The System of Molecular Clouds in the Gould Belt

Abstract

Based on high-latitude molecular clouds with highly accurate distance estimates taken from the literature, we have redetermined the parameters of their spatial orientation. This system can be approximated by a 350x235x140 pc ellipsoid inclined by the angle i=17+/-2 degrees to the Galactic plane with the longitude of the ascending node lΩ=337+/-1 degrees. Based on the radial velocities of the clouds, we have found their group velocity relative to the Sun to be (u0,v0,w0) = (10.6,18.2,6.8)+/-(0.9,1.7,1.5) km/s. The trajectory of the center of the molecular cloud system in the past in a time interval of ~60 Myr has been constructed. Using data on masers associated with low-mass protostars, we have calculated the space velocities of the molecular complexes in Orion, Taurus, Perseus, and Ophiuchus. Their motion in the past is shown to be not random.

15 pages, 4 figures

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Cited by in corpus (2)

• Physical properties of the ambient medium and of dense cores in the Perseus star-forming region derived from Herschel Gould Belt Survey observations
• Kinematics of T Tauri Stars Close to the Sun from the Gaia DR2 Catalogue