paper

Diffuse Galactic Light in the Field of the Translucent High Galactic Latitude Cloud MBM32

arXiv:1303.0938 · doi:10.1088/0004-637X/767/1/80

Abstract

We have conducted B, g, V, and R-band imaging in a 45x40 arcmin^2 field containing part of the high Galactic latitude translucent cloud MBM32, and correlated the intensity of diffuse optical light S_ν(λ) with that of 100 micron emission S_ν(100um). A chi^2 minimum analysis is applied to fit a linear function to the measured correlation and derive the slope parameter b(λ)= ΔS_ν(λ) / ΔS_ν(100um) of the best-fit linear function. Compiling a sample by combining our b(λ) and published ones, we show that the b(λ) strength varies from cloud to cloud by a factor of 4. Finding that b(λ) decreases as S_ν(100um) increases in the sample, we suggest that a non-linear correlation including a quadratic term of S_ν(100um)^2 should be fitted to the measured correlation. The variation of optical depth, which is A_V = 0.16 - 2.0 in the sample, can change b(λ) by a factor of 2 - 3. There would be some contribution to the large b(λ) variation from the forward-scattering characteristic of dust grains which is coupled to the non-isotropic interstellar radiation field (ISRF). Models of the scattering of diffuse Galactic light (DGL) underestimate the b(λ) values by a factor of 2. This could be reconciled by deficiency in UV photons in the ISRF or by a moderate increase in dust albedo. Our b(λ) spectrum favors a contribution from extended red emission (ERE) to the diffuse optical light; b(λ) rises from B to V faster than the models, seems to peak around 6000 Å, and decreases towards long wavelengths. Such a characteristic is expected from the models in which the DGL is combined with ERE.

21 pages, 10 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ

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