Dust Scattering from the Taurus Molecular Cloud

TL;DR

This study analyzes UV light scattering in the Taurus Molecular Cloud using GALEX data and Monte Carlo modeling, revealing the distribution of scattered flux and estimating dust grain properties.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed Monte Carlo dust scattering model applied to GALEX UV data to quantify scattering contributions and dust properties in the Taurus Molecular Cloud.

Findings

Half of the scattered UV flux originates within the cloud.

Estimated dust grain albedo is 0.3.

Distribution of scattered flux: 25% in foreground, 25% behind the cloud.

Abstract

We present an analysis of the diffuse ultraviolet (UV) emission near the Taurus Molecular Cloud based on observations made by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX). We used a Monte Carlo dust scattering model to show that about half of the scattered flux originates in the molecular cloud with 25% arising in the foreground and 25% behind the cloud. The best-fit albedo of the dust grains is 0.3 but the geometry is such that we could not constrain the phase function asymmetry factor (g).