Abstract
Presents observations of the spatial distribution of extinction and excitation temperature toward the molecular hydrogen emission in the Orion molecular cloud OMC-1. Most of the observed structure in the near-infrared linear intensities results from variations in the column density of vibrationally excited H2 and is not due to variable extinction or temperature. The extinction toward the center of the emission region is between 1 and 2 mag at 4712 cm-1, the frequency of the v=1-0s(1) line. The excitation temperature of the hydrogen molecules is probably not a strong function of either the shock velocity or the density of the gas.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 175 - 82 |
| Journal | Astrophysical Journal |
| Volume | 271 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - Aug 1983 |
Keywords
- astronomical spectra
- hydrogen neutral molecules
- infrared astronomical observations
- infrared sources (astronomical)
- interstellar matter
- radiosources (astronomical)