net effect of the feedback is predominantly negative (cloud dispersal) or positive (triggering of star formation due to cloud compression) is still an open question. Aims. The Carina Nebula complex (CNC) represents one of the most massive star-forming regions in our Galaxy. We use our Herschel far-infrared observations to study the properties of the clouds over the entire area of the CNC (with a diameter of ≈3.2 • , which corresponds to ≈125 pc at a distance of 2.3 kpc). The good angular resolution (10 −36 ) of the Herschel maps corresponds to physical scales of 0.1-0.4 pc, and allows us to analyze the small-scale (i.e., clump-size) structures of the clouds. Methods. The full extent of the CNC was mapped with PACS and SPIRE in the 70, 160, 250, 350, and 500 μm bands. We determined temperatures and column densities at each point in these maps by modeling the observed far-infrared spectral energy distributions. We also derived a map showing the strength of the UV radiation field. We investigated the relation between the cloud properties and the spatial distribution of the high-mass stars and computed total cloud masses for different density thresholds. Results. Our Herschel maps resolve for the first time the small-scale structure of the dense clouds over the entire spatial extent of the CNC. Several particularly interesting regions, including the prominent pillars south of η Car, are analyzed in detail. We compare the cloud masses derived from the Herschel data with previous mass estimates based on sub-mm and molecular line data. Our maps also reveal a peculiar wave-like pattern in the northern part of the Carina Nebula. Finally, we characterize two prominent cloud complexes at the periphery of our Herschel maps, which are probably molecular clouds in the Galactic background. Conclusions. We find that the density and temperature structure of the clouds in most parts of the CNC is dominated by the strong feedback from the numerous massive stars, and not by random turbulence. Comparing the cloud mass and the star formation rate derived for the CNC with other Galactic star-forming regions suggests that the CNC is forming stars in a particularly efficient way. We suggest this to be a consequence of triggered star formation by radiative cloud compression.

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Section: Total Fir Luminositymentioning

confidence: 99%

Herschelfar-infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

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Preibisch

Ratzka

et al. 2013

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“…The Herschel fluxes have been used in our recent study of the infrared detected jet-driving protostars in the Carina Nebula (Ohlendorf et al 2012). In forthcoming publications we will report results about the detailed small-scale structure of the clouds, the numerous point-like FIR sources (most of which are expected to be embedded protostars), as well as the relation between the CNC and the Gum 31 nebula.…”

Section: Conclusion and Summarymentioning

confidence: 99%

Herschelfar-infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

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et al. 2012

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“…1, the Spitzer IRAC maps cover ≈87% of the area of our Herschel maps. We performed point source detection and photometry in these IRAC mosaics, using the Astronomical Point source EXtractor (APEX) module of the MOsaicker and Point source EXtractor package (MOPEX; Makovoz & Marleau 2005), as described in Ohlendorf et al (2012a).…”

Section: Spitzer Irac Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, 40 Herbig-Haro jets have been discovered by Smith et al (2010a) through a deep Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Hα imaging survey. The driving sources of many of these jets were recently revealed and analyzed by Ohlendorf et al (2012a). Povich et al (2011) published a catalog of 1439 YSO candidates (PCYC catalog) based on mid-infrared excess emission detected in the Spitzer data.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Herschelfar-infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

Gaczkowski

Preibisch

Ratzka

et al. 2012

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Context. The Carina Nebula represents one of the largest and most active star forming regions known in our Galaxy. It contains numerous very massive (M > ∼ 40 M ) stars that strongly affect the surrounding clouds by their ionizing radiation and stellar winds. Aims. Our recently obtained Herschel PACS and SPIRE far-infrared maps cover the full area (≈8.7 deg 2 ) of the Carina Nebula complex (CNC) and reveal the population of deeply embedded young stellar objects (YSOs), most of which are not yet visible in the mid-or near-infrared. Methods. We study the properties of the 642 objects that are independently detected as point-like sources in at least two of the five Herschel bands. For those objects that can be identified with apparently single Spitzer counterparts, we use radiative transfer models to derive information about the basic stellar and circumstellar parameters. Results. We find that about 75% of the Herschel-detected YSOs are Class 0 protostars. The luminosities of the Herschel-detected YSOs with SED fits are restricted to values of ≤5400 L , their masses (estimated from the radiative transfer modeling) range from ≈1 M to ≈10 M . Taking the observational limits into account and extrapolating the observed number of Herschel-detected protostars over the stellar initial mass function suggest that the star formation rate of the CNC is ∼0.017 M /year. The spatial distribution of the Herschel YSO candidates is highly inhomogeneous and does not follow the distribution of cloud mass. Rather, most Herschel YSO candidates are found at the irradiated edges of clouds and pillars. The far-infrared fluxes of the famous object η Car are about a factor of two lower than expected from observations with the Infrared Space Observatory obtained 15 years ago; this difference may be a consequence of dynamical changes in the circumstellar dust in the Homunculus Nebula around η Car. Conclusions. The currently ongoing star formation process forms only low-mass and intermediate-mass stars, but no massive (M > ∼ 20 M ) stars. The characteristic spatial configuration of the YSOs provides support to the picture that the formation of this latest stellar generation is triggered by the advancing ionization fronts.

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Jet-driving protostars identified from infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

Cited by 30 publications

References 32 publications

Herschelfar-infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

Herschelfar-infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

Herschelfar-infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

Herschelfar-infrared observations of the Carina Nebula complex

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