545 research outputs found
Water and ammonia abundances in S140 with the Odin satellite
We have used the Odin satellite to obtain strip maps of the ground-state
rotational transitions of ortho-water and ortho-ammonia, as well as CO(5-4) and
13CO(5-4) across the PDR, and H218O in the central position. A physi-chemical
inhomogeneous PDR model was used to compute the temperature and abundance
distributions for water, ammonia and CO. A multi-zone escape probability method
then calculated the level populations and intensity distributions. These
results are compared to a homogeneous model computed with an enhanced version
of the RADEX code. H2O, NH3 and 13CO show emission from an extended PDR with a
narrow line width of ~3 kms. Like CO, the water line profile is dominated by
outflow emission, however, mainly in the red wing. The PDR model suggests that
the water emission mainly arises from the surfaces of optically thick, high
density clumps with n(H2)>10^6 cm^-3 and a clump water abundance, with respect
to H2, of 5x10^-8. The mean water abundance in the PDR is 5x10^-9, and between
~2x10^-8 -- 2x10^-7 in the outflow derived from a simple two-level
approximation. Ammonia is also observed in the extended clumpy PDR, likely from
the same high density and warm clumps as water. The average ammonia abundance
is about the same as for water: 4x10^-9 and 8x10^-9 given by the PDR model and
RADEX, respectively. The similarity of water and ammonia PDR emission is also
seen in the almost identical line profiles observed close to the bright rim.
Around the central position, ammonia also shows some outflow emission although
weaker than water in the red wing. Predictions of the H2O(110-101) and
(111-000) antenna temperatures across the PDR are estimated with our PDR model
for the forthcoming observations with the Herschel Space Observatory.Comment: 13 pages, 14 figures, 10 tables. Accepted for publication in
Astronomy & Astrophysics 14 November 200
Searching for O in the SMC:Constraints on Oxygen Chemistry at Low Metallicities
We present a 39 h integration with the Odin satellite on the ground-state
118.75 GHz line of O2 towards the region of strongest molecular emission in the
Small Magellanic Cloud. Our 3sigma upper limit to the O2 integrated intensity
of <0.049 K km/s in a 9'(160 pc) diameter beam corresponds to an upper limit on
the O2/H2 abundance ratio of <1.3E-6. Although a factor of 20 above the best
limit on the O2 abundance obtained for a Galactic source, our result has
interesting implications for understanding oxygen chemistry at sub-solar metal
abundances. We compare our abundance limit to a variety of astrochemical models
and find that, at low metallicities, the low O2 abundance is most likely
produced by the effects of photo-dissociation on molecular cloud structure.
Freeze-out of molecules onto dust grains may also be consistent with the
observed abundance limit, although such models have not yet been run at
sub-solar initial metallicities.Comment: 4 pages, accepted to A&A Letter
Herschel/PACS Imaging of Protostars in the HH 1-2 Outflow Complex
We present 70 and 160 micron Herschel science demonstration images of a field
in the Orion A molecular cloud that contains the prototypical Herbig-Haro
objects HH 1 and 2, obtained with the Photodetector Array Camera and
Spectrometer (PACS). These observations demonstrate Herschel's unprecedented
ability to study the rich population of protostars in the Orion molecular
clouds at the wavelengths where they emit most of their luminosity. The four
protostars previously identified by Spitzer 3.6-40 micron imaging and
spectroscopy are detected in the 70 micron band, and three are clearly detected
at 160 microns. We measure photometry of the protostars in the PACS bands and
assemble their spectral energy distributions (SEDs) from 1 to 870 microns with
these data, Spitzer spectra and photometry, 2MASS data, and APEX sub-mm data.
The SEDs are fit to models generated with radiative transfer codes. From these
fits we can constrain the fundamental properties of the protostars. We find
luminosities in the range 12-84 L_sun and envelope densities spanning over two
orders of magnitude. This implies that the four protostars have a wide range of
envelope infall rates and evolutionary states: two have dense, infalling
envelopes, while the other two have only residual envelopes. We also show the
highly irregular and filamentary structure of the cold dust and gas surrounding
the protostars as traced at 160 microns.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in the A&A Herschel
special issu
Hier ist wahrhaftig ein Loch im Himmel - The NGC 1999 dark globule is not a globule
The NGC 1999 reflection nebula features a dark patch with a size of ~10,000
AU, which has been interpreted as a small, dense foreground globule and
possible site of imminent star formation. We present Herschel PACS far-infrared
70 and 160mum maps, which reveal a flux deficit at the location of the globule.
We estimate the globule mass needed to produce such an absorption feature to be
a few tenths to a few Msun. Inspired by this Herschel observation, we obtained
APEX LABOCA and SABOCA submillimeter continuum maps, and Magellan PANIC
near-infrared images of the region. We do not detect a submillimer source at
the location of the Herschel flux decrement; furthermore our observations place
an upper limit on the mass of the globule of ~2.4x10^-2 Msun. Indeed, the
submillimeter maps appear to show a flux depression as well. Furthermore, the
near-infrared images detect faint background stars that are less affected by
extinction inside the dark patch than in its surroundings. We suggest that the
dark patch is in fact a hole or cavity in the material producing the NGC 1999
reflection nebula, excavated by protostellar jets from the V 380 Ori multiple
system.Comment: accepted for the A&A Herschel issue; 7 page
Effects of habitat and livestock on nest productivity of the Asian houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii in Bukhara Province, Uzbekistan
To inform population support measures for the unsustainably hunted Asian houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii (IUCN Vulnerable) we examined potential habitat and land-use effects on nest productivity in the Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan. We monitored 177 nests across different semi-arid shrub assemblages (clay-sand and salinity gradients) and a range of livestock densities (0–80 km-2). Nest success (mean 51.4%, 95% CI 42.4–60.4%) was similar across four years; predation caused 85% of those failures for which the cause was known, and only three nests were trampled by livestock. Nesting begins within a few weeks of arrival when food appears scarce, but later nests were more likely to fail owing to the emergence of a key predator, suggesting foraging conditions on wintering and passage sites may be important for nest productivity. Nest success was similar across three shrub assemblages and was unrelated to landscape rugosity, shrub frequency or livestock density, but was greater with taller mean shrub height (range 13–67 cm) within 50 m. Clutch size (mean = 3.2 eggs) and per-egg hatchability in successful nests (87.5%) did not differ with laying date, shrub assemblage or livestock density. We therefore found no evidence that livestock density reduced nest productivity across the range examined, while differing shrub assemblages appeared to offer similar habitat quality. Asian houbara appear well-adapted to a range of semi-desert habitats and tolerate moderate disturbance by pastoralism. No obvious in situ mitigation measures arise from these findings, leaving regulation and control as the key requirement to render hunting sustainable
Modeling of Protostellar Clouds and their Observational Properties
A physical model and two-dimensional numerical method for computing the
evolution and spectra of protostellar clouds are described. The physical model
is based on a system of magneto-gasdynamical equations, including ohmic and
ambipolar diffusion, and a scheme for calculating the thermal and ionization
structure of a cloud. The dust and gas temperatures are determined during the
calculations of the thermal structure of the cloud. The results of computing
the dynamical and thermal structure of the cloud are used to model the
radiative transfer in continuum and in molecular lines. We presented the
results for clouds in hydrostatic and thermal equilibrium. The evolution of a
rotating magnetic protostellar cloud starting from a quasi-static state is also
considered. Spectral maps for optically thick lines of linear molecules are
analyzed. We have shown that the influence of the magnetic field and rotation
can lead to a redistribution of angular momentum in the cloud and the formation
of a characteristic rotational velocity structure. As a result, the
distribution of the velocity centroid of the molecular lines can acquire an
hourglass shape. We plan to use the developed program package together with a
model for the chemical evolution to interpret and model observed starless and
protostellar cores.Comment: Accepted to Astronomy Report
Water in low-mass star-forming regions with Herschel: HIFI spectroscopy of NGC1333
'Water In Star-forming regions with Herschel' (WISH) is a key programme
dedicated to studying the role of water and related species during the
star-formation process and constraining the physical and chemical properties of
young stellar objects. The Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared (HIFI) on
the Herschel Space Observatory observed three deeply embedded protostars in the
low-mass star-forming region NGC1333 in several H2-16O, H2-18O, and CO
transitions. Line profiles are resolved for five H16O transitions in each
source, revealing them to be surprisingly complex. The line profiles are
decomposed into broad (>20 km/s), medium-broad (~5-10 km/s), and narrow (<5
km/s) components. The H2-18O emission is only detected in broad 1_10-1_01 lines
(>20 km/s), indicating that its physical origin is the same as for the broad
H2-16O component. In one of the sources, IRAS4A, an inverse P Cygni profile is
observed, a clear sign of infall in the envelope. From the line profiles alone,
it is clear that the bulk of emission arises from shocks, both on small (<1000
AU) and large scales along the outflow cavity walls (~10 000 AU). The H2O line
profiles are compared to CO line profiles to constrain the H2O abundance as a
function of velocity within these shocked regions. The H2O/CO abundance ratios
are measured to be in the range of ~0.1-1, corresponding to H2O abundances of
~10-5-10-4 with respect to H2. Approximately 5-10% of the gas is hot enough for
all oxygen to be driven into water in warm post-shock gas, mostly at high
velocities.Comment: Accepted for publication in the A&A HIFI special issu
Herschel-HIFI observations of high-J CO lines in the NGC 1333 low-mass star-forming region
Herschel-HIFI observations of high-J lines (up to J_u=10) of 12CO, 13CO and
C18O are presented toward three deeply embedded low-mass protostars, NGC 1333
IRAS 2A, IRAS 4A, and IRAS 4B, obtained as part of the Water In Star-forming
regions with Herschel (WISH) key program. The spectrally-resolved HIFI data are
complemented by ground-based observations of lower-J CO and isotopologue lines.
The 12CO 10-9 profiles are dominated by broad (FWHM 25-30 km s^-1) emission.
Radiative transfer models are used to constrain the temperature of this shocked
gas to 100-200 K. Several CO and 13CO line profiles also reveal a medium-broad
component (FWHM 5-10 km s^-1), seen prominently in H2O lines. Column densities
for both components are presented, providing a reference for determining
abundances of other molecules in the same gas. The narrow C18O 9-8 lines probe
the warmer part of the quiescent envelope. Their intensities require a jump in
the CO abundance at an evaporation temperature around 25 K, thus providing new
direct evidence for a CO ice evaporation zone around low-mass protostars.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure
H2O line mapping at high spatial and spectral resolution - Herschel observations of the VLA1623 outflow
Apart from being an important coolant, H2O is known to be a tracer of
high-velocity molecular gas. Recent models predict relatively high abundances
behind interstellar shockwaves. The dynamical and physical conditions of the
H2O emitting gas, however, are not fully understood yet. We aim to determine
the abundance and distribution of H2O, its kinematics and the physical
conditions of the gas responsible for the H2O emission. The observed line
profile shapes help us understand the dynamics in molecular outflows. We mapped
the VLA1623 outflow, in the ground-state transitions of o-H2O, with the HIFI
and PACS instruments. We also present observations of higher energy transitions
of o-H2O and p-H2O obtained with HIFI and PACS towards selected outflow
positions. From comparison with non-LTE radiative transfer calculations, we
estimate the physical parameters of the water emitting regions. The observed
water emission line profiles vary over the mapped area. Spectral features and
components, tracing gas in different excitation conditions, allow us to
constrain the density and temperature of the gas. The H2O emission originates
in a region where temperatures are comparable to that of the warm H2 gas
(T\gtrsim200K). Thus, the H2O emission traces a gas component significantly
warmer than the gas responsible for the low-J CO emission. The H2O column
densities at the CO peak positions are low, i.e. N(H2O) \simeq (0.03-10)x10e14
cm-2. The H2O abundance with respect to H2 in the extended outflow is estimated
at X(H2O)<1x10e-6, significantly lower than what would be expected from most
recent shock models. The H2O emission traces a gas component moving at
relatively high velocity compared to the low-J CO emitting gas. However, other
dynamical quantities such as the momentum rate, energy and mechanical
luminosity are estimated to be the same, independent of the molecular tracer
used, CO or H2O.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures, 4 table
POISSON project - II - A multi-wavelength spectroscopic and photometric survey of young protostars in L 1641
Characterising stellar and circumstellar properties of embedded young stellar
objects (YSOs) is mandatory for understanding the early stages of the stellar
evolution. This task requires the combination of both spectroscopy and
photometry, covering the widest possible wavelength range, to disentangle the
various protostellar components and activities. As part of the POISSON project,
we present a multi-wavelength spectroscopic and photometric investigation of
embedded YSOs in L1641, aimed to derive the stellar parameters and evolutionary
stages and to infer their accretion properties. Our database includes
low-resolution optical-IR spectra from the NTT and Spitzer (0.6-40 um) and
photometric data covering a spectral range from 0.4 to 1100 um, which allow us
to construct the YSOs spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and to infer the
main stellar parameters. The SED analysis allows us to group our 27 YSOs into
nine Class I, eleven Flat, and seven Class II objects. However, on the basis of
the derived stellar properties, only six Class I YSOs have an age of ~10^5 yr,
while the others are older 5x10^5-10^6 yr), and, among the Flat sources, three
out of eleven are more evolved objects (5x10^6-10^7 yr), indicating that
geometrical effects can significantly modify the SED shapes. Inferred mass
accretion rates (Macc) show a wide range of values (3.6x10^-9 to 1.2x10^-5
M_sun yr^-1), which reflects the age spread observed in our sample. Average
values of mass accretion rates, extinction, and spectral indices decrease with
the YSO class. The youngest YSOs have the highest Macc, whereas the oldest YSOs
do not show any detectable jet activity in either images and spectra. We also
observe a clear correlation among the YSO Macc, M*, and age, consistent with
mass accretion evolution in viscous disc models.Comment: 61 pages, 16 figures; A&A in pres
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