2004A&A...414..659C

Based on new millimeter and radio observations, we reevaluate the total hydrogen column density along the line of sight to the microquasar GRS 1915+105 to N_H=(3.5±0.3)x10²²cm^–2. Our value is consistent with the one derived from X-ray measurements, namely (3.8±0.3)x10²²/cm2 (Ebisawa et al., 1998, IAU Symp., 188, 392). Using the empirical law between the visual extinction and the total column density of hydrogen, A_v is found to 19.6±1.7mag. This result is ∼7mag lower than previously thought, and therefore, a reevaluation of infrared fluxes after derredening is needed. The revisited kinematic study allows to give a lower limit to the distance of GRS 1915+105, namely 6.0kpc. Taking into account the most accurate upper limit of distance inferred from radio data (11.2±0.8kpc, Fender et al., 1999MNRAS.304..865F) as well as this lower limit, this implies a distance of 9.0±3.0kpc.