Results of the ESO-SEST key programme: CO in the Magellanic Clouds VI. The 30 Doradus Complex

Abstract

We report observations of 12CO(1 ! 0) emission from molecular clouds in a complex extending 2 kpc south of 30 Dor in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The observations were taken on the Swedish-ESO Submillimetre Telescope (SEST) as part of the Key Programme: CO in the Magellanic Clouds. This paper presents observations of the emission from the Central and Southern parts of that complex. In both parts, the strongest emission has T A 4 K. This is a factor of 3 to 5 weaker than we would expect for MilkyWay GMCs observed at a distance of 50 kpc. In the Central region, the emission is dominated by a 600 pc long, slightly curved feature, which is clearly seen in peak and integrated intensity maps. When we look at this emission in 5 km s−1 velocity ranges, it breaks into 22 clouds whose sizes and line pro les look like that from Milky Way molecular clouds. The Southern region is clearly separated from the Central region, and its emission can be broken into 5 clouds.