Three-Dimensional Orientation of Compact High Velocity Clouds

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new method to estimate the inclination angles of compact high velocity clouds using their morphology and kinematics, calibrated with simulations and applied to observational data, to infer their distances.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach for determining the inclination angles of CHVCs based on morphology and kinematics, calibrated with simulations.

Findings

Method successfully estimates inclination angles of CHVCs

Application to HIPASS data provides insights into CHVC distances

Calibration with simulations validates the approach

Abstract

We present a proof-of-concept study of a method to estimate the inclination angle of compact high velocity clouds (CHVCs), i.e. the angle between a CHVC's trajectory and the line-of-sight. The inclination angle is derived from the CHVC's morphology and kinematics. We calibrate the method with numerical simulations, and we apply it to a sample of CHVCs drawn from HIPASS. Implications for CHVC distances are discussed.