Gas Kinematics and Star Formation in the Filamentary IRDC G34.43+0.24

TL;DR

This study investigates the gas dynamics and star formation activity in the filamentary infrared dark cloud G34.43+0.24 using multiwavelength data, revealing its extended structure, embedded protostars, and the influence of expanding bubbles.

Contribution

It provides a detailed multiwavelength analysis of IRDC G34.43+0.24, including its true extent, mass distribution, and the impact of expanding bubbles on star formation, which was not previously characterized.

Findings

IRDC G34.43+0.24 extends up to 34 arcmin, about 37 pc at 3.7 kpc.

The filament's linear mass density is 1.6×10^3 M_sun/pc, near the critical stability threshold.

Expanding bubbles N61 and N62 influence the filament's environment and star formation.

Abstract

We performed a multiwavelength study toward infrared dark cloud (IRDC) G34.43+0.24. New maps of 13CO $J$=1-0 and C18}O J=1-0 were obtained from the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO) 13.7 m radio telescope. At 8 um (Spitzer - IRAC), IRDC G34.43+0.24 appears to be a dark filament extended by 18 arcmin along the north-south direction. Based on the association with the 870 um and C18O J=1-0 emission, we suggest that IRDC G34.43+0.24 should not be 18 arcmin in length, but extend by 34 arcmin. IRDC G34.43+0.24 contains some massive protostars, UC H II regions, and infrared bubbles. The spatial extend of IRDC G34.43+0.24 is about 37 pc assuming a distance of 3.7 kpc. IRDC G34.43+0.24 has a linear mass density of 1.6*10^{3} M_{sun} pc^{-1}, which is roughly consistent with its critical mass to length ratio. The turbulent motion may help stabilizing the filament against the radial collapse. Both infrared bubbles N61 and N62 show a ringlike structure at 8 um. Particularly, N61 has a double-shell structure, which has expanded into IRDC G34.43+0.24. The outer shell is traced by 8 um and 13}CO J=1-0 emission, while the inner shell is traced by 24 um and 20 cm emission. We suggest that the outer shell (9.9*10^{5} yr) is created by the expansion of H II region G34.172+0.175, while the inner shell (4.1-6.3*10^{5} yr) may be produced by the energetic stellar wind of its central massive star. From GLIMPSE I catalog, we selected some Class I sources with an age of 10^{5} yr. These Class I sources are clustered along the filamentary molecular cloud.