Nobeyama 45m Cygnus-X CO survey I: photodissociation of molecules revealed by the unbiased large-scale CN and C$^{18}$O maps

TL;DR

This large-scale survey of Cygnus-X using CN and C$^{18}$O molecules reveals that their ratio is influenced by UV radiation, serving as an effective probe of photon-dominated regions and photodissociation processes.

Contribution

The study provides the first large-scale, unbiased CN and C$^{18}$O maps of Cygnus-X, demonstrating the correlation between molecular ratios and UV radiation strength.

Findings

CN/C$^{18}$O ratios vary across regions and are enhanced near OB stars.

Ratios correlate with far-UV intensities, $G_0$.

Ratios decrease inside molecular clouds due to dust extinction.

Abstract

We present an unbiased large-scale (9 deg$^2$) CN ($N$=1-0) and C$^{18}$O ($J$=1-0) survey of Cygnus-X conducted with the Nobeyama 45m Cygnus-X CO survey. CN and C$^{18}$O are detected in various objects towards the Cygnus-X North and South (e.g., DR17, DR18, DR21, DR22, DR23, and W75N). We find that CN/C$^{18}$O integrated intensity ratios are systematically different from region to region, and are especially enhanced in DR17 and DR18 which are irradiated by the nearby OB stars. This result suggests that CN/C$^{18}$O ratios are enhanced via photodissociation reactions. We investigate the relation between the CN/C$^{18}$O ratio and strength of the UV radiation field. As a result, we find that CN/C$^{18}$O ratios correlate with the far-UV intensities, $G_0$. We also find that CN/C$^{18}$O ratios decrease inside molecular clouds, where the interstellar UV radiation is reduced due to the interstellar dust extinction. We conclude that the CN/C$^{18}$O ratio is controlled by the UV radiation, and is a good probe of photon-dominated regions.