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(Abridged) Studying continuum emission from interstellar dust is essential to locate and characterize the highest density regions in the interstellar medium. In particular, the early stages of massive star formation are still mysterious. Our goal is to produce a large scale, systematic database of massive pre- and proto-stellar clumps in the Galaxy, in order to better understand how and under what conditions star formation takes place. A well characterized sample of star-forming sites will deliver an evolutionary sequence and a mass function of high-mass star-forming clumps. Such a systematic survey at submm wavelengths also represents a pioneering work in preparation for Herschel and ALMA. The APEX telescope is ideally located to observe the inner Milky Way. The recently commissioned Large APEX Bolometer Camera (LABOCA) is a 295-element bolometer array observing at 870 microns, with a beam of 19". Taking advantage of its large field of view (11.4') and excellent sensitivity, we have started an unbiased survey of the Galactic Plane, with a noise level of 50-70 mJy/beam: the APEX Telescope Large Area Survey of the Galaxy (ATLASGAL). As a first step, we have covered 95 sq. deg. These data reveal 6000 compact sources brighter than 0.25 Jy, as well as extended structures, many of them filamentary. About two thirds of the compact sources have no bright infrared counterpart, and some of them are likely to correspond to the precursors of (high-mass) proto-stars or proto-clusters. Other compact sources harbor hot cores, compact HII regions or young embedded clusters. Assuming a typical distance of 5 kpc, most sources are clumps smaller than 1 pc with masses from a few 10 to a few 100 M_sun. In this introductory paper, we show preliminary results from these ongoing observations, and discuss the perspectives of the survey.

Aims. Our aim is to determine the distance of outer Galaxy star-forming complexes in order to model the kinematic structure of our Galaxy.Methods. We searched for exciting star(s) of HII regions, with poor or unknown stellar distance, in the second and third galactic quadrants. We carried out spectroscopic and photometric (when necessary) observations in order to establish their spectral type and their U , B and V magnitudes. From these data, complemented with literature data, we determine the spectro-photometric distance of their associated complexes.Results. We (re)established the stellar distance of 23 star forming complexes. Reinvestigating the kinematics of the Perseus and Cygnus arms, we determined the velocity departures from circular rotation and we interpreted them as streaming motions in the spiral arms. Indeed, in addition to the Perseus arm where such departures were known for a long time, we added evidence for velocity deviations in the Cygnus arm. Most significant is that we found the opposite sign for these departures in the Perseus and Cygnus arms, which suggests that the co-rotation radius is located between these two arms at ~13 kpc from the galactic center.

Our aim is to compare the infrared properties of big, ``classical'' dust grains with visual extinction in the cloud L1642. In particular, we study the differences of grain emissivity between diffuse and dense regions in the cloud. The far-infrared properties of dust are based on large-scale 100um and 200um maps. Extinction through the cloud has been derived by using the star count method at B- and I-bands, and color excess method at J, H and Ks bands. Radiative transfer calculations have been used to study the effects of increasing absorption cross-section on the far-infrared emission and dust temperature. Dust emissivity, measured by the ratio of far-infrared optical depth to visual extinction, tau(far-IR)/A(V), increases with decreasing dust temperature in L1642. There is about two-fold increase of emissivity over the dust temperature range of 19K-14K. Radiative transfer calculations show that in order to explain the observed decrease of dust temperature towards the centre of L1642 an increase of absorption cross-section of dust at far-IR is necessary.This temperature decrease cannot be explained solely by the attenuation of interstellar radiation field. Increased absorption cross-section manifests itself also as an increased emissivity. We find that, due to temperature effects, the apparent value of optical depth tau(far-IR), derived from 100um and 200um intensities, is always lower than the true optical depth., 11 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A

Fossil groups are galaxy structures that probably underwent a nearly complete fusion of all intermediate magnitude galaxies into a single large central dominant galaxy. However, the formation and evolution processes of these structures are still not well understood. In order to test this scenario and its implications we studied the fossil group RXJ1119.7+2126, based on available spectroscopy of the galaxies in the low density large scale region around the fossil group and deep B and R band imaging of its close vicinity and three comparison fields. We used spectroscopic data to investigate the degree of isolation of RXJ1119.7+2126 in terms of bright neighbour galaxies. The imaging data were used to derive the color magnitude relation and select faint galaxies statistically belonging to this structure. The structure appears as a very isolated group exhibiting a red sequence in the color magnitude relation with characteristics close to the red sequences already observed for other fossil groups. All these results can be interpreted consistently in the framework of the building up process generally proposed for fossil groups., Comment: Accepted in A&A, based on OHP data (Carelec 193 and CCD 120), still not A&A english-improved

The Galactic plane has been observed between l= 330 to l= 336 as part of a velocity resolved H survey of the southern Milky Way using a scaning Fabry-Perot on a 36 cm telescope. The detailed analysis of the resultant H profiles reveals the presence of several layers of ionized gas with different velocities over the surveyed region. We have studied in detail both the 2-D spatial and velocity structure of the HII regions RCW102, RCW104 and RCW106. Combining these H observations with stellar and radio data we provide estimates for the most probable distances of these different layers. The first layer at -5 km is local emission linked to the Sco-Cen association at 170 pc. The next layer, around -24 km , is at 1.9 kpc and traces the near section of the Sagittarius-Carina arm. Well connected to the Sagittarius-Carina arm portions traced in the adjacent regions (l= 328 and l= 338 area), the arm, in this longitude range, clearly shows and confirms the departure from a logarithmic spiral. The Scutum-Crux arm is also traced in this area by faint and diffuse emission at -40 km which can be placed at 3.2 kpc. The layer at -52 km is the major spiral-arm feature of the studied area; its most probable stellar distance is 4.2 kpc. An important emission component is also observed at -65 km in the southern part of the surveyed area. This mainly patchy and filamentary emission we identify as the possible optical counterpart of a supernovae remnant centered at l= 332.0, b=-3.2. Finally, two complexes have been determined around 12.5 kpc which places them in the far section of the Norma arm

We have performed a large-scale mapping of the high-latitude, moderate extinction dark cloud L 1642 with ISO (Infrared Space Observatory) at 200 μm to study the properties of dust, the virial equilibrium condition of the cloud, and their relation to star formation. The cloud consists of three denser regions which are connected by diffuse material. Only one of the regions, the one most massive and with the greatest optical depth, is related to a temperature mimimum. The pre-main sequence binary stars IRAS 04325-1419 and IRAS 04327-1419, probably born within the cloud, are located close to this temperature mimimum coinciding with the column density maximum. The minimum dust temperature is ∼13.8 K. The ratio 2E kin /|E pot | for the star-forming region is about 1.2, and thus it is close to being gravitationally bound. However, the other regions are not gravitationally bound. On a 1'-10' spatial scale the radial density distributions, derived from far-infared optical depth maps, are similar between the star-forming and non star-forming regions. The differences that distinguish the star-forming core appear to be its higher density and lower dust temperature.

We present 12 CO(1-0), 12 CO(2-1) and/or 13 CO(1-0) observations, obtained with the 15 m SEST telescope, in the direction of 252 southern HII regions located within 2 ◦ of the galactic plane and in the interval 280 ◦ < l < 355 ◦ . The data presented here are an important contribution to the study of the large scale structure of our Galaxy (not discussed here) as molecular information is part of the multi-wavelength study of the galactic plane. We used kinematical criteria to distinguish between lines associated with HII regions and non-associated ones. We find that HII regions are associated with molecular lines exhibiting a line-width larger than 2.5 km s −1 . From a kinematical point of view we find that the velocity difference (Vco-VHII) peaks at 0 km s −1 . Non-associated CO lines with the same kinematics as diffuse Hα emission (the Warm Interstellar Medium) are used to extract some statistical properties encountered in this more diffuse medium. We can determine the velocity of the three diffuse ionised gas layers detected in Hα: −3.6, −26. 5a nd−45. 5k m s −1 .

The high latitude translucent molecular cloud L1642 has been mapped in the J=1-0 and J=2-1 transitions of 12CO, 13CO and C18O using the SEST radio telescope. We have analysed the morphology and velocity structure of the cloud using the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) method. The results show that L1642 is composed of a main structure at radial velocity 0.2 km/s while the higher velocity components at ~0.5 and 1.0 km/s form an incomplete ring around it, suggesting an expanding shell structure. Fainter emission extends to the north with a still higher velocity of up to 1.6 km/s. Such a velocity structure suggests an elongated morphology in the line of sight direction. The physical properties of the cloud have been investigated assuming LTE conditions, but non-LTE radiative transfer models are also constructed for the 13CO observations. We confirm that L1642 follows an r^-1 density distribution in its outer parts while the distribution is considerably flatter in the core. The cloud is close to virial equilibrium. In an Appendix the PMF results are compared with the view obtained through the analysis of channel maps and by the use of Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Both PMF and PCA present the observations as a linear combination of basic spectral shapes that are extracted from the data. Comparison of the methods shows that the PMF method in particular is able to produce a presentation of the complex velocity that is both compact and easily interpreted.

We have carried out a multiwavelength study of the plane of our Galaxy in order to establish a star-forming-complex catalogue which is as complete as possible. Features observed include H, H109, CO, the radio continuum and absorption lines. For each complex we have determined the position, the systemic velocity, the kinematic distance and, when possible, the stellar distance and the corresponding uncertainties. All of these parameters were determined as homogeneously as possible, in particular all the stellar distances have been (re)calculated with the same calibration and the kinematic distances with the same mean Galactic rotation curve. Through the complexes with stellar distance determination, a rotation curve has been fitted. It is in good agreement with the one of Brand & Blitz (1993). We also investigated the residual velocities relative to the circular rotation model. We find that departures exist over large areas of the arms, with dierent values from one arm to another. From our data and in good agreement with previous studies, the Galactic warp is observed. It does not seem correlated with the departures from circular rotation. Finally, as segment-like features are noted from the complexes' distribution, we tried to find if they are indicative of a larger underlying structure. Then, we attempted to interpret the complexes' distribution in terms of spiral structure by fitting models with two, three and four logarithmic spiral arms. The four-arm model seems more appropriate to represent the grand design of our Galaxy. In this model the Norma arm and the external arm appear as being the two extremities of a single arm called the Norma-Cygnus arm. The new data and fitted model confirm the four-segment model of Georgelin & Georgelin (1976), clarifying the arms' design and extension and doubling their known length.

International audience; Aims: NGC 6334 and NGC 6357 are amongst the most active, optically visible Galactic star-forming complexes. They are composed of several H ii regions that have a significant impact on their surrounding. The aim of this paper is to present a kinematic study of the optical H ii regions that belong to NGC 6334 and NGC 6357. Methods: We use Fabry-Perot interferometer observations of the Hα line, which cover NGC 6334 and NGC 6357. These observations allow us to analyse the Hα line profiles to probe the kinematics of the ionised gas of both regions. We complement the Hα observations with multi-wavelength data to specify the nature of the H ii regions. Results: We determine the dynamical nature of the optical H ii regions that belongs to NGC 6334 and NGC 6357. In NGC 6334, GUM 61 is an expanding wind shell-like H ii region, GUM 64b exhibits a champagne flow, GM1-24 is the Hα counterpart of two larger regions and H ii 351.2+0.5 is, in fact, composed of two H ii regions. In NGC 6357, H ii 353.08+0.28 and H ii 353.09+0.63 are probably stellar wind-shaped bubble H ii regions, while H ii 353.42+0.45 is a classical photo-ionised H ii region. We suggest that, at large scale, star-formation seems to be triggered where large/old H ii regions intersect. Inversely, stellar formation seems to have already started in the NGC 6334 north-east filament, irrespective of any evident external H ii region impact. While NGC 6357 shows more complicated kinematics, NGC 6334 is characterised by a more active stellar formation.The Hα data (FITS cubes) are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/587/A135

We investigate the star formation activity in the molecular complex associated with the Galactic HII region Sh2-90, using radio-continuum maps obtained at 1280 MHz and 610 MHz, Herschel Hi-GAL observations at 70 -- 500 microns, and deep near-infrared observation at JHK bands, along with Spitzer observations. Sh2-90 presents a bubble morphology in the mid-IR (size ~ 0.9 pc x 1.6 pc). Radio observations suggest it is an evolved HII region with an electron density ~ 144 cm^-3, emission measure ~ 6.7 x 10^4 cm^-6 pc and a ionized mass ~ 55 Msun. From Hi-GAL observations it is found that the HII region is part of an elongated extended molecular cloud (size ~ 5.6 pc x 9.7 pc, H_2 column density >= 3 x 10^21 cm^-2 and dust temperature 18 -- 27 K) of total mass >= 1 x 10^4 Msun. We identify the ionizing cluster of Sh2-90, the main exciting star being an O8--O9 V star. Five cold dust clumps (mass ~ 8 -- 95 Msun), four mid-IR blobs around B stars, and a compact HII region are found at the edge of the bubble.The velocity information derived from CO (J=3-2) data cubes suggests that most of them are associated with the Sh2-90 region. 129 YSOs are identified (Class I, Class II, and near-IR excess sources). The majority of the YSOs are low mass (= 15 Msun. We suggest multi-generation star formation is present in the complex. From the evidences of interaction, the time scales involved and the evolutionary status of stellar/protostellar sources, we argue that the star formation at the immediate border/edges of Sh2-90 might have been triggered by the expanding HII region. However, several young sources in this complex are probably formed by some other processes., 22 pages, 22 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

International audience; Faint high-latitude carbon stars (FHLCs) are distant, luminous giants. For this reason, they are often used to study the dynamical and chemical properties of the Galactic Halo. However, a more accurate investigation of photometric and spectroscopic surveys has revealed an increasing number of such objects with luminosities of main sequence stars. We report the first results of a systematic search of FHLCs using the Digitized First Byurakan Survey (DFBS) low-resolution spectral database. The DFBS low-resolution spectral plates are analysed to find new faint early and late-type carbon star candidates. Twenty new faint high-latitude carbon star candidates have been detected in an area of ∼4030 sq. deg. Moderate-resolution slit spectroscopy was carried out for all candidates, confirming the carbon star nature for thirteen of them (nine are new discoveries), while the remaining objects are M-type stars. The carbon star sample consists of five N-type carbon stars, for which the estimated mass-loss rates agree well with the typical ones found for such carbon stars; five comparatively bright CH-type carbon stars; and three are probably dwarf carbon (dC) stars. The distance determination indicates that the dwarf carbon stars belong to the thin disk, while the other stars belong the Galactic halo. These results demonstrate that one can efficiently find new faint high-latitude carbon star in the Digitized First Byurakan Survey database.

The study of intracluster light can help us to understand the mechanisms taking place in galaxy clusters, and to place constraints on the cluster formation history and physical properties. However, owing to the intrinsic faintness of ICL emission, most searches and detailed studies of ICL have been limited to redshifts z, Comment: Accepted in A&A. Six figures in jpg format. Paper still to be improved by A&A english corrector