CO mapping of Cygnus-X -- volume density distribution

TL;DR

This study maps CO emissions in Cygnus-X, analyzes the volume density distribution of molecular gas, and finds a shallower power-law slope than predicted by some models, offering insights into cloud formation processes.

Contribution

It provides detailed CO maps and derives the volume density PDF, introducing a new benchmark for testing molecular cloud formation models.

Findings

The volume density PDF follows a power-law with slope -1.12.

The slope is shallower than predictions from certain gravitational collapse models.

Feedback effects may influence the density distribution shape.

Abstract

We present CO(2-1) and $^{13}$CO(2-1) maps of the Cygnus-X molecular cloud complex using the 10m Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope (SMT). The maps cover the southern portion of the complex which is strongly impacted by the feedback from the Cygnus OB2 association. Combining CO(1-0) and $^{13}$CO(1-0) maps from the Nobeyama 45m Cygnus-X CO Survey, we carry out a multi-transition molecular line analysis with RADEX and derive the volume density of velocity-coherent gas components. We select those components with a column density in the power-law tail part of the column density probability distribution function (N-PDF) and assemble their volume density into a volume density PDF ($\rho$-PDF). The $\rho$-PDF exhibits a power-law shape in the range of 10$^{4.5}$ cm$^{-3}$ $\lesssim n_{\rm H_2} \lesssim$ 10$^{5.5}$ cm$^{-3}$ with a fitted slope of $\alpha = -1.12 \pm 0.05$. The slope is shallower than what is predicted by simulations of rotationally supported structures or those undergoing gravitational collapse. Applying the same analysis to synthetic observations with feedback may help identify the cause of the shallow slope. The $\rho$-PDF provides another useful benchmark for testing models of molecular cloud formation and evolution.