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[63.50] Spitzer/MIPS Pilot Survey of the Galactic Plane

R. Shah, J. Jackson (Boston University)

We present the first results of our pilot 24 micron Spitzer Space Telescope survey of the Galactic plane. Our survey covers 5~deg² within 41.^o5< l<46.^o5 and -1^oo a region, which includes cold quiescent clouds, active star--formation and inter-arm material. The 24 micron survey complements existing imaging from 1mm to 3.6 microns and allows us to separate warmer dust identified in the mid--IR from cooler dust observed in the mm and sub-mm.

We find ~25000 24 micron point sources in the survey region. Cross-correlation with the GLIMPSE point source archive indicates that nearly 50% of our sources have high quality (SNR>10) IRAC (3.6, 4.5, 5.8 and 8.0 microns) counterparts. These sources include main sequence and AGB stars, young protostars, and circumstellar disks. Samples of known sources of various classes show that they can be separated into distinct regions of MIPS/IRAC color-color space.

A key aspect of this project will be obtaining distances toward discrete 24 micron sources using the BU-FCRAO ¹³CO Galactic Ring Survey (GRS). The combination of our survey, GRS, and GLIMPSE reveals many interesting sources, including the radio/x-ray bright supernova remnant, 3C397. Strong 24 micron emission from 3C397 and the absence of any corresponding emission from the remaining Spitzer bands suggests the presence of line emission from the [O IV] 25.89 micron ground state ²P_1/2⁰-²P_3/2⁰ transition.

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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #4
© 2005. The American Astronomical Soceity.