Issue |
A&A
Volume 419, Number 1, May III 2004
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 191 - 201 | |
Section | Interstellar and circumstellar matter | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20034054 | |
Published online | 23 April 2004 |
The connection between W31, SGR 1806–20, and LBV 1806–20: Distance, extinction, and structure
1
Université Paris VII and Service d'Astrophysique, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
2
Department of Astronomy, University of Florida, 211 Bryant Space Science Center, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA e-mail: eiken@astro.ufl.edu
Corresponding author: S. Corbel, corbel@discovery.saclay.cea.fr
Received:
4
July
2003
Accepted:
3
October
2003
We present new millimeter and infrared spectroscopic
observations towards the radio nebula G10.0-0.3, which is powered by
the wind of the Luminous Blue Variable star LBV 1806-20 also closely
associated with the soft gamma-ray repeater SGR 1806-20, and believed
to be located in the giant Galactic H ii complex W31. Based on
observations of CO emission lines and NH3 absorption features
from molecular clouds along the line of sight to G10.0-0.3, as well as
the radial velocity and optical extinction of the star powering the
nebula, we determine its distance to be 15.1 kpc in
agreement with Corbel et al. ([CITE]). In addition, this strengthens
the association of SGR 1806-20 with a massive molecular cloud at the
same distance. All soft gamma-ray repeaters with precise location are now found to be
associated with a site of massive star formation or molecular cloud. We also show that W31 consists
of at least two distinct components along the line of sight. We
suggest that G10.2-0.3 and G10.6-0.4 are located on the -30 km s-1 spiral arm at a distance from the Sun of
kpc and
that G10.3-0.1 may be associated with a massive molecular cloud at
the same distance as the LBV star, i.e. 15.1
kpc,
implying that W31 could be decomposed into two components along the line of sight.
Key words: stars: neutron / stars: individual: SGR 1806-20 / stars: individual: LBV 1806-20 / ISM: individual: W31 / Galaxy: structure / Galaxy: kinematics and dynamics
© ESO, 2004
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