An accurate distance to high-velocity cloud Complex C

C. Thom; J. E.G. Peek; M. E. Putman; Carl Heiles; K. M.G. Peek; R. Wilhelm

doi:10.1086/589960

An accurate distance to high-velocity cloud Complex C

C. Thom
, J. E.G. Peek
, M. E. Putman
, Carl Heiles
, K. M.G. Peek
, R. Wilhelm

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

119 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report an accurate distance of d = 10 ± 2.5 kpc to the high-velocity cloud Complex C. Using high signal-to-noise ratio Keck HIRES spectra of two horizontal-branch stars, we have detected Ca n K absorption lines from the cloud. Significant nondetections toward a further three stars yield robust lower distance limits. The resulting H i mass of Complex C is M _{H I} = 4.9_-2.2^+2.9 × 10⁶ M _⊙; a total mass of M_tot = 8.2_-2.6 ^+4.6 × 10⁶ M_⊙ is implied, after corrections for helium and ionization. At 10 kpc, Complex C has physical dimensions 3 ×15 kpc, and if it is as thick as it is wide, then the average density is log〈n〉 ≃ -2.5. We estimate the contribution of Complex C to the mass influx may be as high as ∼0.14M _⊙yr^-1.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	364-372
Number of pages	9
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	684
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/589960
State	Published - Sep 1 2008

Funding

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Energy Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Project Oak Ridge National Laboratory Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment National Science Foundation National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center National Natural Science Foundation of China	0406987, 0904059

Keywords

Galaxy: Evolution
Galaxy: halo
ISM: Clouds
ISM: Individual (Complex C)

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/589960

Cite this

@article{5366298a8f4a41ad82a4ec8a80c79518,

title = "An accurate distance to high-velocity cloud Complex C",

abstract = "We report an accurate distance of d = 10 ± 2.5 kpc to the high-velocity cloud Complex C. Using high signal-to-noise ratio Keck HIRES spectra of two horizontal-branch stars, we have detected Ca n K absorption lines from the cloud. Significant nondetections toward a further three stars yield robust lower distance limits. The resulting H i mass of Complex C is M H I = 4.9-2.2+2.9 × 106 M ⊙; a total mass of Mtot = 8.2-2.6 +4.6 × 106 M⊙ is implied, after corrections for helium and ionization. At 10 kpc, Complex C has physical dimensions 3 ×15 kpc, and if it is as thick as it is wide, then the average density is log〈n〉 ≃ -2.5. We estimate the contribution of Complex C to the mass influx may be as high as ∼0.14M ⊙yr-1.",

keywords = "Galaxy: Evolution, Galaxy: halo, ISM: Clouds, ISM: Individual (Complex C)",

author = "C. Thom and Peek, \{J. E.G.\} and Putman, \{M. E.\} and Carl Heiles and Peek, \{K. M.G.\} and R. Wilhelm",

year = "2008",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1086/589960",

language = "English",

volume = "684",

pages = "364--372",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - An accurate distance to high-velocity cloud Complex C

AU - Thom, C.

AU - Peek, J. E.G.

AU - Putman, M. E.

AU - Heiles, Carl

AU - Peek, K. M.G.

AU - Wilhelm, R.

PY - 2008/9/1

Y1 - 2008/9/1

N2 - We report an accurate distance of d = 10 ± 2.5 kpc to the high-velocity cloud Complex C. Using high signal-to-noise ratio Keck HIRES spectra of two horizontal-branch stars, we have detected Ca n K absorption lines from the cloud. Significant nondetections toward a further three stars yield robust lower distance limits. The resulting H i mass of Complex C is M H I = 4.9-2.2+2.9 × 106 M ⊙; a total mass of Mtot = 8.2-2.6 +4.6 × 106 M⊙ is implied, after corrections for helium and ionization. At 10 kpc, Complex C has physical dimensions 3 ×15 kpc, and if it is as thick as it is wide, then the average density is log〈n〉 ≃ -2.5. We estimate the contribution of Complex C to the mass influx may be as high as ∼0.14M ⊙yr-1.

AB - We report an accurate distance of d = 10 ± 2.5 kpc to the high-velocity cloud Complex C. Using high signal-to-noise ratio Keck HIRES spectra of two horizontal-branch stars, we have detected Ca n K absorption lines from the cloud. Significant nondetections toward a further three stars yield robust lower distance limits. The resulting H i mass of Complex C is M H I = 4.9-2.2+2.9 × 106 M ⊙; a total mass of Mtot = 8.2-2.6 +4.6 × 106 M⊙ is implied, after corrections for helium and ionization. At 10 kpc, Complex C has physical dimensions 3 ×15 kpc, and if it is as thick as it is wide, then the average density is log〈n〉 ≃ -2.5. We estimate the contribution of Complex C to the mass influx may be as high as ∼0.14M ⊙yr-1.

KW - Galaxy: Evolution

KW - Galaxy: halo

KW - ISM: Clouds

KW - ISM: Individual (Complex C)

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/52049089923

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/52049089923#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1086/589960

DO - 10.1086/589960

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:52049089923

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 684

SP - 364

EP - 372

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

ER -

An accurate distance to high-velocity cloud Complex C

Abstract

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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