GBT22A-433

SC:Mapping molecular clouds in OH from diffuse to high-mass star forming regions

Abstract

This pilot large program is submitted in response to the special GBT call for large programs. The formation of dense star forming filaments from the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) is a central question to understand the dynamical and chemical initial conditions of star formation. With a large program, we envision to map 9 nearby clouds with high spectral resolution (0.2 km/s) observations of the OH ground state transitions. This hydride molecule is an excellent tracer of the dynamical and chemical evolution of the diffuse molecular gas from which dense filaments are formed. Mapping the proposed nearby clouds will give an unprecedented statistical view on the diffuse molecular gas. Here we propose a pilot program to observe the OH transitions at selected positions in all these clouds as this will allow to assess the feasibility of the large program and already provide some preliminary results related to the proposed presence of shocks, multiple velocity components and the impact of stellar feedback on the OH emitting gas.

Investigators

Name	Institution
Lars Bonne *	Universities Space Research Association
Jim Jackson	Green Bank Observatory
Edward Chambers	Northwestern University; Boston University; Universities Space Research Association ; Köln, Universität zu; Space Science Institute
Taylor Hogge	Boston University
Scott Whitaker	Boston University
Bengt-Goran Andersson	Universities Space Research Association

* indicates the PI