Ultracompact HII regions are signposts of massive star formation and their properties provide diagnostics for the characteristics of very young O stars embedded in molecular clouds. While radio observations have given us a good picture of the morphology of these regions, they have not provided clear information about the kinematics. Using high spectral resolution observations of the 12.8 micron [NeII] line, it has been possible for the first time to trace the internal kinematics of several ultracompact HII regions. We find that the motions in the cometary ultracompact HII regions MonR2 and G29.96-0.02 are highly organized. The velocity patterns are consistent with parabolic ionized flows along a neutral boundary layer.
Ground state rotational lines of H2 are good temperature probes of moderately hot (200-1000 K) gas. The low A-values of these lines result in low critical densities while ensuring that the lines are optically thin. ISO observations of H2 rotational lines in PDRs reveal large quantities of warm gas that are difficult to explain via current models, but the spatial resolution of ISO does not resolve the temperature structure of the warm gas. We present and discuss high spatial resolution observations of H2 rotational line emission from the Orion Bar.
We present an analysis of the mid-infrared emission lines for a sample of 12 low metallicity Blue Compact Dwarf (BCD) galaxies based on high resolution observations obtained with Infrared Spectrograph on board the {rm Spitzer} Space Telescope. We compare our sample with a local sample of typical starburst galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGNs), to study the ionization field of starbursts over a broad range of physical parameters and examine its difference from the one produced by AGN. The high-ionization line [OIV]25.89$mu$m is detected in most of the BCDs, starbursts, and AGNs in our sample. We propose a diagnostic diagram of the line ratios [OIV]25.89$mu$m/[SIII]33.48$mu$m as a function of [NeIII]15.56$mu$m/[NeII]12.81$mu$m which can be useful in identifying the principal excitation mechanism in a galaxy. Galaxies in this diagram split naturally into two branches. Classic AGNs as well as starburst galaxies with an AGN component populate the upper branch, with stronger AGNs displaying higher [NeIII]/[NeII] ratios. BCDs and pure starbursts are located in the lower branch. We find that overall the placement of galaxies on this diagram correlates well with their corresponding locations in the log([NII]/H$alpha$) vs. log([OIII]/H$beta$) diagnostic diagram, which has been widely used in the optical. The two diagrams provide consistent classifications of the excitation mechanism in a galaxy. On the other hand, the diagram of [NeIII]15.56$mu$m/[NeII]12.81$mu$m vs. [SIV]10.51$mu$m/[SIII]18.71$mu$m is not as efficient in separating AGNs from BCDs and pure starbursts. (abridged)
We broadly discuss mid-infrared spectroscopy and detail our new high spectral resolution instrument, the Texas Echelon-cross-Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES).
We observed two nearby galaxies with potential or weak indications of nuclear activity, M32 and M81, with the MIRLIN mid-IR camera at N band (10.79 microns). M32 is not detected, but we give detailed measurements of the nucleus of M81. Our observations of M81 show a bright nuclear point source at N, and comparison to measurements made in the early 1970s gives an increase in nuclear flux of nearly a factor of two. If the comparison is accurate, the nuclear mid-IR emission must ultimately be powered by a variable, compact source, similar to that in Seyferts and quasars. M81 has been classified in the literature as a low-luminosity LINER, not a pure Seyfert galaxy. Further, it has been suggested that this and other low-luminosity AGN may have intrinsically different spectra than Seyferts and quasars. However, we find that the relative fluxes in the X-ray, MIR, and radio bands, all essentially unaffected by extinction and galaxy pollution, show a nuclear continuum remarkably like that of a bona fide Seyfert or quasar.
(Abridged) We present R~600, 10-37um spectra of 53 ULIRGs at z<0.32, taken using the IRS on board Spitzer. All of the spectra show fine structure emission lines of Ne, O, S, Si and Ar, as well as molecular Hydrogen lines. Some ULIRGs also show emission lines of Cl, Fe, P, and atomic Hydrogen, and/or absorption features from C_2H_2, HCN, and OH. We employ diagnostics based on the fine-structure lines, as well as the EWs and luminosities of PAH features and the strength of the 9.7um silicate absorption feature (S_sil), to explore the power source behind the infrared emission in ULIRGs. We show that the IR emission from the majority of ULIRGs is powered mostly by star formation, with only ~20% of ULIRGs hosting an AGN with a comparable or greater IR luminosity than the starburst. The detection of the 14.32um [NeV] line in just under half the sample however implies that an AGN contributes significantly to the mid-IR flux in ~42% of ULIRGs. The emission line ratios, luminosities and PAH EWs are consistent with the starbursts and AGN in ULIRGs being more extincted, and for the starbursts more compac
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