Discovery of Nonthermal X-Ray Emission from the Embedded Massive Star-forming Region RCW 38

Author(s)

Scott J. Wolk, Tyler L. Bourke, Randall K. Smith, Bradley Spitzbart, João Alves

Abstract

We report on results of a 96.7 ks Chandra observation of one of the

youngest, most embedded and massive young stellar clusters studied to

date in X-rays-RCW 38. We find a region of extended emission about

1.25×1.75 pc. The emission is consistent with synchrotron

emission. The power index of the emission steepens toward the cluster

core, implying that the magnetic field originates there. This is the

first evidence of synchrotron emission filling a region of active star

formation. The source of the necessary magnetic field is unclear. We

measure the hydrogen column to the emission and find that NH

increases from 7.6×1021 to 1.61×1022

cm-2, increasing from the northwest to the southeast

quadrants of the cluster, consistent with near-infrared extinction data.

Organisation(s)

Department of Astrophysics

External organisation(s)

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

Journal

The Astrophysical journal Letters

Volume

580

Pages

L161-L165

ISSN

2041-8205

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1086/345611

Publication date

12-2002

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

103004 Astrophysics

Keywords

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