GAS NEAR THE CENTER OF 30-DORADUS AS REVEALED BY HUBBLE-SPACE-TELESCOPE IMAGES

We present images of a 40 pc region of the 30 Doradus nebula centered about 1 arcminute north of the luminous star cluster R136 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The region was imaged with the Hubble Space Telesco pe Wide Field Camera through H alpha, [S II], and stellar continuum fi lters. These data allow us to examine this region of star formation an d the breakup of the cloud around R136 on a scale of 0.027 pc per pixe l. We also present a complementary ground-based echelle spectrum of th e H alpha and [N II] emission lines in this region. In the images one sees an extensive filamentary structure surrounding regions that have been hollowed out by R136 and other massive stars in the area. The [S II] image shows a sharper, more filamentary appearance than the H alph a image, and the filaments are offset in [S II] generally away from R1 36. These characteristics are indicative of ionization fronts that are outlining the neutral material and dust features. We also find finger s of enhanced [S II] emission located about 90 degrees to the northwes t of R136. The [S II] fingers appear to be radiating generally from a common region, and we suggest that they are composed of material ablat ed from the high density gas of the ionization fronts and entrained wi th the flow of the stellar winds from R136. We find that a small knot of emission resolves into two shells of about 0.5 pc diameter, each of which encircles one or two stars. One of the stars has been identifie d as an early main-sequence O star by Walborn and Blades (1987), and t he shell could be a young wind-blown bubble. We also find a parabolic- shaped are at the head of a long cone that opens up away from R136. Th e are is located near a luminous candidate protostar identified by Hyl and et al. (1992).