Layers in the Central Orion Nebula

TL;DR

This study reveals multiple velocity layers in the Orion Nebula using high-resolution spectral data, identifying complex ionized gas structures and their relation to nebular features and stellar radiation effects.

Contribution

It provides detailed spectral analysis uncovering multiple velocity components and their spatial variations, advancing understanding of the nebula's layered ionized gas structure.

Findings

Multiple velocity systems identified, including Vmif, Vscat, Vlow, and Vnew.

Velocity variations linked to nebular features like the Bright Bar and PDR.

Shadowing effects observed in [OIII] components indicating ionization changes.

Abstract

The existence of multiple layers in the inner Orion Nebula has been revealed using data from an Atlas of spectra at 2" and 12 km/s resolution. These data were sometimes grouped over Samples of 10"x10"to produce high Signal to Noise spectra and sometimes grouped into sequences of pseudo-slit Spectra of 12.8"--39" width for high spatial resolution studies. Multiple velocity systems were found: Vmif traces the Main Ionization Front (MIF), Vscat arises from back-scattering of Vmif emission by particles in the background Photon Dissociation Region (PDR), Vlow is an ionized layer in front of the MIF and if it is the source of the stellar absorption lines seen in the Trapezium stars, it must lie between the foreground Veil and those stars, Vnew may represent ionized gas evaporating from the Veil away from the observer. There are features such as the Bright Bar where variations of velocities are due to changing tilts of the MIF, but velocity changes above about 25"arise from variations in velocity of the background PDR. In a region 25" ENE of the Orion-S Cloud one finds dramatic changes in the [OIII]components, including the signals from the Vlowoiii and Vmifoiii becoming equal, indicating shadowing of gas from stellar photons of >24.6 eV. This feature is also seen in areas to the west and south of the Orion-S Cloud.