Speaker
Paul Clark
(Cardiff University)
Description
The timescale over which GMCs form and disperse sets the timescale for star
formation. Until recently, most observational studies of GMCs have focused on the
molecular tracers, which are good probe of the cool interiors of the clouds, but have a
limited ability to trace the dynamics of the transition to the warm neutral medium
(WNM). In this study, we assess the ability of [CII] emission — the main coolant in the
ISM — to trace the formation of GMCs from the turbulent WNM. We present the
results of radiative transfer post-processed Arepo simulations, which contain a
chemical and thermodynamical model of the ISM. We show that [CII] is a good tracer
of the, “dark”, sub-100K H2 that surrounds the CO-bright gas. With [CII] we show
that it is possible to follow the dynamics of the ISM in an around the molecular clouds,
and is thus a good probe of GMC formation. We also show how it is possible to trace
the different scales of the turbulent ISM with the a combination of [CII] and CO
isotopes. We compare our results to those from recent SOFIA observations.
Primary author
Paul Clark
(Cardiff University)
