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HI Narrow Self-Absorption in Dark Clouds: Correlations with Molecular Gas and Implications for Cloud Evolution and Star Formation

3 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.

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abstract

We present the results of a comparative study of HI narrow self-absorption (HINSA), OH, 13CO, and C18O in five dark clouds. The HINSA follows the distribution of the emission of the carbon monoxide isotopologues, and has a characteristic size close to that of 13CO. This confirms that the HINSA is produced by cold HI which is well mixed with molecular gas in well-shielded regions. The ratio of the atomic hydrogen density to total proton density for these sources is 5 to 27 x 10^{-4}. Using cloud temperatures and the density of HI, we set an upper limit to the cosmic ray ionization rate of 10^{-16} s^{-1}. Comparison of observed and modeled fractional HI abundances indicates ages for these clouds to be 10^{6.5} to 10^{7} yr. The low values of the HI density we have determined make it certain that the time scale for evolution from an atomic to an almost entirely molecular phase, must be a minimum of several million years. This clearly sets a lower limit to the overall time scale for star formation and the lifetime of molecular clouds.

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astro-ph.GA 3

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2026 3

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UNVERDICTED 3

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PMO Polaris CO survey. II. Where is the dust?

astro-ph.GA · 2026-06-18 · unverdicted · novelty 5.0

Linear decomposition of Planck dust maps using PMO CO and EBHIS HI surveys attributes 20-40% of dust to CO gas, negligible amounts to broad warm HI, and significant fractions to narrow cold HI and CO-dark molecular gas at boundaries.

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