New insights in giant molecular cloud hosting S147/S153 complex: signatures of interacting clouds

TL;DR

This study investigates a giant molecular cloud in the Perseus arm, revealing evidence of cloud-cloud collision that likely triggered the formation of massive OB stars and HII regions within the complex.

Contribution

It provides new observational evidence of cloud-cloud collision in a giant molecular cloud hosting multiple HII regions, linking it to massive star formation.

Findings

Identification of two molecular cloud components at -54 and -49 km/s.

Evidence of cloud interaction and collision approximately 1.6 Myr ago.

Spatial correlation between infrared-excess sources, HII regions, and cloud overlap zones.

Abstract

In order to understand the formation of massive OB stars, we report a multi-wavelength observational study of a giant molecular cloud hosting the S147/S153 complex (size ~90 pc X 50 pc). The selected complex is located in the Perseus arm, and contains at least five HII regions (S147, S148, S149, S152, and S153) powered by massive OB stars having dynamical ages of ~0.2 - 0.6 Myr. The Canadian Galactic Plane Survey 12CO line data (beam size ~100".4) trace the complex in a velocity range of [-59, -43] km/s, and also reveal the presence of two molecular cloud components around -54 and -49 km/s in the direction of the complex. Signatures of the interaction/collision between these extended cloud components are investigated through their spatial and velocity connections. These outcomes suggest the collision of these molecular cloud components about 1.6 Myr ago. Based on the observed overlapping zones of the two clouds, the collision axis appears to be parallel to the line-of-sight. Deep near-infrared photometric analysis of point-like sources shows the distribution of infrared-excess sources in the direction of the overlapping zones of the molecular cloud components, where all the HII regions are also spatially located. All elements put together, the birth of massive OB stars and embedded infrared-excess sources seems to be triggered by two colliding molecular clouds in the selected site. High resolution observations of dense gas tracer will be required to further confirm the proposed scenario.