A Chain of Dark Clouds in Projection Against the Galactic Center

作者：Nagayama Takahiro^*; Sato Shuji; Nishiyama Shogo; Murai Yuka; Nagata Tetsuya; Hatano Hirofumi; Kurita Mikio; Tamura Motohide; Nakajima Yasushi; Sugitani Koji; Oka Tomoharu; Sofue Yoshiaki

来源：Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 2009, 61(2): 283-290.

DOI：10.1093/pasj/61.2.283

• ISM: clouds

In a J, H, and K(S) band survey of the Galactic center region over an area of 2 degrees x 5 degrees, we have found many dark clouds, among which a distinguished chain of dark clouds can be identified with a quiescent CO cloud. The distances of the clouds are estimated to be 3.2-4.2 kpc, corresponding to the Norma arm, by our new method for determining the distances to dark clouds using the cumulative number of stars against the J - K(S) color. By adopting these estimated distances, the size and total mass of the cloud are estimated to be similar to 70 pc in length and 6 x 10(4) M(circle dot), respectively. Three compact H II regions exist in the cloud, indicating that star-forming activities are going on at the cores of the quiescent CO cloud on the spiral arm.

• 出版日期2009
• 单位中国科学院国家天文台