Models of Radio Recombination Line Sources

Abstract

Models for the southern HII regions RCW38, RCW49, the Carina Nebula, G305+0 and M17 are constructed using a range of line and continuum data. Electron temperatures in the range 5000-7300 K are derived from the analysis, and in most cases these are consistent with estimates obtained from radio continuum measurements. The presence of a low temperature (.;; 4000 K) outer region in RCW 38 is suggested by the low frequency line data. Density inhomogeneities are found to be significant in all sources, while the predicted line widths are consistent with an observed lack of collisional broadening at low frequencies.