Large-scale CO J=1-0 observations of the giant molecular cloud associated with the infrared ring N35 with the Nobeyama 45-m telescope

TL;DR

This study uses CO J=1-0 observations from the Nobeyama 45-m telescope to analyze a giant molecular cloud associated with the N35 infrared ring, revealing multiple velocity components and collision signatures that likely triggered high-mass star formation.

Contribution

First detailed CO J=1-0 observational analysis of the N35-associated GMC, identifying cloud collisions as a trigger for high-mass star formation.

Findings

GMC has two main velocity components with spatially complementary distributions.

Cloud collisions are indicated by bridge features and cavity formations.

High-mass star formation likely initiated by cloud collisions.

Abstract

We report an observational study of the giant molecular cloud (GMC) associated with the Galactic infrared ring-like structure N35 and two nearby HII regions G024.392+00.072 (HII region A) and G024.510-00.060 (HII region B), using the new CO J=1-0 data obtained as a part of the FOREST Unbiased Galactic Plane Imaging survey with the Nobeyama 45-m telescope (FUGIN) project at a spatial resolution of 21". Our CO data revealed that the GMC, with a total molecular mass of 2.1x10^6Mo, has two velocity components over ~10-15km/s. The majority of molecular gas in the GMC is included in the lower-velocity component (LVC) at ~110-114km/s, while the higher-velocity components (HVCs) at ~118-126km/s consist of three smaller molecular clouds which are located near the three HII regions. The LVC and HVCs show spatially complementary distributions along the line-of-sight, despite large velocity separations of ~5-15km/s, and are connected in velocity by the CO emission with intermediate intensities. By comparing the observations with simulations, we discuss a scenario where collisions of the three HVCs with LVC at velocities of ~10-15km/s can provide an interpretation of these two observational signatures. The intermediate velocity features between the LVC and HVCs can be understood as broad bridge features, which indicate the turbulent motion of the gas at the collision interfaces, while the spatially complementary distributions represent the cavities created in the LVC by the HVCs through the collisions. Our model indicates that the three HII regions were formed after the onset of the collisions, and it is therefore suggested that the high-mass star formation in the GMC was triggered by the collisions.