An MSX Infrared Analysis of the Superbubble around the Giant HII Region NGC3603

TL;DR

This study uses MSX mid-infrared data to analyze a large superbubble around the NGC3603 HII region, revealing dust and PAH emissions and estimating physical properties like dust temperature and gas-to-dust ratio.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed infrared analysis of the superbubble around NGC3603 using MSX data, highlighting the emission characteristics and physical conditions.

Findings

Infrared emission dominated by PAHs and dust grains in different bands.

Dust temperature consistent with UV heating from the central cluster.

Gas-to-dust mass ratio estimated to be around 100.

Abstract

Using the MSX mid-infrared observation, we reveal a 100 pc-scale superbubble surrounding the giant HII region NGC3603. We suggest that the diffuse surrounding infrared emission in bands A, C, and D is dominated by that of PAH and the emission in band E is dominated by that of dust grains. The fitted dust temperature is consistent with the heating by the central cluster's UV photons. The derived gas-to-dust mass ratio for the bubble shell is of order 10^2.