Probing the global dust properties and cluster formation potential of the giant molecular cloud G148.24+00.41

Clouds more massive than about 10(5) M-circle dot are potential sites of massive cluster formation. Studying the properties of such clouds in the early stages of their evolution offers an opportunity to test various cluster formation processes. We make use of CO, Herschel, and UKIDSS observations to study one such cloud, G148.24+00.41. Our results show the cloud to be of high mass (similar to 1.1 x10(5) M-circle dot), low dust temperature (similar to 14.5 K), nearly circular (projected radius similar to 26 pc), and gravitationally bound with a dense gas fraction of similar to 18 per cent and a density profile with a power-law index of similar to-1.5. Comparing its properties with those of nearby molecular clouds, we find that G148.24+00.41 is comparable to the Orion-A molecular cloud in terms of mass, size, and dense gas fraction. From our analyses, we find that the central area of the cloud is actively forming protostars and is moderately fractal with a Q-value of similar to 0.66. We also find evidence of global mass-segregation with a degree of mass-segregation (Lambda(MSR)) approximate to 3.2. We discuss these results along with the structure and compactness of the cloud, the spatial and temporal distribution of embedded stellar population and their correlation with the cold dust distribution, in the context of high-mass cluster formation. We compare our results with models of star cluster formation, and conclude that the cloud has the potential to form a cluster in the mass range similar to 2000-3000 M-circle dot through dynamical hierarchical collapse and assembly of both gas and stars.

Automated summary

Studying the properties of clouds in the early stages of their evolution provides an opportunity to test cluster formation processes. By analyzing the CO, Herschel, and UKIDSS observations of cloud G148.24+00.41, we find that it is a high mass, low dust temperature cloud with a nearly circular shape. Comparing its properties with nearby molecular clouds, we determine that it is similar to the Orion-A molecular cloud in terms of mass, size, and dense gas fraction. Our analysis also suggests that the cloud has the potential to form a cluster in the mass range of 2000-3000 M-circle dot through hierarchical collapse and assembly of gas and stars.