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Far-infrared Column Density and Temperature Data

Description

Far-infrared continuum maps provide an excellent tracer of the warm (~20 K) regions in star-forming regions. The emission is due to a combination of thermally radiating dust and transiently heated dust. Because the emission is usually optically thin, it traces material the entire line of sight and allows for a (temperature weighted) measure of the colmn density. The column density and temperature maps presented here are derived from the latest release of the IRAS data set (IRIS). A description of the method used to derive the dust temperature and column density from the 60 and 100 micron IRAS emission maps can be found in Schnee, Ridge, Goodman and Li (2005).

Dataverse Pages

Available Data Products

Description Status Completion Date
Perseus Temperature Map (FITS file) Complete Jul 2005
Perseus Column Density Map (FITS file) Complete Jul 2005
Ophiuchus Temperature Map (FITS file) Complete Jul 2005
Ophiuchus Column Density Map (FITS file) Complete Jul 2005
Serpens Temperature Map (FITS file) Complete Jul 2005
Serpens Column Density Map (FITS file) Complete Jul 2005

IRAS Based Thermal Emission Maps

Click on one of the links below to view images.

IndexSerpensOphiuchusPerseusTaurus

By recalibrating IRAS 60 and 100 µm data from the IRAS Sky Survey Atlas (ISSA) we have created new, highly-sensitive temperature and column-density maps. The maps show some surprising new features that are not apparent in the near-infrared extinction maps or molecular-line emission maps of the same regions. For example, in this temperature map of Ophiuchus we find a warm (37K) dust ring centered on the crosshairs. This ring is centered on the B star &rho-Ophiuchus, 1 degree north of the well-studied ρ-Oph star-forming cluster. A number of xray sources, including the ROSAT source 1RXSJ162554.5-233037, which has very hard xray emission characteristic of a compact object are also projected to lie within the ring. Click on the above links to view images or download FITS files for the other regions.
Contact Person

Scott Schnee, California Institute of Technology

Telescope Information

IRIS