The following document lists the file abstract/MKUTNER_LMC_SMC.abs
from catalogue VI/111.
A plain copy of the file
(without headers/trailers) may be downloaded.
To better understand the star formation process it is necessary to
examine the effects of environment on star-forming molecular clouds.
The Magellanic Clouds provide environments very different from the
Milky Way. By studying star formation in the LMC and SMC we will
gain insight into how varying environments affect star formation.
A useful measure of the star formation going on in an individual
molecular cloud is the far infrared luminosity from warm ( 40 K)
dust associated with embedded stellar objects. Observations of
the FIR luminosity will usually contain a significant contribution
from cool (15-25 K) dust heated by the general ISRF. In order to
accurately measure the star formation from a cloud it is necessary
to remove this cool dust component. The cool dust spectrum peaks
between 100 and 200 microns, therefore FIR data is needed in this
range to obtain an accurate measure of star formation in molecular
clouds.
One way to quantify star formation in a molecular cloud is the
star formation activity (SFA). SFA is the ratio of FIR luminosity
of the embedded sources to cloud mass. We have already determined
virial masses for several molecular clouds in the LMC and SMC using
CO (J=1->0) observations. In addition we have mapped the clouds at
60 and 100 microns using IRAS data. ISO data will be used to
determine the total FIR luminosity for several clouds in varying
environments in the LMC, and in the SMC. The ISO data is crucial
in that it provides the long wavelength information needed to
accurately measure the total FIR luminosity, as well as the cool
dust component of this emission.