332 research outputs found
Molecular line study of the very young protostar IRAM 04191 in Taurus: Infall, rotation, and outflow
We present a detailed millimeter line study of the circumstellar environment
of the low-luminosity Class 0 protostar IRAM 04191+1522 in the Taurus molecular
cloud. New line observations demonstrate that the ~14000 AU radius protostellar
envelope is undergoing both extended infall and fast, differential rotation.
Radiative transfer modeling of multitransition CS and C34S maps indicate an
infall velocity v_inf ~ 0.15 km/s at r ~ 1500 AU and v_inf ~ 0.1 km/s up to r ~
11000 AU, as well as a rotational angular velocity Omega ~ 3.9 x 10^{-13}
rad/s, strongly decreasing with radius beyond 3500 AU down to a value Omega ~
1.5-3 x 10^{-14} rad/s at ~ 11000 AU. Two distinct regions, which differ in
both their infall and their rotation properties, therefore seem to stand out:
the inner part of the envelope (r ~< 2000-4000 AU) is rapidly collapsing and
rotating, while the outer part undergoes only moderate infall/contraction and
slower rotation. These contrasted features suggest that angular momentum is
conserved in the collapsing inner region but efficiently dissipated due to
magnetic braking in the slowly contracting outer region. We propose that the
inner envelope is in the process of decoupling from the ambient cloud and
corresponds to the effective mass reservoir (~0.5 M_sun) from which the central
star is being built. Comparison with the rotational properties of other objects
in Taurus suggests that IRAM 04191 is at a pivotal stage between a prestellar
regime of constant angular velocity enforced by magnetic braking and a
dynamical, protostellar regime of nearly conserved angular momentum. The
rotation velocity profile we derive for the inner IRAM 04191 envelope should
thus set some constraints on the distribution of angular momentum on the scale
of the outer Solar system at the onset of protostar/disk formation.Comment: 23 pages, 16 figures, 1 table, Accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysic
Search for interstellar methoxyacetonitrile and cyanoethanol: insights into coupling of cyano- to methanol and ammonia chemistry
As part of an effort to study gas-grain chemical models in star-forming regions as they relate to molecules
containing cyanide (–C≡N) groups, we present here a search for the molecules 2-cyanoethanol (OHCH_2CH_2CN) and methoxyacetonitrile (CH_3OCH_2CN) in the galactic center region SgrB2. These species are structural isomers
of each other and are targeted to investigate the cross-coupling of pathways emanating from the photolysis products
of methanol and ammonia with pathways involving cyano-containing molecules. Methanol and ammonia ices are two of the main repositories of the elements C, O, and N in cold clouds and understanding their link to cyanide chemistry could give important insights into prebiotic molecular evolution. Neither species was positively detected, but the upper limits we determined allow comparison to the general patterns gleaned from chemical models. Our results indicate the need for an expansion of the model networks to better deal with cyanochemistry, in particular with respect to pathways including products of methanol photolysis. In addition to these results, the two main observational routes for detecting new interstellar molecules are discussed. One route is by decreasing detection limits at millimeter wavelength through spatial filtering with interferometric studies at the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), and the second is by searching for intense torsional states at THz frequencies using the Herschel Space Observatory. 2-cyanoethanol and methoxyacetonitrile would both be good test beds for exploring the capabilities of ALMA and Herschel in the study of complex interstellar chemistry
The dynamical state of the First Hydrostatic Core Candidate Cha-MMS1
Observations of First Hydrostatic Core candidates, a theoretically predicted
evolutionary link between the prestellar and protostellar phases, are vital for
probing the earliest phases of star formation. We aim to determine the
dynamical state of the First Hydrostatic Core candidate Cha-MMS1. We observed
Cha-MMS1 in various transitions with the APEX and Mopra telescopes. The
molecular emission was modeled with a radiative transfer code to derive
constraints on the envelope kinematics. We derive an internal luminosity of
0.08 - 0.18 Lsol. An average velocity gradient of 3.1(0.1) km/s/pc over 0.08 pc
is found perpendicular to the filament in which Cha-MMS1 is embedded. The
gradient is flatter in the outer parts and at the innermost 2000 - 4000 AU.
These features suggest solid-body rotation beyond 4000 AU and slower,
differential rotation beyond 8000 AU. The origin of the flatter gradient in the
innermost parts is unclear. The classical infall signature is detected in HCO+
3-2 and CS 2-1. The radiative transfer modeling indicates a uniform infall
velocity in the outer parts of the envelope. An infall velocity field scaling
with r^(-0.5) is consistent with the data for r < 9000 AU. The infall
velocities are 0.1 - 0.2 km/s at r > 3300 AU and 0.04 - 0.6 km/s at r < 3300
AU. Both the internal luminosity of Cha-MMS1 and the infall velocity field in
its envelope are consistent with predictions of MHD simulations for the first
core phase. There is no evidence for a fast, large-scale outflow stemming from
Cha-MMS1 but excess emission from the high-density tracers CS 5-4, CO 6-5, and
CO 7-6 suggests the presence of higher-velocity material at the inner core. Its
internal luminosity excludes Cha-MMS1 being a prestellar core. The kinematical
properties of its envelope are consistent with Cha-MMS1 being a first core
candidate or a very young Class 0 protostar.(abridged).Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 27 pages, 22 figures, 13 tables. A
version with high-resolution figures is available on request to the first
autho
APEX telescope observations of new molecular ions
Hydrides are key ingredients of interstellar chemistry since they are the
initial products of chemical networks that lead to the formation of more
complex molecules. The fundamental rotational transitions of light hydrides
fall into the submillimeter wavelength range. Using the APEX telescope, we
observed the long sought hydrides SH+ and OH+ in absorption against the strong
continuum source Sagittarius B2(M). Both, absorption from Galactic center gas
as well as from diffuse clouds in intervening spiral arms over a large velocity
range is observed. The detected absorption of a continuous velocity range on
the line of sight shows these hydrides to be an abundant component of diffuse
clouds. In addition, we used the strongest submillimeter dust continuum sources
in the inner Galaxy to serve as background candles for a systematic census of
these hydrides in diffuse clouds and massive star forming regions of our Galaxy
and initial results of this survey are presented.Comment: To appear in Spectroscopy of Molecular Ions in the Laboratory and in
Space (SMILES 2010), AIP Conference Proceedings, in pres
Interstellar HOCN in the Galactic center region
Aims. Our aim is to confirm the interstellar detection of cyanic acid, HOCN,
in the Galactic center clouds. It has previously been tentatively detected only
in Sgr B2(OH).
Methods. We used a complete line survey of the hot cores Sgr B2(N) and (M) in
the 3 mm range, complemented by additional observations carried out with the
IRAM 30 m telescope at selected frequencies in the 2 mm band and towards four
additional positions in the Sgr B2 cloud complex in the 2 and 3 mm bands. The
spectral survey was analysed in the local thermodynamical equilibrium
approximation (LTE) by modeling the emission of all identified molecules
simultaneously. This allowed us to distinguish weak features of HOCN from the
rich line spectrum observed in Sgr B2(N) and (M). Lines of the more stable (by
1.1 eV) isomer isocyanic acid, HNCO, in these sources, as well as those of HOCN
and HNCO towards the other positions, were analysed in the LTE approximation as
well.
Results. Four transitions of HOCN were detected in a quiescent molecular
cloud in the Galactic center at a position offset in (R.A., decl.) by
(20'',100'') from the hot core source Sgr B2(M), confirming its previous
tentative interstellar detection. Up to four transitions were detected toward
five other positions in the Sgr B2 complex, including the hot cores Sgr B2(M),
(S), and (N). A fairly constant abundance ratio of ~ 0.3 - 0.8 % for HOCN
relative to HNCO was derived for the extended gas components, suggesting a
common formation process of these isomers
Star formation in Chamaeleon I and III: a molecular line study of the starless core population
The Chamaeleon clouds are excellent targets for low-mass star formation
studies. Cha I and II are actively forming stars while Cha III shows no sign of
ongoing star formation. We aim to determine the driving factors that have led
to the very different levels of star formation activity in Cha I and III and
examine the dynamical state and possible evolution of the starless cores within
them. Observations were performed in various molecular transitions with APEX
and Mopra. Five cores are gravitationally bound in Cha I and one in Cha III.
The infall signature is seen toward 8-17 cores in Cha I and 2-5 cores in Cha
III, which leads to a range of 13-28% of the cores in Cha I and 10-25% of the
cores in Cha III that are contracting and may become prestellar. Future
dynamical interactions between the cores will not be dynamically significant in
either Cha I or III, but the subregion Cha I North may experience collisions
between cores within ~0.7 Myr. Turbulence dissipation in the cores of both
clouds is seen in the high-density tracers N2H+ 1-0 and HC3N 10-9. Evidence of
depletion in the Cha I core interiors is seen in the abundance distributions of
C17O, C18O, and C34S. Both contraction and static chemical models indicate that
the HC3N to N2H+ abundance ratio is a good evolutionary indicator in the
prestellar phase for both gravitationally bound and unbound cores. In the
framework of these models, we find that the cores in Cha III and the southern
part of Cha I are in a similar evolutionary stage and are less chemically
evolved than the central region of Cha I. The measured HC3N/N2H+ abundance
ratio and the evidence for contraction motions seen towards the Cha III
starless cores suggest that Cha III is younger than Cha I Centre and that some
of its cores may form stars in the future. The cores in Cha I South may on the
other hand be transient structures. (abridged)Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. The resolution of Figure 2 has been
degraded and the abstract in the metadata has been shortened to fit within
the limits set by arXi
Exploring molecular complexity with ALMA (EMoCA): Detection of three new hot cores in Sagittarius B2(N)
The SgrB2 molecular cloud contains several sites forming high-mass stars.
SgrB2(N) is one of its main centers of activity. It hosts several compact and
UCHII regions, as well as two known hot molecular cores (SgrB2(N1) and
SgrB2(N2)), where complex organic molecules are detected. Our goal is to use
the high sensitivity of ALMA to characterize the hot core population in
SgrB2(N) and shed a new light on the star formation process. We use a complete
3 mm spectral line survey conducted with ALMA to search for faint hot cores in
SgrB2(N). We report the discovery of three new hot cores that we call
SgrB2(N3), SgrB2(N4), and SgrB2(N5). The three sources are associated with
class II methanol masers, well known tracers of high-mass star formation, and
SgrB2(N5) also with a UCHII region. The chemical composition of the sources and
the column densities are derived by modelling the whole spectra under the
assumption of LTE. The H2 column densities are computed from ALMA and SMA
continuum emission maps. The H2 column densities of these new hot cores are
found to be 16 up to 36 times lower than the one of the main hot core Sgr
B2(N1). Their spectra have spectral line densities of 11 up to 31 emission
lines per GHz, assigned to 22-25 molecules. We derive rotational temperatures
around 140-180 K for the three new hot cores and mean source sizes of 0.4 for
SgrB2(N3) and 1.0 for SgrB2(N4) and SgrB2(N5). SgrB2(N3) and SgrB2(N5) show
high velocity wing emission in typical outflow tracers, with a bipolar
morphology in their integrated intensity maps suggesting the presence of an
outflow, like in SgrB2(N1). The associations of the hot cores with class II
methanol masers, outflows, and/or UCHII regions tentatively suggest the
following age sequence: SgrB2(N4), SgrB2(N3), SgrB2(N5), SgrB2(N1). The status
of SgrB2(N2) is unclear. It may contain two distinct sources, a UCHII region
and a very young hot core.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 24 pages, 23 figure
First results from the CALYPSO IRAM-PdBI survey. I. Kinematics of the inner envelope of NGC1333-IRAS2A
The structure and kinematics of Class 0 protostars on scales of a few hundred
AU is poorly known. Recent observations have revealed the presence of Keplerian
disks with a diameter of 150-180 AU in L1527-IRS and VLA1623A, but it is not
clear if such disks are common in Class 0 protostars. Here we present
high-angular-resolution observations of two methanol lines in NGC1333-IRAS2A.
We argue that these lines probe the inner envelope, and we use them to study
the kinematics of this region. Our observations suggest the presence of a
marginal velocity gradient normal to the direction of the outflow. However, the
position velocity diagrams along the gradient direction appear inconsistent
with a Keplerian disk. Instead, we suggest that the emission originates from
the infalling and perhaps slowly rotating envelope, around a central protostar
of 0.1-0.2 M. If a disk is present, it is smaller than the disk of
L1527-IRS, perhaps suggesting that NGC1333-IRAS2A is younger.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A letter
First results from the CALYPSO IRAM-PdBI survey - III. Monopolar jets driven by a proto-binary system in NGC1333-IRAS2A
Context: The earliest evolutionary stages of low-mass protostars are
characterised by hot and fast jets which remove angular momentum from the
circumstellar disk, thus allowing mass accretion onto the central object.
However, the launch mechanism is still being debated. Aims: We would like to
exploit high-angular (~ 0.8") resolution and high-sensitivity images to
investigate the origin of protostellar jets using typical molecular tracers of
shocked regions, such as SiO and SO. Methods: We mapped the inner 22" of the
NGC1333-IRAS2A protostar in SiO(5-4), SO(65-54), and the continuum emission at
1.4 mm using the IRAM Plateau de Bure interferometer in the framework of the
CALYPSO IRAM large program. Results: For the first time, we disentangle the
NGC1333-IRAS2A Class 0 object into a proto-binary system revealing two
protostars (MM1, MM2) separated by ~ 560 AU, each of them driving their own
jet, while past work considered a single protostar with a quadrupolar outflow.
We reveal (i) a clumpy, fast (up to |V-VLSR| > 50 km/s), and blueshifted jet
emerging from the brightest MM1 source, and (ii) a slower redshifted jet,
driven by MM2. Silicon monoxide emission is a powerful tracer of
high-excitation (Tkin > 100 K; n(H2) > 10^5 cm-3) jets close to the launching
region. At the highest velocities, SO appears to mimic SiO tracing the jets,
whereas at velocities close to the systemic one, SO is dominated by extended
emission, tracing the cavity opened by the jet. Conclusions: Both jets are
intrinsically monopolar, and intermittent in time. The dynamical time of the
SiO clumps is < 30-90 yr, indicating that one-sided ejections from protostars
can take place on these timescales.Comment: Astronomy & Astrophysics Letter, in pres
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