We propose deep [CII] mapping of atomic-gas dominated regions in several nearby galaxies. These regions represent interstellar medium conditions that have not yet been explored with Herschel or any other facility and will remain unexplored in the foreseeable future if they are not observed with Herschel in OT2. We will use the proposed [CII] observations to measure the ISM heating rate and constrain the heat source in regions where the photoelectric effect driven by ultraviolet photons from young stars does not dominate. These observations are crucial for characterizing the low surface brightness [CII] emission, which is potentially an important contributor to the total [CII] emission from galaxies.
Publication
Instrument
PACS_PacsLineSpec_large
Temporal Coverage
2013-04-13T18:30:33Z/2013-04-15T10:52:51Z
Version
SPG v14.2.0
Mission Description
Herschel was launched on 14 May 2009! It is the fourth 'cornerstone' mission in the ESA science programme. With a 3.5 m Cassegrain telescope it is the largest space telescope ever launched. It is performing photometry and spectroscopy in approximately the 55-671 µm range, bridging the gap between earlier infrared space missions and groundbased facilities.
