Molecular hydrogen in filaments at high Galactic latitudes

TL;DR

This study investigates the association of molecular hydrogen with cold neutral medium filaments at high Galactic latitudes, finding strong links with HI filaments and weaker evidence with FIR filaments, suggesting enhanced H2 formation in dense CNM regions.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive analysis of H2 absorption in relation to HI and FIR filaments at high Galactic latitudes, highlighting the connection between H2 and cold HI structures.

Findings

H2 absorption lines mostly intersect HI filaments

Strong correlation between H2 and HI filament velocities

Less compelling evidence for H2 association with FIR filaments

Abstract

Context. Neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) absorption lines can be used to probe the cold neutral medium (CNM) at high Galactic latitudes. Cold HI with a significant optical depth from the GASKAP-HI survey is found to be located predominantly if not exclusively within filamentary structures that can be identified as caustics with the Hessian operator. Most of these HI filaments (57%) are also observable in the far-infrared (FIR) and trace the orientation of magnetic field lines. Aims. We considered whether molecular hydrogen (H2) might also be preferentially associated with CNM filaments. Methods. We analyzed 241 H2 absorption lines against stars and determined whether the lines of sight intersected HI or FIR filaments. Using Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) H2 data in the velocity range -50 < vLSR < 50 km/s, we traced 65 additional H2 lines for filamentary HI and FIR structures in velocity and probed the H2 absorption for coincidences in position and velocity. Results. For 305 out of 306 positions, the lines of sight with H2 absorption intersect HI filaments. In 120 cases, there is also evidence for a correlation with dusty FIR filaments. All of the 65 available sight lines with known velocities intersect HI filaments. In 64 cases, the H2 velocities are consistent with HI filament velocities. For FIR filaments, an agreement is found for only 13 out of 14 H2 absorption lines. Conclusions. For the majority of H2 absorption lines, there is evidence that H2 is associated with cold HI filaments. Evidence of an association with FIR filaments is less compelling. Confusion along the line of sight limits the detectability of FIR filaments. For a comparable degree of UV excitation in the disk and lower Galactic halo, the formation rate of H2 appears to be enhanced in HI filaments with increased CNM densities.