Far-ultraviolet Observations of the Taurus-Perseus-Auriga Complex
  We have constructed a far-ultraviolet (FUV) continuum map of the
Taurus-Auriga-Perseus complex, one of the largest local associations of dark
clouds, by merging the two data sets of GALEX and FIMS, which made observations
at similar wavelengths. The FUV intensity varies significantly across the whole
region, but the diffuse FUV continuum is dominated by dust scattering of
stellar photons. A diffuse FUV background of $\sim$1000 CU is observed, part of
which may be attributable to the scattered photons of foreground FUV light,
located in front of the thick clouds. The fluorescent emission of molecular
hydrogen constitutes $\sim$10% of the total FUV intensity throughout the
region, generally proportional to the local continuum level. We have developed
a Monte Carlo radiative transfer code and applied it to the present clouds
complex to obtain the optical properties of dust grains and the geometrical
structures of the clouds. The albedo and the phase function asymmetry factor
were estimated to be $0.42^{+0.05}_{-0.05}$, and $0.47^{+0.11}_{-0.27}$,
respectively, in accordance with theoretical estimations as well as recent
observations. The distance and thickness of the four prominent clouds in this
complex were estimated using a single slab model applied individually to each
cloud. The results obtained were in good agreement with those from other
observations in the case of the Taurus cloud, as its geometrical structure is
rather simple. For other clouds, which were observed to have multiple
components, the results gave distances and thicknesses encompassing all
components of each cloud. The distance and thickness estimations were not
crucially sensitive to the exact values of the albedo and the phase function
asymmetry factor, while the locations of the bright field stars relative to the
clouds as initial photon sources seem to be the most important factor in the
process of fitting.
