MOLECULAR CLOUDS TOWARD RCW49 AND WESTERLUND 2: EVIDENCE FOR CLUSTER FORMATION TRIGGERED BY CLOUD-CLOUD COLLISION

We have made CO(J = 2-1) observations toward the H II region RCW 49 and its ionizing source, the rich stellar cluster Westerlund 2, with the NANTEN2 submillimeter telescope. These observations have revealed that two molecular clouds in velocity ranges of-11 to + 9 km s(-1) and 11 to 21 km s-1, respectively, show remarkably good spatial correlations with the Spitzer IRAC mid-infrared image of RCW 49, as well a velocity structures indicative of localized expansion around the bright central regions and stellar cluster. This strongly suggests that the two clouds are physically associated with RCW 49. We obtain a new kinematic distance estimate to RCW 49 and Wd2 of 5.4(-1.4)(+1.1) kpc, based on the mean velocity and velocity spread of the associated gas. We argue that the acceleration of the gas by stellar winds from Westerlund 2 is insufficient to explain the entire observed velocity dispersion of the molecular gas, and suggest a scenario in which a collision between the two clouds similar to 4 Myr ago may have triggered the formation of the stellar cluster.