[CI], [CII] and CO emission lines as a probe for alpha variations at low and high redshifts

The offsets between the radial velocities of the rotational transitions of carbon monoxide and the fine structure transitions of neutral and singly ionized carbon are used to test the hypothetical variation of the fine structure constant, alpha. From the analysis of the [CI] and [CII] fine structure lines and low J rotational lines of 12CO and 13CO, emitted by the dark cloud L1599B in the Milky Way disk, we find no evidence for fractional changes in alpha at the level of |$\Delta \alpha/\alpha$| < 3*10^-7. For the neighbour galaxy M33 a stringent limit on Delta alpha/alpha is set from observations of three HII zones in [CII] and CO emission lines: |$\Delta \alpha/\alpha$| < 4*10^-7. Five systems over the redshift interval z = 5.7-6.4, showing CO J=6-5, J=7-6 and [CII] emission, yield a limit on |$\Delta \alpha/\alpha$| < 1.3*10^-5. Thus, a combination of the [CI], [CII], and CO emission lines turns out to be a powerful tool for probing the stability of the fundamental physical constants over a wide range of redshifts not accessible to optical spectral measurements.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, 5 tables. Accepted for publication in MNRA

C^+ distribution around S1 in rho Ophiuchi

We analyze a [C II] 158 micron map obtained with the L2 GREAT receiver on SOFIA of the emission/reflection nebula illuminated by the early B star S1 in the rho-OphA cloud core. This data set has been complemented with maps of CO(3-2), 13CO(3-2) and C18O(3-2), observed as a part of the JCMT Gould Belt Survey, with archival HCO^+(4-3) JCMT data, as well as with [O I] 63 and 145 micron imaging with Herschel/PACS. The [C II] emission is completely dominated by the strong PDR emission from the nebula surrounding S1 expanding into the dense Oph A molecular cloud west and south of S1. The [C II] emission is significantly blue shifted relative to the CO spectra and also relative to the systemic velocity, particularly in the northwestern part of the nebula. The [C II] lines are broader towards the center of the S1 nebula and narrower towards the PDR shell. The [C II] lines are strongly self-absorbed over an extended region in the S1 PDR. Based on the strength of the [13C II] F = 2-1 hyperfine component, [C II] is significantly optically thick over most of the nebula. CO and 13CO(3-2) spectra are strongly self-absorbed, while C18O(3-2) is single peaked and centered in the middle of the self-absorption. We have used a simple two-layer LTE model to characterize the background and foreground cloud contributing to the [C II] emission. From this analysis we estimate the extinction due to the foreground cloud to be ~9.9 mag, which is slightly less than the reddening estimated towards S1. Since some of the hot gas in the PDR is not traced by low J CO emission, this result appears quite plausible. Using a plane parallel PDR model with the observed [OI(145)]/[C II] brightness ratio and an estimated FUV intensity of 3100-5000 G0 suggests that the density of the [C II] emitting gas is ~3-4x10^3 cm^-3.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Opening the Treasure Chest in Carina

We have mapped the G287.84-0.82 cometary globule (with the Treasure Chest cluster embedded in it) in the South Pillars region of Carina (i) in [CII], 63micron [OI], and CO(11-10) using upGREAT on SOFIA and (ii) in J=2-1 transitions of CO, 13CO, C18O and J=3-2 transitions of H2CO using the APEX telescope in Chile. We probe the morphology, kinematics, and physical conditions of the molecular gas and the photon dominated regions (PDRs) in G287.84-0.82. The [CII] and [OI] emission suggest that the overall structure of the pillar (with red-shifted photo evaporating tails) is consistent with the effect of FUV radiation and winds from eta-Car and O stars in Trumpler 16. The gas in the head of the pillar is strongly influenced by the embedded cluster, whose brightest member is an O9.5V star, CPD-59 2661. The emission of the [CII] and [OI] lines peak at a position close to the embedded star, while all other tracers peak at another position lying to the north-east consistent with gas being compressed by the expanding PDR created by the embedded cluster. The molecular gas inside the globule is probed with the J=2-1 transitions of CO and isotopologues as well as H2CO, and analyzed using a non-LTE model (escape-probability approach), while we use PDR models to derive the physical conditions of the PDR. We identify at least two PDR gas components; the diffuse part (~10^4 cm^-3) is traced by [CII], while the dense (n~ 2-8x10^5 cm^-3) part is traced by [CII], [OI], CO(11-10). Using the F=2-1 transition of [13CII] detected at 50 positions in the region, we derive optical depths (0.9-5), excitation temperatures of [CII] (80-255 K), and N(C+) of 0.3-1x10^19 cm^-2. The total mass of the globule is ~1000 Msun, about half of which is traced by [CII]. The dense PDR gas has a thermal pressure of 10^7-10^8 K cm^-3, which is similar to the values observed in other regions.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics (abstract slightly abridged

The Carbon content in the Galactic CygnusX/DR21 star forming region

Observations of Carbon bearing species are among the most important diagnostic probes of ongoing star formation. CO is a surrogate for H$_2$ and is found in the vicinity of star formation sites. There, [CI] emission is thought to outline the dense molecular cores and extend into the lower density regions, where the impinging interstellar UV radiation field plays a critical role for the dissociation and ionization processes. Emission of ionized carbon ([CII]) is found to be even more extended than [CI] and is linking up with the ionized medium. These different tracers emphasize the importance of multi-wavelength studies to draw a coherent picture of the processes driving and driven by high mass star formation. Until now, large scale surveys were only done with low resolution, such as the COBE full sky survey, or were biased to a few selected bright sources (e.g. Yamamoto et al. 2001, Schneider et al. 2003). A broader basis of unbiased, high-resolution observations of [CI], CO, and [CII] may play a key role to probe the material processed by UV radiation.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure, to appear in "Proceedings of the 4th Cologne-Bonn-Zermatt-Symposium", ed. S. Pfalzner, C. Kramer, C. Straubmeier, and A. Heithausen (Springer Verlag

CII, CI, and CO in the massive star forming region W3 Main

We have used the KOSMA 3m telescope to map the core 7'x5' of the Galactic massive star forming region W3Main in the two fine structure lines of atomic carbon and four mid-J transitions of CO and 13CO. In combination with a map of singly ionized carbon (Howe et al. 1991), and FIR fine structure line data observed by ISO/LWS at the center position, these data sets allow to study in detail the physical structure of the photon dominated cloud interface regions (PDRs) where the occurance of carbon changes from CII to CI, and to CO.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to appear in "Proceedings of the 4th Cologne-Bonn-Zermatt-Symposium, The dense interstellar medium in galaxies", eds. S. Pfalzner, C. Kramer, C. Straubmeier, and A. Heithausen (Springer Verlag

High Spectral and Spatial Resolution Observations of the PDR Emission in the NGC2023 Reflection Nebula with SOFIA and APEX

We have mapped the NGC 2023 reflection nebula in [CII] and CO(11--10) with the heterodyne receiver GREAT on SOFIA and obtained slightly smaller maps in 13CO(3--2), CO(3--2), CO(4--3), CO(6--5), and CO(7--6) with APEX in Chile. We use these data to probe the morphology, kinematics, and physical conditions of the C II region, which is ionized by FUV radiation from the B2 star HD37903. The [CII] emission traces an ellipsoidal shell-like region at a position angle of ~ -50 deg, and is surrounded by a hot molecular shell. In the southeast, where the C II region expands into a dense, clumpy molecular cloud ridge, we see narrow and strong line emission from high-J CO lines, which comes from a thin, hot molecular shell surrounding the [CII] emission. The [CII] lines are broader and show photo evaporating gas flowing into the C II region. Based on the strength of the [13CII] F=2--1 line, the [CII] line appears to be somewhat optically thick over most of the nebula with an optical depth of a few. We model the physical conditions of the surrounding molecular cloud and the PDR emission using both RADEX and simple PDR models. The temperature of the CO emitting PDR shell is ~ 90 -- 120 K, with densities of 10^5 -- 10^6 cm^-3, as deduced from RADEX modeling. Our PDR modeling indicates that the PDR layer where [CII] emission dominates has somewhat lower densities, 10^4 to a few times 10^5 cm^-3Comment: Accepted by A&

Probing the massive star forming environment - a multiwavelength investigation of the filamentary IRDC G333.73+0.37

We present a multiwavelength study of the filamentary infrared dark cloud (IRDC) G333.73+0.37. The region contains two distinct mid-infrared sources S1 and S2 connected by dark lanes of gas and dust. Cold dust emission from the IRDC is detected at seven wavelength bands and we have identified 10 high density clumps in the region. The physical properties of the clumps such as temperature: 14.3-22.3 K and mass: 87-1530 M_sun are determined by fitting a modified blackbody to the spectral energy distribution of each clump between 160 micron and 1.2 mm. The total mass of the IRDC is estimated to be $~4700 M_sun. The molecular line emission towards S1 reveals signatures of protostellar activity. Low frequency radio emission at 1300 and 610 MHz is detected towards S1 (shell-like) and S2 (compact morphology), confirming the presence of newly formed massive stars in the IRDC. Photometric analysis of near and mid-infrared point sources unveil the young stellar object population associated with the cloud. Fragmentation analysis indicates that the filament is supercritical. We observe a velocity gradient along the filament, that is likely to be associated with accretion flows within the filament rather than rotation. Based on various age estimates obtained for objects in different evolutionary stages, we attempt to set a limit to the current age of this cloud.Comment: 26 pages, 20 figures, accepted by Ap

Excitation and abundance of C_3 in star forming cores: Herschel/HIFI observations of the sight-lines to W31C and W49N

We present spectrally resolved observations of triatomic carbon (C_3) in several ro-vibrational transitions between the vibrational ground state and the low-energy ν_2 bending mode at frequencies between 1654−1897 GHz along the sight-lines to the submillimeter continuum sources W31C and W49N, using Herschel’s HIFI instrument. We detect C_3 in absorption arising from the warm envelope surrounding the hot core, as indicated by the velocity peak position and shape of the line profile. The sensitivity does not allow to detect C_3 absorption due to diffuse foreground clouds. From the column densities of the rotational levels in the vibrational ground state probed by the absorption we derive a rotation temperature (T_(rot)) of ~50−70 K, which is a good measure of the kinetic temperature of the absorbing gas, as radiative transitions within the vibrational ground state are forbidden. It is also in good agreement with the dust temperatures for W31C and W49N. Applying the partition function correction based on the derived T_(rot), we get column densities N(C_3) ~ 7−9 × 10^(14) cm^(−2) and abundance x(C_3) ~ 10^(−8) with respect to H_2. For W31C, using a radiative transfer model including far-infrared pumping by the dust continuum and a temperature gradient within the source along the line of sight we find that a model with x(C_3) = 10^(−8), T_(kin) = 30−50 K, N(C_3) = 1.5 × 10^(15) cm^(−2) fits the observations reasonably well and provides parameters in very good agreement with the simple excitation analysis

Far and mid infrared observations of two ultracompact H II regions and one compact CO clump

Two ultracompact H II regions (IRAS 19181+1349 and 20178+4046) and one compact molecular clump (20286+4105) have been observed at far infrared wavelengths using the TIFR 1 m balloon-borne telescope and at mid infrared wavelengths using ISO. Far infrared observations have been made simultaneously in two bands with effective wavelengths of ~ 150 and ~ 210 micron, using liquid 3He cooled bolometer arrays. ISO observations have been made in seven spectral bands using the ISOCAM instrument; four of these bands cover the emission from Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules. In addition, IRAS survey data for these sources in the four IRAS bands have been processed using the HIRES routine. In the high resolution mid infrared maps as well as far infrared maps multiple embedded energy sources have been resolved. There are structural similarities between the images in the mid infrared and the large scale maps in the far infrared bands, despite very different angular resolutions of the two. Dust temperature and optical depth (tau_150 um) maps have also been generated using the data from balloon-borne observations. Spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for these sources have been constructed by combining the data from all these observations. Radiation transfer calculations have been made to understand these SEDs. Parameters for the dust envelopes in these sources have been derived by fitting the observed SEDs. In particular, it has been found that radial density distribution for three sources is diffrent. Whereas in the case of IRAS 20178+4046, a steep distribution of the form r^-2 is favoured, for IRAS 20286+4105 it is r^-1 and for IRAS 19181+1349 it the uniform distribution (r^0). Line ratios for PAH bands have generally been found to be similar to those for other compact H II regions but different from general H II regions.Comment: To appear in Astronomy & Astrophysics; (19 pages including 14 Figures and 6 Tables

The structure of hot gas in Cepheus B

By observing radiation-affected gas in the Cepheus B molecular cloud we probe whether the sequential star formation in this source is triggered by the radiation from newly formed stars. We used the dual band receiver GREAT onboard SOFIA to map [C II] and CO 13--12 and 11--10 in Cep B and compared the spatial distribution and the spectral profiles with complementary ground-based data of low-$J$ transitions of CO isotopes, atomic carbon, and the radio continuum. The interaction of the radiation from the neighboring OB association creates a large photon-dominated region (PDR) at the surface of the molecular cloud traced through the photoevaporation of C^+. Bright internal PDRs of hot gas are created around the embedded young stars, where we detect evidence of the compression of material and local velocity changes; however, on the global scale we find no indications that the dense molecular material is dynamically affected.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A (SOFIA/GREAT special issue