Properties of dust in the high-latitude translucent cloud L1780 I: Spatially distinct dust populations and increased dust emissivity from ISO observations

TL;DR

This study analyzes dust properties in the high-latitude cloud L1780 using ISO far-infrared observations, revealing distinct dust populations and increased dust emissivity in the cold core, indicating grain evolution.

Contribution

It provides new insights into spatially distinct dust grain populations and increased emissivity in a translucent cloud based on multi-wavelength ISO data.

Findings

Identification of separate maxima for large grains, PAHs, and VSGs in the cloud.

Evidence of increased dust emissivity in the cold core.

Detection of overabundance of PAHs and VSGs in L1780.

Abstract

We have analyzed the properties of dust in the high galactic latitude translucent cloud Lynds 1780 using ISOPHOT maps at 100 and 200 micrometers and raster scans at 60, 80, 100, 120, 150 and 200 micrometers. In far-infrared (FIR) emission, the cloud has a single core that coincides with the maxima of visual extinction and 200um optical depth. At the resolution of 3.0 arcmin, the maximum visual extinction is 4.0 mag. At the cloud core, the minimum temperature and the maximum 200um optical depth are 14.9+/-0.4 K and 2.0+/-0.2x10^{-3}, respectively, at the resolution of 1.5 arcmin. The cloud mass is estimated to be 18M_{SUN}. The FIR observations, combined with IRAS observations, suggest the presence of different, spatially distinct dust grain populations in the cloud: the FIR core region is the realm of the "classical" large grains, whereas the very small grains and the PAHs have separate maxima on the Eastern side of the cold core, towards the "tail" of this cometary-shaped cloud. The color ratios indicate an overabundance of PAHs and VSGs in L1780. Our FIR observations combined with the optical extinction data indicate an increase of the emissivity of the big grain dust component in the cold core, suggesting grain coagulation or some other change in the properties of the large grains. Based on our observations, we also address the question, to what extent the 80um emission and even the 100um and the 120um emission contain a contribution from the small-grain component.