We present an analysis of the properties of HI holes detected in 20 galaxies that are part of “The HI Nearby Galaxy Survey” (THINGS). We detected more than 1000 holes in total in the sampled galaxies. Where they can be measured, their sizes range from about 100 pc (our resolution limit) to about 2 kpc, their expansion velocities range from 4 to 36 km/s, and their ages are estimated to range between 3 and 150 Myr. The holes are found throughout the discs of the galaxies, out to the edge of the HI disc; 23% of the holes fall outside R25. We find that shear limits the age of holes in spirals; shear is less important in dwarf galaxies which explains why HI holes in dwarfs are rounder, on average than in spirals. Shear, which is particularly strong in the inner part of spiral galaxies, also explains why we find that holes outside R25 are larger and older. We derive the scale height of the HI disc as a function of galactocentric radius and find that the disc flares at large radii in all galaxies. We proceed to derive the surface and volume porosity (Q2D and Q3D) and find that this correlates with the type of the host galaxy: later Hubble types tend to be more porous. The size distribution of the holes in our sample follows a power law with a slope of a=−2.9. Assuming that the holes are the result of massive star formation, we derive values for the supernova rate (SNR) and star formation rate (SFR) which scales with the SFR derived based on other tracers. If we extrapolate the observed number of holes to include those that fall below our resolution limit, down to holes created by a single supernova, we find that our results are compatible with the hypothesis that HI holes result from star formation. We use HI data from THINGS, 8μm, 24μm, 70μm and HI maps from SINGS, CO(2–1) data from HERACLES and FUV data from NGS to present a visual comparison of these maps with respect to the locations of HI holes. We find that the vast majority of HI holes are also prominent in the 8μm map and to some extent in the 24μm map. There is a lack of molecular gas from the interior of nearly all the holes, which is consistent with the idea that the latter are filled with hot gas. About 60% of young holes have FUV emission detected in their interiors highlighting the presence of the parent OB association. In addition, FUV is detected on the rims of some of the older HI holes, presumably due to the dispersion of the OB association with respect to the gas. We describe the development of a 2–D cross-correlation method to compare multi-wavelength maps in a quantitative way (quantified by Ccoef ) and give some first results from the application of this method to the nearby galaxy NGC2403. We find that the all the dust tracers are well correlated (Ccoef > 0.7) with the 8μm–24μm correlation being the highest (Ccoef > 0.88). Similarly all the star formation tracers are well linked as expected (Ccoef > 0.6). With respect to the relations between star formation and dust tracers we found that most are well matched (Ccoef > 0.7) as dust grains are heated by radiation in star forming regions. At smaller scales (15") FUV correlates poorly (Ccoef ~ 0.3) with the dust tracers, a direct consequence of the absorption of FUV photons by dust. We find that the HI is reasonably well correlated with the 8μm emission (Ccoef ~ 0.6) illustrating the fact that HI is mixed with PAH’s. Interestingly, the HI map shows some correlation with the SF map (Ccoef ~ 0.4) even though FUV and HI emissions were found to be completely uncorrelated (Ccoef ~ 0).

Multi-wavelength observations of mature supernova remnants (SNRs), especially with recent advances in gamma-ray astronomy, make it possible to constrain energy distribution of energetic particles within these remnants. In consideration of the SNR origin of Galactic cosmic rays and physics related to particle acceleration and radiative processes, we use a simple one-zone model to fit the nonthermal emission spectra of three shell-type SNRs located within 2 degrees on the sky: RX J1713.7-3946, CTB 37B, and CTB 37A. Although radio images of these three sources all show a shell (or half-shell) structure, their radio, X-ray, and gamma-ray spectra are quite different, offering an ideal case to explore evolution of energetic particle distribution in SNRs. Our spectral fitting shows that (1) the particle distribution becomes harder with aging of these SNRs, implying a continuous acceleration process, and the particle distributions of CTB 37A and CTB 37B in the GeV range are harder than the hardest distribution that can be produced at a shock via the linear diffusive shock particle acceleration process, so spatial transport may play a role; (2) the energy loss timescale of electrons at the high-energy cutoff due to synchrotron radiation appears to be always a bit (within a factor of a few) shorter than the age of the corresponding remnant, which also requires continuous particle acceleration; (3) double power-law distributions are needed to fit the spectra of CTB 37B and CTB 37A, which may be attributed to shock interaction with molecular clouds.

Most massive stars form in dense clusters where gravitational interactions with other. stars may be common. The two nearest forming massive stars, the BN object and Source I, located behind the Orion Nebula, were ejected with velocities of similar to 29 and similar to 13 km s(-1) about 500 years ago by such interactions. This event generated an explosion in the gas. New ALMA observations show in unprecedented detail, a roughly spherically symmetric distribution of over a hundred (CO)-C-12 J = 2-1 streamers with velocities extending from V-LSR = -150 to +145 km s(-1) The streamer radial velocities increase (or decrease) linearly with projected distance from the explosion center, forming a '' Hubble Flow '' confined to within 50 ''. of the explosion center. They point toward the high proper-motion, shock-excited H-2 and [Fe II] '' fingertips '' and lower-velocity CO in the H-2 wakes comprising Orion's '' fingers.'' In some directions, the H-2 '' fingers '' extend more than a factor of two farther from the ejection center than the CO streamers. Such deviations from spherical symmetry may be caused by ejecta running into dense gas or the dynamics of the N-body interaction that ejected the stars and produced the explosion. This similar to 10(48) erg event may have been powered by the release of gravitational potential energy associated with the formation of a compact binary or a protostellar merger. Orion may be the prototype for a new class of stellar explosiozn responsible for luminous infrared transients in nearby galaxies.

We examine a diffuse emission region near the center of SNR 0509-67.5 to determine its nature. Within this diffuse region we observe a point-like source that is bright in the near-IR, but is not visible in the B and V bands. We consider an emission line observed at 6766 angstrom and the possibilities that it is Ly alpha, H alpha, and [O II] lambda 3727. We examine the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the source, comprised of Hubble Space Telescope B, V, I, J, and H bands in addition to Spitzer/IRAC 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8 mu m bands. The peak of the SED is consistent with a background galaxy at z approximate to 0.8 +/- 0.2 and a possible Balmer jump places the galaxy at z approximate to 0.9 +/- 0.3. These SED considerations support the emission line's identification as [O II] lambda 3727. We conclude that the diffuse source in SNR 0509-67.5 is a background galaxy at z approximate to 0.82. Furthermore, we identify the point-like source superposed near the center of the galaxy as its central bulge. Finally, we find no evidence for a surviving companion star, indicating a double-degenerate origin for SNR 0509-67.5.

This thesis presents an exploration of stars and gas in the halo of our Galaxy. A sample of 8321 field horizontal branch (FHB) stars was selected from the Hamburg/ESO Survey. The stars make excellent tracers of the Milky Way halo, and we studied the kinematics of a subset of the HES FHB stars, comparing their velocity dispersions to those predicted by several models. Since these stars are intrinsically luminous, hot and numerous they make ideal probes of the distances to high-velocity clouds (HVCs) - clouds of neutral hydrogen gas whose distances are largely unknown and which do not fit simple models of Galaxy rotation. A catalogue of stars which align with the HVCs was developed. High resolution spectroscopy of 16 such HVC probes with the Magellan telescope has yielded a remarkably tight distance constraint to complex WB. This is one of only a handful of such distance limits so far established. Lower distance limits were set for several other clouds. Finally, we have suggested that some of the HVCs may be associated with the accretion onto the MilkyWay of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy.

We present a novel new method for modelling magnetized molecular cloud cores using submillimetre linear polarization maps from thermal dust emission. Our PolCat modelling software builds a three-dimensional core model via the use of consecutive parametrized coordinate transformations, and produces simulated polarization maps to fit to observational datasets. We utilize the Ferret evolutionary optimizer to search the parameter space to simultaneously minimize chi-squared for the intensity and polarization position angle maps separately. We have applied PolCat to multiple test problems and several datasets from the SCUPOL Legacy Catalogue. We find that PolCat is able to distinguish between maps of twisted and non-twisted field geometries and identify twist symmetry. Preliminary fits to several datasets show that the best potential field geometries to our sample cores contain field twists. Further research using a larger number of maps is required to determine if twisted fields are commonplace in cores.

Le but de la présente thèse est l'étude de la compléxité moléculaire dans les régions de formation stellaires. Cette thèse s'axe sur deux classes de molécule aux caractéristiques prébiotiques : les molécules organiques complexes et les cyanopolyynes.Dans ce contexte, j'ai analysé des données d'un seul échantillon de relevés spec- traux en exploitant des codes de transfert radiatif à l'équilibre thermodynamique local (LTE) et/ou non-LTE pour deux sources : une proto-étoile de type solaire dans un environnement calme (IRAS 16293-2422) et un proto-ama constitué de proto-étoile de type solaire (OMC2-FIR4).L'objectif est de trouver des similar- ités et des différences entre ces deux cas.J'ai utilisé des données issu de deux relevés spectraux : TIMASSS (The IRAS16293-2422 Millimeter And Submilimeter Spectral Survey) réalisés en 2011 (Caux et al. 2011), et ASAI(Astrochemical Surveys At IRAM) réalisés pen- dant la période 2013-2015 (eg Lopez-Sepulcre et al.2015). J'ai extrais les lignes (identification et intensité intégrée) en utilisant le paquet disponible publique- ment : CASSIS (Centre d'Analyse Scientifique de Spectres Infrarouges et Sub- millimetrique). Pour finir, j'ai utilisé le paquet GRAPES (GRenoble Analysis of Protostellar Envelope Spectral) afin de modéliser la distribution spectrale énergétique de ligne (SLED) des molécules détectées, mais aussi afin d'estimer leurs abondances à travers l'envelope de IRAS16293 et du coeur chaud OMC2- FIR4.Les principaux résultats de la thèse sont :1. Le premier recensement complet des molecules organiques complexes (COMs) dans IRAS162932. La première détéction de COMs dans l'enveloppe froide d'une proto-étoile de type solaire (IRAS16293-2422) supportant l'idée qu'un méchanisme de formation, relativement efficace pour les COMs détectées, doit exister en phase gazeuse froide.3. La découverte d'une fine corrélation entre le diméthyle-éther (DME) et le méthyle-formate (MF) suggère une relation mère fille entre ces deux espèces.4. La detection de formamide, espèce avec un très fort potentiel prébiotique, dans plusieurs protoétoiles incluant IRAS16293-2422 et OMC2-FIR4.5. Le recensement complet des cyanopolyynes dans IRAS16293 et OMC2- FIR4 avec la détection de HC3N, HC5N, DC3N et pour OMC2-FIR4: le C13 isotopologue du HC3N cyanopolyynes.Ces résultats sont le sujet principal de deux publications (Jaber et al.2014, ApJ; Lopez-Sepulcre, Jaber et al.2015,MNRAS), un article accepté (Jaber et al., A & A) et un article à soumettre (Jaber et al. A & A). / The present PhD thesis goal is the study of the molecular complexity in solar type star forming regions. It specifically focuses on two classes of molecules with a pre-biotic value, the complex organic molecules and the cyanopolyynes.At this scope, I analyzed data from single-dish spectral surveys by means of non-LTE or/and non-LTE radiative transfer codes in two sources, a solar type protostar in an isolated and quiet environment (IRAS16293-2422) and a proto-cluster of solar type protostars (OMC2-FIR4). The goal is to find similarities and differences between these two cases.I used data from two spectra surveys: TIMASSS (The IRAS16293-2422 Millimeter And Submillimeter Spectral Survey), which has been carried out in 2011 (Caux et al. 2011), and ASAI (Astrochemical Surveys At IRAM), which has been carried out in 2013-2015 (e.g. Lopez-Sepulcre et al. 2015).I extracted the lines (identification and integrated intensity) by means of the publicly available package CASSIS (Centre dAnalyse Scientifique de Spectres Infrarouges et Submillimtriques).Finally, I used the package GRAPES (GRenoble Analysis of Protostellar Envelope Spectra) to model the Spectral Line Energy Distribution (SLED) of the detected molecules, and to estimate their abundance across the envelope and hot corino of IRAS16293-2422 and OMC2-FIR4, respectively.The major results of the thesis are:1) The first full census of complex organic molecules (COMs) in IRAS16293-2422;2) The first detection of COMs in the cold envelope of a solar type protostar (IRAS16293-2422), supporting the idea that a relatively efficient formation mechanism for the detected COMs must exist in the cold gas phase;3) The discovery of a tight correlation between the dimethyl ether (DME) and methyl format (MF), suggesting a mother-daughter relationship;4) The detection of formamide, a species with a very high pre-biotic value, in several protostars, included IRAS16293-2422 and OMC2-FIR4;5) The full census of the cyanopolyynes in IRAS16293-2422 and OMC2-FIR4, with the detection of HC3N and HC5N, DC3N and, for OMC2-FIR4, the 13C isotopologue of HC3N cyanopolyynes.These results are the focus of two published articles (Jaber et al. 2014, ApJ; Lopez-Sepulcre, Jaber et al. 2015, MNRAS), one accepted article (Jaber et al., A&A) and a final article to be submitted (Jaber et al., A&A).

abstract: Green pea galaxies are a class of rare, compact starburst galaxies that have powerful optical emission line [OIII]$\lambda$5007. They are the best low-redshift analogs of high-redshift (z$>$2) Lyman-alpha emitting galaxies (LAEs). They provide unique opportunities to study physical conditions in high-redshift LAEs in great detail. In this dissertation, a few physical properties of green peas are investigated. The first study in the dissertation presents star formation rate (SFR) surface density, thermal pressure in HII regions, and a correlation between them for 17 green peas and 19 Lyman break analogs, which are nearby analogs of high-redshift Lyman break galaxies. This correlation is consistent with that found from the star-forming galaxies at z $\sim$ 2.5. In the second study, a new large sample of 835 green peas in the redshift range z = 0.011 -- 0.411 are assembled from Data Release 13 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) with the equivalent width of the line [OIII]$\lambda$5007 $>$ 300\AA\ or the equivalent width of the line H$\beta$ $>$ 100\AA. The size of this new sample is ten times that of the original 80 star-forming green pea sample. With reliable T$_e$-based gas-phase metallicity measurements for the 835 green peas, a new empirical calibration of R23 (defined as ([OIII]$\lambda$$\lambda$4959,5007 + [OII]$\lambda$$\lambda$3726,3729)/H$\beta$) for strong line emitters is then derived. The double-value degeneracy of the metallicity is broken for galaxies with large ionization parameter (which manifests as log([OIII]$\lambda$$\lambda$4959,5007/[OII]$\lambda$$\lambda$3726,3729) $\geq$ 0.6). This calibration offers a good way to estimate metallicities for extreme emission-line galaxies and high-redshift LAEs. The third study presents stellar mass measurements and the stellar mass-metallicity relation of 828 green peas from the second study. The stellar mass covers 6 orders of magnitude in the range 10$^{5}$ -- 10$^{11}$ M$_{\odot}$, with a median value of 10$^{8.8}$ M$_{\odot}$. The stellar mass-metallicity relation of green peas is flatter and displays about 0.2 - 0.5 dex offset to lower metallicities in the range of stellar mass higher than 10$^{8}$ M$_{\odot}$ compared to the local SDSS star-forming galaxies. A significant dependence of the stellar mass-metallicity relation on star formation rate is not found in this work. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Astrophysics 2018

We present new evidence that the bright nonthermal X-ray emission features in the interior of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant are caused by inward-moving shocks, based on Chandra and NuSTAR observations. Several bright inward-moving filaments were identified using monitoring data taken by Chandra in 2000-2014. These inward-moving shock locations are nearly coincident with hard X-ray (15-40 keV) hot spots seen by NuSTAR. From proper-motion measurements, the transverse velocities were estimated to be in the range of similar to 2100-3800 km s(-1) for a distance of 3.4 kpc. The shock velocities in the frame of the expanding ejecta reach values of similar to 5100-8700 km s(-1), which is slightly higher than the typical speed of the forward shock. Additionally, we find flux variations (both increasing and decreasing) on timescales of a few years in some of the inward-moving shock filaments. The rapid variability timescales are consistent with an amplified magnetic field of B similar to 0.5-1 mG. The high speed and low photon cut-off energy of the inward-moving shocks are shown to imply a particle diffusion coefficient that departs from the Bohm regime (k(0) = D-0/D-0,D-Bohm similar to 3-8) for the few simple physical configurations we consider in this study. The maximum electron energy at these shocks is estimated to be similar to 8-11 TeV, which is smaller than the values of similar to 15-34 TeV that were inferred for the forward shock. Cassiopeia A is dynamically too young for its reverse shock to appear to be moving inward in the observer frame. We propose instead that the inward-moving shocks are a consequence of the forward shock encountering a density jump of 5-8 in the surrounding material.

Aims. The aim of this work is to constrain properties of the disk around the archetype FU Orionis object, FU Ori, with as good as similar to 25 au resolution. Methods. We resolved FU Ori at 29-37 GHz using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA) in the A-array configuration, which provided the highest possible angular resolution to date at this frequency band (similar to 0 ''.07). We also performed complementary JVLA 8-10 GHz observations, Submillimeter Array (SMA) 224 GHz and 272 GHz observations, and compared these with archival Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) 346 GHz observations to obtain the spectral energy distributions (SEDs). Results. Our 8-10 GHz observations do not find evidence for the presence of thermal radio jets, and constrain the radio jet/wind flux to at least 90 times lower than the expected value from the previously reported bolometric luminosity-radio luminosity correlation. The emission at frequencies higher than 29 GHz may be dominated by the two spatially unresolved sources, which are located immediately around FU Ori and its companion FU Ori S, respectively. Their deconvolved radii at 33 GHz are only a few au, which is two orders of magnitude smaller in linear scale than the gaseous disk revealed by the previous Subaru-HiCIAO 1.6 mu m coronagraphic polarization imaging observations. We are struck by the fact that these two spatially compact sources contribute to over 50% of the observed fluxes at 224 GHz, 272 GHz, and 346 GHz. The 8-346 GHz SEDs of FU Ori and FU Ori S cannot be fit by constant spectral indices (over frequency), although we cannot rule out that it is due to the time variability of their (sub)millimeter fluxes. Conclusions. The more sophisticated models for SEDs considering the details of the observed spectral indices in the millimeter bands suggest that the >29 GHz emission is contributed by a combination of free-free emission from ionized gas and thermal emission from optically thick and optically thin dust components. We hypothesize that dust in the innermost parts of the disks (less than or similar to 0.1 au) has been sublimated, and thus the disks are no longer well shielded against the ionizing photons. The estimated overall gas and dust mass based on SED modeling, can be as high as a fraction of a solar mass, which is adequate for developing disk gravitational instability. Our present explanation for the observational data is that the massive inflow of gas and dust due to disk gravitational instability or interaction with a companion/intruder, was piled up at the few-au scale due to the development of a deadzone with negligible ionization. The piled up material subsequently triggered the thermal instability and the magnetorotational instability when the ionization fraction in the inner sub-au scale region exceeded a threshold value, leading to the high protostellar accretion rate.