ABSTRACT. Hi-GAL, the Herschel infrared Galactic Plane Survey, is an Open Time Key Project of the Herschel Space Observatory. It will make an unbiased photometric survey of the inner Galactic plane by mapping a 2°wide strip in the longitude range |l| < 60°in five wavebands between 70 μm and 500 μm. The aim of Hi-GAL is to detect the earliest phases of the formation of molecular clouds and high-mass stars and to use the optimum combination of Herschel wavelength coverage, sensitivity, mapping strategy, and speed to deliver a homogeneous census of starforming regions and cold structures in the interstellar medium. The resulting representative samples will yield the variation of source temperature, luminosity, mass and age in a wide range of Galactic environments at all scales from massive YSOs in protoclusters to entire spiral arms, providing an evolutionary sequence for the formation of intermediate and high-mass stars. This information is essential to the formulation of a predictive global model of the role of environment and feedback in regulating the star-formation process. Such a model is vital to understanding star formation on galactic scales and in the early universe. Hi-GAL will also provide a science legacy for decades to come with incalculable potential for systematic and serendipitous science in a wide range of astronomical fields, enabling the optimum use of future major facilities such as JWST and ALMA.

Context. Despite their profound effect on the universe, the formation of massive stars and stellar clusters remains elusive. Recent advances in observing facilities and computing power have brought us closer to understanding this formation process. In the past decade, compelling evidence has emerged that suggests infrared dark clouds (IRDCs) may be precursors to stellar clusters. However, the usual method for identifying IRDCs is biased by the requirement that they are seen in absorption against background mid-IR emission, whereas dust continuum observations allow cold, dense pre-stellar-clusters to be identified anywhere. Aims. We aim to understand what dust temperatures and column densities characterize and distinguish IRDCs, to explore the population of dust continuum sources that are not IRDCs, and to roughly characterize the level of star formation activity in these dust continuum sources. Methods. We use Hi-GAL 70 to 500 μm data to identify dust continuum sources in the = 30 • and = 59 • Hi-GAL science demonstration phase (SDP) fields, to characterize and subtract the Galactic cirrus emission, and perform pixel-by-pixel modified blackbody fits on cirrus-subtracted Hi-GAL sources. We utilize archival Spitzer data to indicate the level of star-forming activity in each pixel, from mid-IR-dark to mid-IR-bright. Results. We present temperature and column density maps in the Hi-GAL = 30 • and = 59 • SDP fields, as well as a robust algorithm for cirrus subtraction and source identification using Hi-GAL data. We report on the fraction of Hi-GAL source pixels which are mid-IR-dark, mid-IR-neutral, or mid-IR-bright in both fields. We find significant trends in column density and temperature between mid-IR-dark and mid-IR-bright pixels; mid-IR-dark pixels are about 10 K colder and have a factor of 2 higher column density on average than mid-IR-bright pixels. We find that Hi-GAL dust continuum sources span a range of evolutionary states from preto star-forming, and that warmer sources are associated with more star formation tracers. Additionally, there is a trend of increasing temperature with tracer type from mid-IR-dark at the coldest, to outflow/maser sources in the middle, and finally to 8 and 24 μm bright sources at the warmest. Finally, we identify five candidate IRDC-like sources on the far-side of the Galaxy. These are cold (∼20 K), high column density (N(H 2 ) > 10 22 cm −2 ) clouds identified with Hi-GAL which, despite bright surrounding mid-IR emission, show little to no absorption at 8 μm. These are the first inner Galaxy far-side candidate IRDCs of which the authors are aware.

New observations with Herschel allow accurate measurement of the equilibrium temperature of large dust grains heated by the interstellar radiation field (ISRF), which is critical in deriving dust column density and masses. We present temperature maps derived from the Herschel SPIRE and PACS data in two fields along the Galactic plane, obtained as part of the Hi-GAL survey during the Herschel science demonstration phase (SDP). We analyze the distribution of the dust temperature spatially, as well as along the two lines-of-sight (LOS) through the Galaxy. The zero-level offsets in the Herschel maps were established by comparison with the IRAS and Planck data at comparable wavelengths. We derive maps of the dust temperature and optical depth by adjusting a detailed model for dust emission at each pixel. The dust temperature maps show variations in the ISRF intensity and reveal the intricate mixture of the warm dust heated by massive stars and the cold filamentary structures of embedded molecular clouds. The dust optical depth at 250 μm is well correlated with the gas column density, but with a significantly higher dust emissivity than in the solar neighborhood. We correlate the optical depth with 3-D cubes of the dust extinction to investigate variations in the ISRF strength and dust abundance along the line of sight through the spiral structure of the Galaxy. We show that the warmest dust along the LOS is located in the spiral arms of the Galaxy, and we quantify their respective IR contribution.

Context. Hi-GAL, an open time key-project of the Herschel satellite, was awarded 343 hours observing time to carry out a 5-band photometric imaging survey at 70, 160, 250, 350, and 500 μm of a |b| ≤ 1 • wide strip of the Milky Way Galactic plane in the longitude range −70 • ≤ l ≤ 70 • . Two 2 • × 2 • fields centred at l = 30 • and l = 59 • have been observed with the SPIRE and PACS photometric cameras in parallel mode during the Herschel science demonstration phase (SDP). From the images, compact sources are extracted for which the distance must be established in order to determine their physical properties. Aims. The aim of this paper is to present the distance determination strategy for the Hi-GAL compact sources. We illustrate this strategy for the two fields at l = 30 • and l = 59 • . Methods. The first step to determine the distance is to establish the LSR (local standard of rest) velocity of each compact source. The kinematic distance is then determined assuming a rotation curve for our Galaxy. To resolve the distance ambiguity for sources within the solar circle, we adopt a multiwavelength approach combining extinction maps, optical, and near infrared images, and velocity information from NH 3 , CO and HI data. When sources can be kinematically linked to optical H ii regions, the stellar distance of the exciting stars, when known, can be attributed to all linked sources. Results. In the two 2 • × 2 • SDP fields, 2678 compact sources have been identified and listed in the band-merged catalogue. About 93% of these sources have been assigned a radial velocity and distance. Conclusions. A multiwavelength approach is necessary to assign the correct velocity to sources (especially when CO spectra have a lot of features) and to determine the distance by solving the distance ambiguity. Also, several Hi-GAL sources seem to be in the interarm region. These sources have to be investigated with dedicated programme to be compared with sources located in the spiral arms.

We present a new catalogue of spectrophotometric distances and line-of-sight systemic velocities to 103 H II regions between 90 • ≤ ℓ ≤ 195 • (longitude quadrants II and part of III). Two new velocities for each region are independently measured using 1-arcminute resolution 21 cm H I and 2.6 mm 12 CO line maps (from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey and FCRAO Outer Galaxy Surveys) that show where gaseous shells are observed around the periphery of the ionized gas. Known and neighbouring O&B-type stars with published UBV photometry and MK classifications are overlaid onto 21 cm continuum maps, and those stars observed within the boundary of the H II emission (and whose distance is not more than 3 times the standard deviation of the others) are used to calculate new mean stellar distances to each of the 103 nebulae. Using this approach of excluding distance outliers from the mean distance to a group of many stars in each H II region lessens the impact of anomalous reddening for certain individuals. The standard deviation of individual stellar distances in a cluster is typically 20% per stellar distance, and the error in the mean distance to the cluster is typically ±10%. Final mean distances of 9 common objects with VLBI parallax distances show a 1:1 correspondence. Further, comparison with previous catalogues of H II regions in these quadrants shows a 50% reduction in scatter for the distance to Perseus spiral arm objects in the same region, and a reduction by ∼1/ √ 2 in scatter around a common angular velocity relative to the Sun Ω − Ω 0 (km s −1 kpc −1 ). The purpose of the catalogue is to provide a foundation for more detailed large-scale Galactic spiral structure and dynamics (rotation curve, density wave streaming) studies in the 2 nd and 3 rd quadrants, which from the Sun's location is the most favourably viewed section of the Galaxy.