Resolving the Vela C ridge with P-ArTeMiS and Herschel

TL;DR

This study uses high-resolution submillimeter observations to analyze the structure and fragmentation of the Vela C ridge, revealing similarities with other star-forming filaments despite different formation histories.

Contribution

It provides the first high-resolution column density map of the Vela C ridge, showing its fragmentation and structural similarities with low-mass star-forming filaments.

Findings

Vela C ridge has a ~0.1pc central width similar to low-mass filaments.

The ridge shows clear fragmentation at higher resolution.

Vela C ridge and Serpens South share structural characteristics.

Abstract

We present APEX/P-ArT\'eMiS 450\mu m continuum observations of RCW 36 and the adjacent ridge, a high-mass high-column density filamentary structure at the centre of the Vela C molecular cloud. These observations, at higher resolution than Herschel's SPIRE camera, reveal clear fragmentation of the central star-forming ridge. Combined with PACS far-infrared and SPIRE sub-millimetre observations from the Herschel HOBYS project we build a high resolution column density map of the region mapped with P-ArT\'eMiS. We extract the radial density profile of the Vela C ridge which with a ~ 0.1pc central width is consistent with that measured for low-mass star-forming filaments in the Herschel Gould Belt survey. Direct comparison with Serpens South, of the Gould Belt Aquila complex, reveals many similarities between the two regions. Despite likely different formation mechanisms and histories, the Vela C ridge and Serpens South filament share common characteristics, including their filament central widths.