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CO and CI maps of the starburst galaxy M82
The first map of an external galaxy in the 3Pâ - 3P0 fine-structure line of atomic carbon (CI) is presented towards the nucleus of the starbuster M82, and compared with the distinction of the CO J = 4 - 3 molecular emission. The CI traces features that are seen in lower transition CO maps, and shows that CI and the CO are well mixed and have similar spatial distributions. There are small differences between the CO J = 4 - 3 line and lower transition CO data towards the NE part of the molecular ring, where the emission is less prominent. The abundance ratio [CI]/[CO] across M82 is very high, with an average value ~ 0.5 across most of the nucleus, a factor at least 5 times that which is typical of dense molecular cloud cores seen in our own Galaxy. This means that on average, CI is overabundant towards M82. This result can be explained using models which provide enhancements to the CI abundance above normal Interstellar Medium values, a result of a greater cosmic ray flux in M82, or where there is substantial mixing of the gas
Uncertainties in water chemistry in disks: An application to TW Hya
Context. This paper discusses the sensitivity of water lines to chemical
processes and radiative transfer for the protoplanetary disk around TW Hya. The
study focuses on the Herschel spectral range in the context of new line
detections with the PACS instrument from the Gas in Protoplanetary Systems
project (GASPS). Aims. The paper presents an overview of the chemistry in the
main water reservoirs in the disk around TW Hya. It discusses the limitations
in the interpretation of observed water line fluxes. Methods. ... (abbreviated)
Results. We report new line detections of p-H2O (3_22-2_11) at 89.99 micron and
CO J=18-17 at 144.78 micron for the disk around TW Hya. Disk modeling shows
that the far-IR fine structure lines ([OI], [CII]) and molecular submm lines
are very robust to uncertainties in the chemistry, while the water line fluxes
can change by factors of a few. The water lines are optically thick,
sub-thermally excited and can couple to the background continuum radiation
field. The low-excitation water lines are also sensitive to uncertainties in
the collision rates, e.g. with neutral hydrogen. The gas temperature plays an
important role for the [OI] fine structure line fluxes, the water line fluxes
originating from the inner disk as well as the high excitation CO, CH+ and OH
lines. Conclusions. Due to their sensitivity on chemical input data and
radiative transfer, water lines have to be used cautiously for understanding
details of the disk structure. Water lines covering a wide range of excitation
energies provide access to the various gas phase water reservoirs (inside and
outside the snow line) in protoplanetary disks and thus provide important
information on where gas-phase water is potentially located. Experimental
and/or theoretical collision rates for H2O with atomic hydrogen are needed to
diminish uncertainties from water line radiative transfer.Comment: accepted for publication in A&
Herschel evidence for disk flattening or gas depletion in transitional disks
Transitional disks are protoplanetary disks characterized by reduced near-
and mid-infrared emission with respect to full disks. This characteristic
spectral energy distribution indicates the presence of an optically thin inner
cavity within the dust disk believed to mark the disappearance of the
primordial massive disk. We present new Herschel Space Observatory PACS spectra
of [OI] 63 micron for 21 transitional disks. Our survey complements the larger
Herschel GASPS program "Gas in Protoplanetary Systems" (Dent et al. 2013) by
quadrupling the number of transitional disks observed with PACS at this
wavelength. [OI] 63 micron traces material in the outer regions of the disk,
beyond the inner cavity of most transitional disks. We find that transitional
disks have [OI] 63 micron line luminosities two times fainter than their full
disk counterparts. We self consistently determine various stellar properties
(e.g. bolometric luminosity, FUV excess, etc.) and disk properties (e.g. disk
dust mass, etc.) that could influence the [OI] 63 micron line luminosity and we
find no correlations that can explain the lower [OI] 63 micron line
luminosities in transitional disks. Using a grid of thermo-chemical
protoplanetary disk models, we conclude that either transitional disks are less
flared than full disks or they possess lower gas-to-dust ratios due to a
depletion of gas mass. This result suggests that transitional disks are more
evolved than their full disk counterparts, possibly even at large radii.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; 52 pages, 16 figures, 8 table
Closed timelike curves in asymmetrically warped brane universes
In asymmetrically warped spacetimes different warp factors are assigned to
space and to time. We discuss causality properties of these warped brane
universes and argue that scenarios with two extra dimensions may allow for
timelike curves which can be closed via paths in the extra-dimensional bulk. In
particular, necessary and sufficient conditions on the metric for the existence
of closed timelike curves are presented. We find a six-dimensional warped
metric which satisfies the CTC conditions, and where the null, weak and
dominant energy conditions are satisfied on the brane (although only the former
remains satisfied in the bulk). Such scenarios are interesting, since they open
the possibility of experimentally testing the chronology protection conjecture
by manipulating on our brane initial conditions of gravitons or hypothetical
gauge-singlet fermions (sterile neutrinos) which then propagate in the extra
dimensions.Comment: 24 pages, 2 figures; major corrections: CTC metric generalized from
5D to 6D, the new 6D metric satisfies the conclusions attributed
(incorrectly) to the 5D metric in v
Herschel GASPS spectral observations of T Tauri stars in Taurus: unraveling far-infrared line emission from jets and discs
At early stages of stellar evolution young stars show powerful jets and/or
outflows that interact with protoplanetary discs and their surroundings.
Despite the scarce knowledge about the interaction of jets and/or outflows with
discs, spectroscopic studies based on Herschel and ISO data suggests that gas
shocked by jets and/or outflows can be traced by far-IR (FIR) emission in
certain sources. We want to provide a consistent catalogue of selected atomic
([OI] and [CII]) and molecular (CO, OH, and HO) line fluxes observed in
the FIR, separate and characterize the contribution from the jet and the disc
to the observed line emission, and place the observations in an evolutionary
picture. The atomic and molecular FIR (60-190 ) line emission of
protoplanetary discs around 76 T Tauri stars located in Taurus are analysed.
The observations were carried out within the Herschel key programme Gas in
Protoplanetary Systems (GASPS). The spectra were obtained with the
Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS). The sample is first divided
in outflow and non-outflow sources according to literature tabulations. With
the aid of archival stellar/disc and jet/outflow tracers and model predictions
(PDRs and shocks), correlations are explored to constrain the physical
mechanisms behind the observed line emission. The much higher detection rate of
emission lines in outflow sources and the compatibility of line ratios with
shock model predictions supports the idea of a dominant contribution from the
jet/outflow to the line emission, in particular at earlier stages of the
stellar evolution as the brightness of FIR lines depends in large part on the
specific evolutionary stage. [Abridged Abstract]Comment: 37 pages, 27 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Sub-millimeter images of a dusty Kuiper belt around eta Corvi
We present sub-millimeter and mid-infrared images of the circumstellar disk
around the nearby F2V star eta Corvi. The disk is resolved at 850um with a size
of ~100AU. At 450um the emission is found to be extended at all position
angles, with significant elongation along a position angle of 130+-10deg; at
the highest resolution (9.3") this emission is resolved into two peaks which
are to within the uncertainties offset symmetrically from the star at 100AU
projected separation. Modeling the appearance of emission from a narrow ring in
the sub-mm images shows the observed structure cannot be caused by an edge-on
or face-on axisymmetric ring; the observations are consistent with a ring of
radius 150+-20AU seen at 45+-25deg inclination. More face-on orientations are
possible if the dust distribution includes two clumps similar to Vega; we show
how such a clumpy structure could arise from the migration over 25Myr of a
Neptune mass planet from 80-105AU. The inner 100AU of the system appears
relatively empty of sub-mm emitting dust, indicating that this region may have
been cleared by the formation of planets, but the disk emission spectrum shows
that IRAS detected an additional hot component with a characteristic
temperature of 370+-60K (implying a distance of 1-2AU). At 11.9um we found the
emission to be unresolved with no background sources which could be
contaminating the fluxes measured by IRAS. The age of this star is estimated to
be ~1Gyr. It is very unusual for such an old main sequence star to exhibit
significant mid-IR emission. The proximity of this source makes it a perfect
candidate for further study from optical to mm wavelengths to determine the
distribution of its dust.Comment: 22 pages, 4 figures. Scheduled for publication in ApJ 10 February
2005 issu
Dust in the 55 Cancri planetary system
The presence of debris disks around 1-Gyr-old main sequence stars
suggests that an appreciable amount of dust may persist even in mature
planetary systems. Here we report the detection of dust emission from 55
Cancri, a star with one, or possibly two, planetary companions detected through
radial velocity measurements. Our observations at 850m and 450m imply
a dust mass of 0.0008-0.005 Earth masses, somewhat higher than that in the the
Kuiper Belt of our solar system. The estimated temperature of the dust grains
and a simple model fit both indicate a central disk hole of at least 10 AU in
radius. Thus, the region where the planets are detected is likely to be
significantly depleted of dust. Our results suggest that far-infrared and
sub-millimeter observations are powerful tools for probing the outer regions of
extrasolar planetary systems.Comment: 8 pages and 2 figures, to appear in the Astrophysical Journa
Dust in the 55 Cancri planetary system
The presence of debris disks around 1-Gyr-old main sequence stars suggests that an appreciable amount of dust may persist even in mature planetary systems. Here we report the detection of dust emission from 55 Cancri, a star with one, or possibly two, planetary companions detected through radial velocity measurements. Our observations at 850m and 450m imply a dust mass of 0.0008-0.005 Earth masses, somewhat higher than that in the the Kuiper Belt of our solar system. The estimated temperature of the dust grains and a simple model fit both indicate a central disk hole of at least 10 AU in radius. Thus, the region where the planets are detected is likely to be significantly depleted of dust. Our results suggest that far-infrared and sub-millimeter observations are powerful tools for probing the outer regions of extrasolar planetary systems
New sub-millimeter limits on dust in the 55 Cancri planetary system
We present new, high-sensitivity sub-millimeter observations towards 55
Cancri, a nearby G8 star with one, or possibly two, known planetary
companion(s). Our 850 m map, obtained with the SCUBA instrument on the
James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, shows three peaks of emission at the 2.5 mJy
level in the vicinity of the star's position. However, the observed peaks are
25\arcsec--40\arcsec away from the star and a deep -band optical image
reveals faint point sources that coincide with two of the sub-millimeter peaks.
Thus, we do not find evidence for dust emission spatially associated with 55
Cancri. The excess 60 m emission detected with ISO may originate from one
or more of the 850 m peaks that we attribute to background sources. Our
new results, together with the HST/NICMOS coronographic images in the
near-infrared, place stringent limits on the amount of dust in this planetary
system, and argue against the existence of a detectable circumstellar dust disk
around 55 Cnc.Comment: 11 pages, 2 PostScript figures, to appear in The Astrophysical
Journal Letter
Herschel PACS Observations and Modeling of Debris Disks in the Tucana-Horologium Association
We present Herschel PACS photometry of seventeen B- to M-type stars in the 30
Myr-old Tucana-Horologium Association. This work is part of the Herschel Open
Time Key Programme "Gas in Protoplanetary Systems" (GASPS). Six of the
seventeen targets were found to have infrared excesses significantly greater
than the expected stellar IR fluxes, including a previously unknown disk around
HD30051. These six debris disks were fitted with single-temperature blackbody
models to estimate the temperatures and abundances of the dust in the systems.
For the five stars that show excess emission in the Herschel PACS photometry
and also have Spitzer IRS spectra, we fit the data with models of optically
thin debris disks with realistic grain properties in order to better estimate
the disk parameters. The model is determined by a set of six parameters:
surface density index, grain size distribution index, minimum and maximum grain
sizes, and the inner and outer radii of the disk. The best fitting parameters
give us constraints on the geometry of the dust in these systems, as well as
lower limits to the total dust masses. The HD105 disk was further constrained
by fitting marginally resolved PACS 70 micron imaging.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, Accepted to Ap
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