Scheda MOLMAP FINAL




Informazioni generali

Mapping Molecular Clouds: Unraveling Star Formation in the Milky Way and Beyond

MOLMAP

Progetto

Progetto

RSN2

RSN1

Attività: Nuova; Data inizio: 2024; Data fine: 2026

andrea.giannetti andrea.giannetti@inaf.it

La Outer Galaxy High Resolution Survey (OGHReS) segna una svolta nello studio del mezzo interstellare molecolare, che porterà ad una migliore comprensione dell'evoluzione delle galassie e dei processi di formazione stellare (FS). Con la survey gemella SEDIGISM, dedicata alla parte interna della Galassia, OGHReS offre una prospettiva completa e uniforme del gas molecolare nel disco galattico, affinando l'immagine globale della MW come motore di FS e fungendo da ponte con gli studi di galassie esterne. OGHReS definisce importanti riferimenti per i modelli di evoluzione della polvere, consentendo inoltre di comprendere l'interazione tra l'ambiente galattico e i processi di formazione delle nubi molecolari e delle stelle, ponendo una base per interpretare fenomeni simili in altre galassie.

The completion of the Outer Galaxy High Resolution Survey (OGHReS) marks a major milestone in the study of the molecular ISM, enhancing our comprehension of galaxy evolution and SF processes, serving as a crucial bridge between studies of the MW and other galaxies.
With its twin survey SEDIGISM, targeting the inner Galaxy, OGHReS offers a comprehensive and uniform view of the molecular gas in the galactic disk, refining the global picture of the MW as a SF engine.
It will be crucial to understand the interplay between the galactic environment and the cloud- and SF processes, laying solid foundations for comprehending similar phenomena in external galaxies, while also establishing robust benchmarks for models of dust evolution, through the dependence of the gas-to-dust ratio on metallicity.

Mezzo interstellare, formazione di stelle e sistemi planetari


Team Summary

15. Personale INAF coinvolto
Numero di partecipanti INAF al progetto: 6
Struttura Nfte N0 TI 2024 TI 2025 TI 2026 TD 2024 TD 2025 TD 2026 Nex Extra
IRA BOLOGNA 1 0 0.40 0.40 0.40 0 0 0 0 0.00
IAPS ROMA 1 0 0.20 0.20 0.20 0 0 0 0 0.00
O.A. CAGLIARI 1 0 0.20 0.20 0.20 0 0 0 0 0.00
O.A. ARCETRI 1 0 0.30 0.30 0.30 0 0 0 0 0.00
Totali 4 0 1.10 1.10 1.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0 0.00

Fondi a sostegno

21. Totale fondi a disposizione (dato aggregato, k€)
Certi 2024 Certi 2025 Certi 2026 Presunti 2024 Presunti 2025 Presunti 2026
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Produzione scientifica e tecnologica

22. Produzione scientifica e tecnologica - Highlights
# DOI Descrizione Azione
1 10.1051/0004-6361/201731728 Title: Galactocentric variation of the gas-to-dust ratio and its relation with metallicity Authors: Giannetti, A., Leurini, S., König, C., Urquhart, J. S., Pillai, T., Brand, J., Kauffmann, J., Wyrowski, F., & Menten, K. M. Year: 2017 Journal: Astronomy & Astrophysics, 606, L12 Abstract: Context. The assumption of a gas-to-dust mass ratio γ is a common approach to estimate the basic properties of molecular clouds, such as total mass and column density of molecular hydrogen, from (sub)mm continuum observations of the dust. In the Milky Way a single value is used at all galactocentric radii, independently of the observed metallicity gradients. Both models and extragalactic observations suggest that this quantity increases for decreasing metallicity Z, typical of the outer regions in disks, where fewer heavy elements are available to form dust grains. Aims: We aim to investigate the variation of the gas-to-dust ratio as a function of galactocentric radius and metallicity, to allow a more accurate characterisation of the quantity of molecular gas across the galactic disk, as derived from observations of the dust. Methods: Observations of the optically thin C18O (2-1) transition were obtained with the APEX telescope for a sample of 23 massive and dense star-forming regions in the far outer Galaxy (galactocentric distance greater than 14 kpc). From the modelling of this line and of the spectral energy distribution of the selected clumps we computed the gas-to-dust ratio and compared it to that of well-studied sources from the ATLASGAL TOP100 sample in the inner galactic disk. Results: The gradient in γ is found to be 0.087+0.047-0.025 dex kpc-1 (or equivalently γ ∝ Z-1.4+0.3-1.0). The dust-to-metal ratio, decreases with galactocentric radius, which is the most common situation also for external late-type galaxies. This suggests that grain growth dominates over destruction. The predicted γ is in excellent agreement with the estimates in Magellanic clouds, for the appropriate value of Z.
2 10.1093/mnras/stad3983 Title: OGHReS: star formation in the outer galaxy (ℓ = 250°–280°) Authors: Urquhart, J. S., König, C., Colombo, D., Karska, A., Wyrowski, F., Menten, K. M., Moore, T. J. T., Brand, J., Elia, D., Giannetti, A., Leurini, S., Figueira, M., Lee, M.-Y., & Dumke, M. Year: 2024 Journal: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 528(3), 4746–4759
3 10.1051/0004-6361/202140469 Title: Establishing the evolutionary timescales of the massive star formation process through chemistry. Authors: Sabatini, G., Bovino, S., Giannetti, A., Grassi, T., Brand, J., Schisano, E., Wyrowski, F., Leurini, S., & Menten, K. M. Year: 2021 Journal: Astronomy & Astrophysics, 652, A71
4 10.1093/mnras/staa2480 Title: The SEDIGISM survey: molecular clouds in the inner Galaxy Authors: Duarte-Cabral, A., Colombo, D., Urquhart, J. S., Ginsburg, A., Russeil, D., Schuller, F., Anderson, L. D., Barnes, P. J., Beltrán, M. T., Beuther, H., Bontemps, S., Bronfman, L., Csengeri, T., Dobbs, C. L., Eden, D., Giannetti, A., Kauffmann, J., et al. Year: 2020 Journal: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 500(3), 3027–3049
5 10.1093/mnras/stx2258 Title: ATLASGAL – properties of a complete sample of Galactic clumps Authors: Urquhart, J. S., König, C., Giannetti, A., Leurini, S., Moore, T. J. T., Eden, D. J., Pillai, T., Thompson, M. A., Braiding, C., Burton, M. G., Csengeri, T., Dempsey, J. T., Figura, C., Froebrich, D., Menten, K. M., Schuller, F., Smith, M. D., & Wyrowski, F. Year: 2018 Journal: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 473(1), 1059–1102
6 10.1051/0004-6361/201628933 Title: SEDIGISM: Structure, excitation, and dynamics of the inner Galactic interstellar medium Authors: Schuller, F., Csengeri, T., Urquhart, J. S., Duarte-Cabral, A., Barnes, P. J., Giannetti, A., Hernandez, A. K., Leurini, S., Mattern, M., Medina, S.-N. X., Agurto, C., Azagra, F., Anderson, L. D., Beltrán, M. T., Beuther, H., Bontemps, S., Bronfman, L., Dobbs, C. L., Dumke, M. et al. Year: 2017 Journal: Astronomy & Astrophysics, 601, A124
7 10.1051/0004-6361/201423692 Title: ATLASGAL-selected massive clumps in the inner Galaxy Authors: Giannetti, A., Wyrowski, F., Brand, J., Csengeri, T., Fontani, F., Walmsley, C. M., Nguyen Luong, Q., Beuther, H., Schuller, F., Güsten, R., & Menten, K. M. Year: 2014 Journal: Astronomy & Astrophysics, 570, A65
8 10.1051/0004-6361/201731020 Title: Radial distribution of dust, stars, gas, and star-formation rate in DustPedia face-on galaxies Authors: Casasola, V., Cassarà, L. P., Bianchi, S., et al. Year: 2017 Journal: Astronomy & Astrophysics, 605, A18
9 10.1051/0004-6361/202141287 Title: The SEDIGISM survey: The influence of spiral arms on the molecular gas distribution of the inner Milky Way Authors: Colombo, D., Duarte-Cabral, A., Pettitt, A. R., Urquhart, J. S., Wyrowski, F., et al. Year: 2022 Journal: Astronomy & Astrophysics, 658, A54
10 10.1093/mnras/stab3511 Title: ATLASGAL – evolutionary trends in high-mass star formation Authors: Urquhart, J. S., Wells, M. R. A., Pillai, T., Leurini, S., Giannetti, A., et al. Year: 2022 Journal: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 510(3), 3389–3407



Informazioni Pubbliche

<p align="justify">Star formation; Galaxy environments; Spiral arms; Astrochemistry; Chemical abundances; Dense interstellar clouds; Protostars; Young stellar objects;&nbsp; Interstellar clouds; Interstellar dust; Interstellar molecules; Observational astronomy; Interferometers; Computational astronomy; Astronomy data visualization; Astronomical methods; Millimeter astronomy; Submillimeter astronomy; Infrared astronomy<br></p><p></p>

<p>INAF has been at the forefront of reshaping our perspective of the Milky Way as a star formation (SF) engine. By leading the revolutionary Hi-GAL survey and the VIALACTEA project, INAF has catalyzed some of the major advancements in characterizing and understanding the processes driving SF within our Galaxy, with a particular focus on the role of dust.<br><br>The OGHReS and SEDIGISM projects deliver a much-needed complementary view, by providing complete high-resolution observations of the molecular gas in the galactic disk. Only now, with all the necessary ingredients, is it possible to lift the veil on the interplay between molecular clouds, SF, dust, and the galactic environment.<br><br>INAF has been at the forefront in leading surveys of the galactic plane, developing a deep internal competence in the aforementioned lines of research, and in their management. Leveraging this experience and the leadership of the OGHReS chemistry group, our team stands as a beacon of excellence for undertaking this ambitious project.</p>

<p>ALMA; APEX; LMT; Herschel; Spitzer; Draco cluster (UNAM);&nbsp;Mouruka cluster (UNAM); Pleiadi cluster (INAF-IRA)<br></p>


15. Team members, Informazioni generali


15. Personale INAF coinvolto

# Nome E-mail Struttura TI Qualifica Ruolo nel Progetto FTE Impegnate (2024/2025/2026) FTE Presunte (2024/2025/2026) Extra
1 andrea.giannetti andrea.giannetti@inaf.it IRA BOLOGNA Y RICERCATORE PI, Scrum Master, Lead Stream 1 & 2 X X X X X X X OK
2 eugenio.schisano eugenio.schisano@inaf.it IAPS ROMA Y RICERCATORE Developer Stream 1 & 3 X X X X X X X OK
3 silvia.leurini silvia.leurini@inaf.it O.A. CAGLIARI Y PRIMO RICERCATORE Developer Stream 1 & 2, lead outreach X X X X X X X OK
4 fabrizio.massi fabrizio.massi@inaf.it O.A. ARCETRI Y PRIMO RICERCATORE Developer Stream 1 & 3 X X X X X X X OK
5 viviana.casasola viviana.casasola@inaf.it IRA BOLOGNA Y RICERCATORE Developer Stream 1 & 3 X X X X X X X OK
6 davide.elia davide.elia@inaf.it IAPS ROMA Y PRIMO RICERCATORE Developer Stream 2 & 3 X X X X X X X OK

16. Personale Associato INAF coinvolto

# Nome E-mail Struttura TI Qualifica Ruolo nel Progetto FTE Impegnate (2024/2025/2026) FTE Presunte (2024/2025/2026) Extra

21. Fondi a Sostegno Iniziativa

Estimate of the funds to acquire to support the project over the two years. It includes personnel (2 postdoc), hardware, travel expenses, and consumables.


Tabella fondi:

# Provenienza Certi 2024 (k€) Certi 2025 (k€) Certi 2026 (k€) Presun. 2024 (k€) Presun. 2025 (k€) Presun. 2026 (k€) Totale Certi (k€) Totale Presunti (k€)
1 INAF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 UK 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


Tabella fondi Astrofisica Fondamentale e PNRR:
# Provenienza Fondi 2024 (€) Fondi 2025 (€) Fondi 2026 (€)