The Bok Globule BHR 160: structure and star formation

TL;DR

This study investigates the structure, mass, and star formation activity in the unstudied cometary globule BHR 160, revealing its physical parameters, molecular composition, and the influence of nearby stars on its bright rim and star formation processes.

Contribution

First detailed physical and molecular analysis of BHR 160, linking its bright rim to a nearby B-type star and identifying star formation triggered within the globule.

Findings

Mass of BHR 160 is approximately 100 solar masses in the core.

The bright rim is caused by a nearby B-type star, HD 319648.

Evidence of outflowing material near the core from CO line profiles.

Abstract

BHR 160 is a virtually unstudied cometary globule within the Sco OB4 association in Scorpius at a distance of 1600pc. It is part of a system of cometary clouds which face the luminous O star HD155806. BHR 160 is special because it has an intense bright rim. We attempt to derive physical parameters for BHR 160 and to understand its structure and the origin of its peculiar bright rim. BHR 160 was mapped in the $^{12}$CO, $^{13}$CO and C$^{18}$O (2-1) and (1-0) and CS (3-2) and (2-1) lines. These data, augmented with stellar photometry derived from the ESO VVV survey, were used to derive the mass and distribution of molecular material in BHR 160 and its surroundings. Archival mid-infrared data from the WISE satellite was used to find IR excess stars in the globule and its neighbourhood. An elongated 1' by 0.6' core lies adjacent to the globule bright rim. $^{12}$CO emission covers the whole globule, but the $^{13}$CO, C$^{18}$O and CS emission is more concentrated to the core. The $^{12}$CO line profiles indicate the presence of outflowing material near the core, but the spatial resolution of the mm data is not sufficient for a detailed spatial analysis. The BHR 160 mass estimated from the C$^{18}$O mapping is 100$\pm$50Msun(d/1.6kpc)$^2$ where d is the distance to the globule. Approximately 70 percent of the mass lies in the dense core. The total mass of molecular gas in the direction of BHR 160 is 210$\pm$(d/1.6kpc)$^2$ Msun when estimated from the more extended VVV NIR photometry. We argue that the bright rim of BHR 160 is produced by a close-by early B-type star, HD 319648, that was likely recently born in the globule. This star is likely to have triggered the formation of a source, IRS 1, that is embedded within the core of the globule and detected only in Ks and by WISE and IRAS.