Complex cyanides as chemical clocks in hot cores

Context: In the high-mass star-forming region G35.20−0.74N, small scale (~800 AU) chemical segregation has been observed in which complex organic molecules containing the CN group are located in a small location (toward continuum peak B3) within an apparently coherently rotating structure. Aims: We aim to determine the physical origin of the large abundance difference (~4 orders of magnitude) in complex cyanides within G35.20−0.74 B, and we explore variations in age, gas/dust temperature, and gas density. Methods: We performed gas-grain astrochemical modeling experiments with exponentially increasing (coupled) gas and dust temperature rising from 10 to 500 K at constant H₂ densities of 10⁷ cm⁻³, 10⁸ cm⁻³, and 10⁹ cm⁻³. We tested the effect of varying the initial ice composition, cosmic-ray ionization rate (1.3 × 10⁻¹⁷ s⁻¹, 1 × 10⁻¹⁶ s⁻¹, and 6 × 10⁻¹⁶ s⁻¹), warm-up time (over 50, 200, and 1000 kyr), and initial (10, 15, and 25 K) and final temperatures (300 and 500 K). Results: Varying the initial ice compositions within the observed and expected ranges does not noticeably affect the modeled abundances indicating that the chemical make-up of hot cores is determined in the warm-up stage. Complex cyanides vinyl and ethyl cyanide (CH₂CHCN and C₂H₅CN, respectively) cannot be produced in abundances (vs. H₂) greater than 5 ×10⁻¹⁰ for CH₂CHCN and 2 ×10⁻¹⁰ for C₂H₅CN with a fast warm-up time (52 kyr), while the lower limit for the observed abundance of C₂H₅CN toward source B3 is 3.4 ×10⁻¹⁰. Complex cyanide abundances are reduced at higher initial temperatures and increased at higher cosmic-ray ionization rates. Reaction-diffusion competition is necessary to reproduce observed abundances of oxygen-bearing species in our model. Conclusions: Within the context of this model, reproducing the observed abundances toward G35.20−0.74 Core B3 requires a fast warm-up at a high cosmic-ray ionization rate (~1 × 10⁻¹⁶ s⁻¹) at a high gas density (>10⁹ cm⁻³). The abundances observed at the other positions in G35.20-0.74N also require a fast warm-up but allow lower gas densities (~10⁸ cm⁻³) and cosmic-ray ionization rates (~1 × 10⁻¹⁷ s⁻¹). In general, we find that the abundance of ethyl cyanide in particular is maximized in models with a low initial temperature, a high cosmic-ray ionization rate, a long warm-up time (>200 kyr), and a lower gas density (tested down to 10⁷ cm⁻³). G35.20−0.74 source B3 only needs to be ~2000 years older than B1/B2 for the observed chemical difference to be present, which maintains the possibility that G35.20−0.74 B contains a Keplerian disk

Mapping the H2D+ and N2H+ emission toward prestellar cores. Testing dynamical models of the collapse using gas tracers

Context. The study of prestellar cores is critical as they set the initial conditions in star formation and determine the final mass of the stellar object. To date, several hypotheses have described their gravitational collapse. Deriving the dynamical model that fits both the observed dust and the gas emission from such cores is therefore of great importance. Aims. We perform detailed line analysis and modeling of H2D+ 110–111 and N2H+ 4–3 emission at 372 GHz, using 2′ × 2′ maps (James Clerk Maxwell Telescope; JCMT). Our goal is to test the most prominent dynamical models by comparing the modeled gas kinematics and spatial distribution (H2D+ and N2H+) with observations toward four prestellar (L1544, L183, L694-2, L1517B) and one protostellar core (L1521f). Methods. We fit the line profiles at all offsets showing emission using single Gaussian distributions. We investigate how the line parameters (VLSR, FWHM and TA*) change with offset to examine the velocity field, the degree of nonthermal contributions to the line broadening, and the distribution of the material in these cores. To assess the thermal broadening, we derive the average gas kinetic temperature toward all cores using the non-LTE radiative transfer code RADEX. We perform a more detailed non-LTE radiative transfer modeling using RATRAN, where we compare the predicted spatial distribution and line profiles of H2D+ and N2H+ with observations toward all cores. To do so, we adopt the physical structure for each core predicted by three different dynamical models taken from literature: quasi-equilibrium Bonnor–Ebert sphere (QE-BES), singular isothermal sphere (SIS), and Larson–Penston (LP) flow. In addition, we compare these results to those of a static sphere, whose density and temperature profiles are based on the observed dust continuum. Lastly, we constrain the abundance profiles of H2D+ and N2H+ toward each core. Results. We find that variable nonthermal contributions (variations by a factor of 2.5) are required to explain the observed line width of both H2D+ and N2H+, while the nonthermal contributions are found to be 50% higher for N2H+. The RADEX modeling results in average core column densities of ~9 × 1012 cm−2 for H2D+ and N2H+. The LP flow seems to be the dynamical model that can reproduce the observed spatial distribution and line profiles of H2D+ on a global scale of prestellar cores, while the SIS model systematically and significantly overestimates the width of the line profiles and underestimates the line peak intensity. We find similar abundance profiles for the prestellar cores and the protostellar core. The typical abundances of H2D+ vary between 10−9 and 10−10 for the inner 5000 au and drop by about an order of magnitude for the outer regions of the core (2 × 10−10–6 × 10−11). In addition, a higher N2H+ abundance by about a factor of 4 compared to H2D+ is found toward the two cores with detected emission. The presence of N2H+ 4–3 toward the protostellar core and toward one of the prestellar cores reflects the increasing densities as the core evolves. Conclusions. Our analysis provides an updated picture of the physical structure of prestellar cores. Although the dynamical models account for mass differences by up to a factor of 7, the velocity structure drives the shape of the line profiles, allowing for a robust comparison between the models. We find that the SIS model can be clearly excluded in explaining the gas emission toward the cores, but a larger sample is required to differentiate clearly between the LP flow, the QE-BES, and the static models. All models of collapse underestimate the intensity of the gas emission by up to several factors toward the only protostellar core in our sample, indicating that different dynamics take place in different evolutionary core stages. If the LP model is confirmed toward a larger sample of prestellar cores, it would indicate that they may form by compression or accretion of gas from larger scales. If the QE-BES model is confirmed, it means that quasi-hydrostatic cores can exist within turbulent ISM

Evolutionary status of dense cores in the NGC 1333 IRAS 4 star-forming region

Context: Protostellar evolution after the formation of the protostar is becoming reasonably well characterized, but the evolution from a prestellar core to a protostar is not well known, although the first hydrostatic core (FHSC) must be a pivotal step. Aims: NGC 1333 – IRAS 4C is a potentially very young object that we can directly compare with the nearby Class 0 objects IRAS 4A and IRAS 4B. Observational constraints are provided by spectral imaging from the JCMT Spectral Legacy Survey (330−373 GHz). We present integrated intensity and velocity maps of several species, including CO, H₂CO and CH₃OH. CARMA observations provide additional information with which we can distinguish IRAS 4C from other evolutionary stages. Methods: We present the observational signatures of the velocity of an observed outflow, the degree of CO depletion, the deuterium fractionation of [DCO⁺]/[HCO⁺], and gas kinetic temperatures. Results: We report differences between the three sources in four aspects: a) the kinetic temperature as probed using the H₂CO lines is much lower toward IRAS 4C than the other two sources; b) the line profiles of the detected species show strong outflow activity toward IRAS 4A and IRAS 4B, but not toward IRAS 4C; c) the HCN/HNC is <1 toward IRAS 4C, which confirms the cold nature of the source; d) the degree of CO depletion and the deuteration are lowest toward the warmest of the sources, IRAS 4B. Conclusions: IRAS 4C seems to be in a different evolutionary state than the sources IRAS 4A and IRAS 4B. We can probably exclude the FHSC stage becaues of the relatively low Lsmm/Lbol (~6%), and we investigate the earliest accretion phase of Class 0 stage and the transition between Class 0 to Class I. Our results do not show a consistent scenario for either case; the main problem is the absence of outflow activity and the cold nature of IRAS 4C. The number of FHSC candidates in Perseus is ~10 times higher than current models predict, which suggests that the lifespan of these objects is ≥103 yrs, which might be due to an accretion rate lower than 4 × 10⁻⁵ M⊙/yr

Massive star formation in 100,000 years from turbulent and pressurized molecular clouds

Massive stars (with mass m_* > 8 solar masses) are fundamental to the evolution of galaxies, because they produce heavy elements, inject energy into the interstellar medium, and possibly regulate the star formation rate. The individual star formation time, t_*f, determines the accretion rate of the star; the value of the former quantity is currently uncertain by many orders of magnitude, leading to other astrophysical questions. For example, the variation of t_*f with stellar mass dictates whether massive stars can form simultaneously with low-mass stars in clusters. Here we show that t_*f is determined by conditions in the star's natal cloud, and is typically ~10^5 yr. The corresponding mass accretion rate depends on the pressure within the cloud - which we relate to the gas surface density - and on both the instantaneous and final stellar masses. Characteristic accretion rates are sufficient to overcome radiation pressure from ~100 solar mass protostars, while simultaneously driving intense bipolar gas outflows. The weak dependence of t_*f on the final mass of the star allows high- and low-mass star formation to occur nearly simultaneously in clusters.Comment: 9 pages plus 2 figures, Nature, 416, 59 (7th March 2002

ISO spectroscopy of gas and dust: from molecular clouds to protoplanetary disks

Observations of interstellar gas-phase and solid-state species in the 2.4-200 micron range obtained with the spectrometers on board the Infrared Space Observatory are reviewed. Lines and bands due to ices, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, silicates and gas-phase atoms and molecules (in particular H2, CO, H2O, OH and CO2) are summarized and their diagnostic capabilities illustrated. The results are discussed in the context of the physical and chemical evolution of star-forming regions, including photon-dominated regions, shocks, protostellar envelopes and disks around young stars.Comment: 56 pages, 17 figures. To appear in Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 2004. Higher resolution version posted at http://www.strw.leidenuniv.nl/~ewine/araa04.pd

Substructures in the Keplerian disc around the O-type (proto-)star G17.64+0.16

Contains fulltext : 205611.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Chasing discs around O-type (proto)stars: ALMA evidence for an SiO disc and disc wind from G17.64+0.16★

We present high angular resolution (~0.2″) continuum and molecular emission line Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA) observations of G17.64+0.16 in Band 6 (220−230 GHz) taken as part of a campaign in search of circumstellar discs around (proto)-O-stars. At a resolution of ~400 au the main continuum core is essentially unresolved and isolated from other strong and compact emission peaks. We detect SiO (5–4) emission that is marginally resolved and elongated in a direction perpendicular to the large-scale outflow seen in the 13 CO (2−1) line using the main ALMA array in conjunction with the Atacama Compact Array (ACA). Morphologically, the SiO appearsto represent a disc-like structure. Using parametric models we show that the position-velocity profile of the SiO is consistent with the Keplerian rotation of a disc around an object between 10 and 30 M⊙ in mass, only if there is also radial expansion from a separate structure. The radial motion component can be interpreted as a disc wind from the disc surface. Models with a central stellar object mass between 20 and 30 M⊙ are the most consistent with the stellar luminosity (1 × 105 L⊙) and indicative of an O-type star. The H30α millimetre recombination line (231.9 GHz) is also detected, but spatially unresolved, and is indicative of a very compact, hot, ionised region co-spatial with the dust continuum core. The broad line-width of the H30α emission (full-width-half-maximum = 81.9 km s−1) is not dominated by pressure-broadening but is consistent with underlying bulk motions. These velocities match those required for shocks to release silicon from dust grains into the gas phase. CH3 CN and CH3 OH thermal emission also shows two arc shaped plumes that curve away from the disc plane. Their coincidence with OH maser emission suggests that they could trace the inner working surfaces of a wide-angle wind driven by G17.64 which impacts the diffuse remnant natal cloud before being redirected into the large-scale outflow direction. Accounting for all observables, we suggest that G17.64 is consistent with a O-type young stellar object in the final stages of protostellar assembly, driving a wind, but that has not yet developed into a compact H II region. The existance and detection of the disc in G17.64 is likely related to its isolated and possibly more evolved nature, traits which may underpin discs in similar sources