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A Bright Molecular Core In A Crab Nebula Filament, E. D. Loh, J. A. Baldwin, Gary J. Ferland

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

In a sub-arcsec near-infrared survey of the Crab Nebula using the new Spartan Infrared Camera, we have found several knots with high surface brightness in the H2 2.12 μm line and a very large H₂ 2.12 μm to Brγ ratio. The brightest of these knots has an intensity ratio I(H₂ 2.12 μm)/I(Brγ) = 18 ± 9, which we show sets a lower limit on the ratio of masses in the molecular and recombination (i.e., ionized) zones M _mol/M _rec ≥ 0.9, and a total molecular mass within this single knot M _mol ≥ …