The Photoionization of a Star-Forming Core in the Trifid Nebula

Abstract

We have carried out a comprehensive multiwavelength study of Bright-Rimmed Globule TC2 in the Trifid Nebula using the IRAM~30m telescope, the VLA centimeter array and the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). TC2 is one of the very few globules to exhibit signs of active ongoing star formation while being photoevaporated. The study of the kinematics shows that TC2 is currently undergoing an implosion driven by the ionization field. The physical structure of the molecular core, the Photon-Dominated Region and the ionization front are characterized. The properties of the PDR are in good agreement with some recent PDR models. The molecular emission suggests that the star formation process was probably initiated a few 0.1 Myr ago, in the large burst which led to the formation of the nebula. The impact of photoionization on the star formation process appears limited.

45 pages, 5 tables, 16 figures

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