"X-Rays from Superbubbles in the Large Magellanic Cloud. V. The H II Complex N11"

Mordecai-Mark Mac Low Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie
Thomas H. Chang, You-Hua Chu, Sean D. Points
Dept. of Astronomy, Univ. of Illinois
R. Chris Smith Dept. of Astronomy, Univ. of Michigan
Bart P. Wakker Dept. of Astronomy, Univ. of Wisconsin

in press in the Astrophysical Journal

The giant H II complex N11 in the Large Magellanic Cloud contains OB associations at several different stages in their life histories. We have obtained ROSAT PSPC and HRI X-ray observations, Curtis Schmidt CCD images, echelle spectra in H-alpha and [N II] lines, and IUE interstellar absorption line observations of this region. The central bubble of N11 has an X-ray luminosity a factor of only 3-7 brighter than predicted for an energy-conserving superbubble, making this the first detection of X-ray emission from a superbubble without a strong X-ray excess. The region N11B contains an extremely young OB association analogous to the central association of the Carina nebula, apparently still embedded in its natal molecular cloud. We find that N11B emits diffuse X-ray emission, probably powered by stellar winds. Finally, we compare the tight cluster HD32228 in N11 to R136 in 30 Dor. The latter is a strong X-ray source, while the former is not detected, showing that strong X-ray emission from compact objects is not a universal property of such tight clusters.

gzipped, tarred, postscript (1 Mb)

Postscript and gifs from astro-ph

Individual postscript files (4.9 Mb total):

Text

Figures: 1a, 1b, 2, 3 (color), 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Return to Mac Low preprints

Return to the MPI Astronomie theory group

Mordecai-Mark Mac Low, [email protected]
Last modified: Mon Aug 4 15:15:52 MET DST 1997