Measurement of Dust Optical Properties in Coalsack

Abstract

We have used FUSE and Voyager observations of dust scattered starlight in the neighborhood of the Coalsack Nebula to derive the optical constants of the dust grains. The albedo is consistent with a value of $0.28\pm 0.04$ and the phase function asymmetry factor with a value of $0.61\pm 0.07$ throughout the spectral range from 900 -- 1200 Å, in agreement with previous determinations as well as theoretical predictions. We have now observed two regions (Ophiuchus and Coalsack) with intense diffuse background radiation and in both cases have found that the emission is due to light from nearby hot stars scattered by a relatively thin foreground cloud, with negligible contribution from the background molecular cloud.

arXiv commentTotal 19 pages, Figures 9, Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal

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• Modelling Dust Scattering in our Galaxy
• Far-Ultraviolet Number Counts of Field Galaxies
• Far-Ultraviolet Dust Albedo Measurements in the Upper Scorpius Cloud Using the SPINR Sounding Rocket Experiment
• Diffuse Radiation from the Aquila Rift
• Probing the infrared counterparts of diffuse far-ultraviolet sources in the Galaxy
• AstroSat/UVIT Study of the Diffuse Ultraviolet Radiation in the Dwarf Galaxy Holmberg II