Open AccessOn the infrared void in the Lupus dark clouds
Author(s) -
Franco G. A. P.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05228.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , local bubble , photometry (optics) , void (composites) , supernova , astronomy , systemic lupus erythematosus , stars , interstellar medium , rosat , galaxy , medicine , materials science , disease , pathology , composite material
Strömgren uvbyβ photometry observations obtained for 205 stars in the general direction of a void in the IRAS 100‐μm emission from the Lupus dark cloud complex are presented and analysed. The colour excess versus distance diagram confirms the existence of a region depleted from interstellar material, which is also seen in the ROSAT soft X‐ray background emission map. The distance to the surrounding material is estimated as being within the interval from 60 to 100 pc. This result is in disagreement with previous distance estimates to the supposed supernova that has been suggested as responsible for clearing the region from dust. As an alternative, the data presented support the suggestion that the void may have been produced by the detachment of material from the interface between Loop I and the Local Bubble as a consequence of hydromagnetic instabilities. Moreover, the distribution of colour excess as a function of distance supports a value of ∼150 pc as the most probable distance to the dark cloud known as Lupus 1.