Probing the Distinct Extinction Law of the Pillars of Creation in M16 with JWST

Abstract

Investigating the extinction law in regions of high dust extinction, such as the Pillars of Creation within the M16 region, is crucial for understanding the densest parts of the interstellar medium (ISM). In this study, we utilize observations from the Near-Infrared Camera and the Mid-Infrared Instrument onboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to analyze the color-excess ratios E (F090W − λ )/ E (F090W − F200W) across a wavelength range of 0.9–7.7 μ m. Our method involves performing linear regression on color–color diagrams to derive these ratios. The enhanced detection capabilities of JWST data allow us to probe the distinct extinction law to the densest regions in M16 corresponding to an extinction depth up to A _V ∼ 60 mag. Remarkably, the resultant color-excess ratio curve exhibits a flatter profile than predicted by typical dust extinction models with R _V = 5.5 for dense ISM environments. Moreover, we observe that the mid-infrared extinction law diverges from the near-infrared power law, showing a tendency for the slope to flatten as the wavelength increases. These findings have significant implications for our understanding of the dust properties in dense interstellar environments.

Keywords

• Reddening law
• Interstellar extinction
• Interstellar dust
• Dense interstellar clouds