论文标题
小尺度结构通过中性氢的吸收在多组分无线电连续源的方向上追踪
Small-scale structure traced by neutral hydrogen absorption in the direction of multiple-component radio continuum sources
论文作者
论文摘要
我们已经使用21厘米吸收光谱研究了21厘米背景连续源和千年Arecibo吸收线调查,研究了原子氢(HI)的小量表分布。 We have found $>5σ$ optical depth variations at a level of $\sim0.03-0.5$ between 13 out of 14 adjacent sightlines separated by a few arcseconds to a few arcminutes, suggesting the presence of neutral structures on spatial scales from a few to thousands of AU (which we refer to as tiny scale atomic structure, TSAS).光学深度变化在冷内中性培养基(CNM)中HI密度和HI的比例最高的方向上最强,最高的是在低银河纬度处。通过测量拟合到吸收光谱的高斯组件的性能的变化,我们发现峰光学深度和TSAs吸收特征的线宽的变化都会导致观察到的光学深度变化,而中央速度的变化似乎不会强烈影响观察到的变化。热动作和湍流运动都会对线宽产生显着贡献,但是湍流似乎不足以限制过度压力的TSA。在大多数情况下,TSAS柱密度足够高,以至于这些结构可以辐射冷却得足够快,即使它们被压制过压力,这些结构即使它们的周围环境也可以保持热平衡。我们还发现,大多数TSA都与CNM相关。对于TSA,沿金牛座分子云和局部Leo Cold Cloud的方向,我们在比典型CNM密度高的数量级上估计密度。
We have studied the small scale distribution of atomic hydrogen (HI) using 21-cm absorption spectra against multiple-component background radio continuum sources from the 21-SPONGE survey and the Millennium Arecibo Absorption Line Survey. We have found $>5σ$ optical depth variations at a level of $\sim0.03-0.5$ between 13 out of 14 adjacent sightlines separated by a few arcseconds to a few arcminutes, suggesting the presence of neutral structures on spatial scales from a few to thousands of AU (which we refer to as tiny scale atomic structure, TSAS). The optical depth variations are strongest in directions where the HI column density and the fraction of HI in the cold neutral medium (CNM) are highest, which tend to be at low Galactic latitudes. By measuring changes in the properties of Gaussian components fitted to the absorption spectra, we find that changes in both the peak optical depth and the linewidth of TSAS absorption features contribute to the observed optical depth variations, while changes in the central velocity do not appear to strongly impact the observed variations. Both thermal and turbulent motions contribute appreciably to the linewidths, but the turbulence does not appear strong enough to confine overpressured TSAS. In a majority of cases, the TSAS column densities are sufficiently high that these structures can radiatively cool fast enough to maintain thermal equilibrium with their surroundings, even if they are overpressured. We also find that a majority of TSAS is associated with the CNM. For TSAS in the direction of the Taurus molecular cloud and the local Leo cold cloud, we estimate densities over an order of magnitude higher than typical CNM densities.