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[C i](1–0) and [C i](2–1) in Resolved Local...
Journal article

[C i](1–0) and [C i](2–1) in Resolved Local Galaxies* * Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.

Abstract

We present resolved [C i] line intensities of 18 nearby galaxies observed with the SPIRE FTS spectrometer on the Herschel Space Observatory. We use these data along with resolved CO line intensities from Jup = 1 to 7 to interpret what phase of the interstellar medium the [C i] lines trace within typical local galaxies. A tight, linear relation is found between the intensities of the CO(4–3) and [C i](2–1) lines; we hypothesize this is due to the similar upper level temperature of these two lines. We modeled the [C i] and CO line emission using large-velocity gradient models combined with an empirical template. According to this modeling, the [C i](1–0) line is clearly dominated by the low-excitation component. We determine [C i] to molecular mass conversion factors for both the [C i](1–0) and [C i](2–1) lines, with mean values of α[C i](1−0) = 7.3 M⊙ K−1 km−1 s pc−2 and α[C i](2−1) = 34 M⊙ K−1 km−1 s pc−2 with logarithmic root-mean-square spreads of 0.20 and 0.32 dex, respectively. The similar spread of to (derived using the CO(2–1) line) suggests that [C i](1–0) may be just as good a tracer of cold molecular gas as CO(2–1) in galaxies of this type. On the other hand, the wider spread of α[C i](2−1) and the tight relation found between [C i](2–1) and CO(4–3) suggest that much of the [C i](2–1) emission may originate in warmer molecular gas.

Authors

Crocker AF; Pellegrini E; Smith J-DT; Draine BT; Wilson CD; Wolfire M; Armus L; Brinks E; Dale DA; Groves B

Journal

The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 887, No. 1,

Publisher

American Astronomical Society

Publication Date

December 10, 2019

DOI

10.3847/1538-4357/ab4196

ISSN

0004-637X

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