2000A&AS..144..123W

We present a detailed study of the high latitude cloud MBM 32. Observations were made in the J=(1-0), (2-1), and (3-2) transitions of ¹²CO and in ¹³CO(1-0) and (2-1). These data were complemented by 21 cm HI data and by IRAS 60 and 100 µm data. Our data show that MBM 32 consists of a main cloud component at V_lsr>2km/s (mass about 16.9M_☉), and a smaller component at V_lsr<0km/s (4.1M_☉), in addition to some emission in between those two velocities (<0.5M_☉). We study the gas distribution and the CO line ratios within MBM 32, the latter also along a cut through both cloud components. We find that the ratios of different rotational transitions are constant within each cloud part. Only the ratio ¹²CO(1-0)/¹³CO(1-0) is lower in the cloud center. This suggests equal excitation conditions through MBM32 and line temperatures determined through clump filling factors. All CO components show associated HI emission, but small velocity differences of typically 1km/s exist between the HI and CO gas. The mass of associated HI gas is similar to the molecular mass for all components. There is a good correlation between FIR, CO, and HI emission. The dust mass is about 0.073M_☉, and the ratio of gas and dust mass (280) is lower than found from similar (IRAS) data for denser clouds, suggesting that the amount of dust colder than 20K is relatively small. We subdivide the CO data cubes in Gaussian shaped clumps; 40-50% of the CO emission can be assigned to the larger clumps. The remaining emission comes from either more extended clumps or from overlapping unresolved clumps.