{
  "id": "astro-ph/9709043",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "1997-09-04T21:34:35.000Z",
  "updated": "1997-09-04T21:34:35.000Z",
  "title": "On the Distribution of Dust in the Large Magellanic Cloud",
  "authors": [
    "Jason Harris",
    "Dennis Zaritsky",
    "Ian Thompson"
  ],
  "comment": "44 pages, LaTeX, 17 Figures, accepted for publication in AJ",
  "doi": "10.1086/118615",
  "categories": [
    "astro-ph"
  ],
  "abstract": "We present a detailed map of the reddening in a 1.9 x 1.5 degree section of the Large Magellanic Cloud, constructed from UBVI photometry of 2069 O and B main sequence stars. We use two reddening-free photometric parameters to determine the line-of-sight reddening to these stars. We find <E(B-V)>=0.20 mag, with a non-Gaussian tail to high values. When the reddening is corrected for foreground Galactic extinction, we find <E(B-V)>=0.13 mag. The line-of- sight values are then interpolated onto a uniform grid with a local least- squares plane fitting routine to construct a reddening map of the region. We use the distribution of reddening values to constrain the line-of-sight geometry of stars and dust in the LMC, and to test and normalize a standard extinction correction for galaxy photometry. We attempt to distinguish between line-of-sight depth effects and structure in the dust distribution as possible causes for the observed differential reddening through this region. We conclude that our data are consistent with a vertical exponential distribution of stars and dust in the LMC, for which the dust scale height is twice that of the OB stars; that the dust distribution must be non- uniform (clumpy) to account for the full distribution of measured reddening values; and that the B-band optical depth through the observed region of the LMC is 0.69 < tau < 0.82.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "1997-09-04T21:34:35.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "large magellanic cloud",
      "dust distribution",
      "standard extinction correction",
      "reddening values",
      "squares plane fitting routine"
    ],
    "tags": [
      "journal article"
    ],
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "LaTeX",
      "pages": 44,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable",
      "inspire": 462052
    }
  }
}