Within the 30 Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud lies the super star cluster R136, an environment so extreme and dynamic that it is comparable to that of colliding starburst galaxies, (Ultra) Luminous Infrared Galaxies, and possibly even star-forming regions of the early universe. R136 is the home to the most massive stars known to exist.
The resulting stellar winds and supernovae create hot (~106 K), plasma-filled bubbles that emit x-rays and expand to form dense, bright shells. In addition to this mechanical feedback, “The massive stars also interact with the surrounding molecular material through their energic radiation by creating warm, dense neutral gas regions,” describes Alexander Tielens, principal investigator for the GREAT study of R136. “These photodissociation regions are outlined in the mid-IR emission of large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and in the dominant cooling line of the gas (the [CII] fine structure transition at 1.9THz).” The latter line can be studied using the upGREAT Low Frequency Array, which provides a dual polarization, 2x7 pixel array capable of producing velocity-resolved maps of the [CII] 158-micron emission over a region of 25x25 arcmin.
PI: Alexander Tielens
