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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Astrophysics and Astronomy

University of Kentucky

Series

2009

ISM: molecules

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Rotationally Warm Molecular Hydrogen In The Orion Bar, Gargi Shaw, Gary J. Ferland, W. J. Henney, P. C. Stancil, N. P. Abel, E. W. Pellegrini, J. A. Baldwin, P. A. Van Hoof Aug 2009

Rotationally Warm Molecular Hydrogen In The Orion Bar, Gargi Shaw, Gary J. Ferland, W. J. Henney, P. C. Stancil, N. P. Abel, E. W. Pellegrini, J. A. Baldwin, P. A. Van Hoof

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The Orion Bar is one of the nearest and best-studied photodissociation or photon-dominated regions (PDRs). Observations reveal the presence of H2 lines from vibrationally or rotationally excited upper levels that suggest warm gas temperatures (400-700 K). However, standard models of PDRs are unable to reproduce such warm rotational temperatures. In this paper, we attempt to explain these observations with new comprehensive models which extend from the H+ region through the Bar and include the magnetic field in the equation of state. We adopt the model parameters from our previous paper which successfully reproduced a wide variety of spectral …