The infrared dust bubble N22: an expanding HII region and the star
  formation around it
  Aims. To increase the observational samples of star formation around
expanding Hii regions, we analyzed the interstellar medium and star formation
around N22.
  Methods. We used data extracted from the seven large-scale surveys from
infrared to radio wavelengths. In addition we used the JCMT observations of the
J = 3-2 line of 12CO emission data released on CADC and the 12CO J = 2-1 and J
=3-2 lines observed by the KOSMA 3 m telescope. We performed a multiwavelength
study of bubble N22.
  Results. A molecular shell composed of several clumps agrees very well with
the border of N22, suggesting that its expansion is collecting the surrounding
material. The high integrated 12CO line intensity ratio (ranging from 0.7 to
1.14) implies that shocks have driven into the molecular clouds. We identify
eleven possible O-type stars inside the Hii region, five of which are located
in projection inside the cavity of the 20 cm radio continuum emission and are
probably the exciting-star candidates of N22. Twenty-nine YSOs (young stellar
objects) are distributed close to the dense cores of N22. We conclude that star
formation is indeed active around N22; the formation of most of YSOs may have
been triggered by the expanding of the Hii region. After comparing the
dynamical age of N22 and the fragmentation time of the molecular shell, we
suggest that radiation-driven compression of pre-existing dense clumps may be
ongoing.
