Mid-infrared imaging and spectroscopy of the southern HII region RCW 38

We present mid-infrared images and an 8–13 μ m spectrum of the southern Hii region RCW 38. We determine the dust colour temperature from both our spectrum and images at 10 and 20 μ m, and deduce the gas excitation from an image in the [Siv] fine-structure line, as well as spectra of the [Ariii], [Siv] and [Neii] fine-structure lines. Our observations are consistent with a complex of sources associ...