Astrophysics (Index)About

CO to H2 factor

(XCO, Xco)
(assumed ratio between observed CO emission lines and H2 mass)

The CO to H2 factor (Xco or XCO) is the assumed ratio between observed carbon monoxide spectral line observation and molecular hydrogen (H2) mass. It is determined through studies of nearby molecular clouds which offer spectral lines not visible at a greater distance. Then it is used with the observation of more distant CO spectral lines to estimate the mass of molecular clouds.


(interpretation,molecular cloud,CO,hydrogen,molecular hydrogen,ratio)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-factor_(astrophysics)
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013ARA%26A..51..207B/abstract
https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Sept13/Bolatto/Bolatto1.html
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983ApJ...274..231L/abstract

Referenced by pages:
carbon monoxide (CO)
hydrogen (H)
molecular cloud

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