194 research outputs found
H2 formation via the UV photo-processing of a-C:H nano-particles
Context. The photolysis of hydrogenated amorphous carbon, a-C(:H), dust by UV
photon-irradiation in the laboratory leads to the release of H2 as well as
other molecules and radicals. This same process is also likely to be important
in the interstellar medium. Aims. To investigate molecule formation arising
from the photo-dissociatively-driven, regenerative processing of a-C(:H) dust.
Methods. We explore the mechanism of a-C(:H) grain photolysis leading to the
formation of H2 and other molecules/radicals. Results. The rate constant for
the photon-driven formation of H2 from a-C(:H) grains is estimated to be
2x10^-17 cm^3 s^-1. In intense radiation fields photon-driven grain
decomposition will lead to fragmentation into daughter species rather than H2
formation. Conclusions. The cyclic re-structuring of arophatic a-C(:H)
nano-particles appears to be a viable route to formation of H2 for low to
moderate radiation field intensities (1 < G_0 < 10^2), even when the dust is
warm (T ~ 50 - 100 K).Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Diamonds in HD 97048
We present adaptive optics high angular resolution (\sim0\farcs1)
spectroscopic observations in the 3 m region of the Herbig Ae/Be star HD
97048. For the first time, we spatially resolve the emission in the diamond
features at 3.43 and 3.53 m and in the adjacent continuum. Using both the
intensity profiles along the slit and reconstructed two-dimensional images of
the object, we derive full-width at half-maximum sizes consistent with the
predictions for a circumstellar disk seen pole-on. The diamond emission
originates in the inner region ( AU) of the disk.Comment: ApJLetter, in pres
Molecular hydrogen in the disk of the Herbig Ae star HD97048
We present high-resolution spectroscopic mid-infrared observations of the
circumstellar disk around the Herbig Ae star HD97048 obtained with the VLT
Imager and Spectrometer for the mid-InfraRed (VISIR). We conducted observations
of mid-infrared pure rotational lines of molecular hydrogen (H2) as a tracer of
warm gas in the disk surface layers. In a previous paper, we reported the
detection of the S(1) pure rotational line of H2 at 17.035 microns and argued
it is arising from the inner regions of the disk around the star. We used VISIR
on the VLT for a more comprehensive study based on complementary observations
of the other mid-infrared molecular transitions, namely S(2) and S(4) at 12.278
microns and 8.025 microns respectively, to investigate the physical properties
of the molecular gas in the circumstellar disk around HD97048. We do not detect
neither the S(2) line nor the S(4) H2 line from the disk of HD97048, but we
derive upper limits on the integrated line fluxes which allows us to estimate
an upper limit on the gas excitation temperature, T_ex < 570 K. This limit on
the temperature is consistent with the assumptions previously used in the
analysis of the S(1) line, and allows us to set stronger contraints on the mass
of warm gas in the inner regions of the disk. Indeed, we estimate the mass of
warm gas to be lower than 0.1 M_Jup. We also discuss the probable physical
mechanisms which could be responsible of the excitation of H2 in the disk of
HD97048.Comment: accepted for publication in Ap
Where is the warm H2 ? A search for H2 emission from disks around Herbig Ae/Be stars
Mid-IR emission lines of H2 are useful probes to determine the mass of warm
gas present in the surface layers of disks. Numerous observations of Herbig
Ae/Be stars (HAeBes) have been performed, but only 2 detections of mid-IR H2
toward HD97048 and AB Aur have been reported. We aim at tracing the warm gas in
the disks of 5 HAeBes with gas-rich environments and physical characteristics
close to those of AB Aur and HD97048, to discuss whether the detections toward
these 2 objects are suggestive of peculiar conditions for the gas. We search
for the H2 S(1) emission line at 17.035 \mu\m with VISIR, and complemented by
CH molecule observations with UVES. We gather the H2 measurements from the
literature to put the new results in context and search for a correlation with
some disk properties. None of the 5 VISIR targets shows evidence for H2
emission. From the 3sigma upper limits on the integrated line fluxes we
constrain the amount of optically thin warm gas to be less than 1.4 M_Jup in
the disk surface layers. There are now 20 HAeBes observed with VISIR and TEXES
instruments to search for warm H2, but only two detections (HD97048 and AB Aur)
were made so far. We find that the two stars with detected warm H2 show at the
same time high 30/13 \mu\m flux ratios and large PAH line fluxes at 8.6 and
11.3 \mu\m compared to the bulk of observed HAeBes and have emission CO lines
detected at 4.7 \mu\m. We detect the CH 4300.3A absorption line toward both
HD97048 and AB Aur with UVES. The CH to H2 abundance ratios that this would
imply if it were to arise from the same component as well as the radial
velocity of the CH lines both suggest that CH arises from a surrounding
envelope, while the detected H2 would reside in the disk. The two detections of
the S(1) line in the disks of HD97048 and AB Aur suggest either peculiar
physical conditions or a particular stage of evolution.Comment: accepted for publication in A&A : 10 pages, 6 figure
Aromatic emission from the ionised mane of the Horsehead nebula
We study the evolution of the Aromatic Infrared Bands (AIBs) emitters across
the illuminated edge of the Horsehead nebula and especially their survival and
properties in the HII region. We present spectral mapping observations taken
with the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) at wavelengths 5.2-38 microns. A strong
AIB at 11.3 microns is detected in the HII region, relative to the other AIBs
at 6.2, 7.7 and 8.6 microns. The intensity of this band appears to be
correlated with the intensity of the [NeII] at 12.8 microns and of Halpha,
which shows that the emitters of the 11.3 microns band are located in the
ionised gas. The survival of PAHs in the HII region could be due to the
moderate intensity of the radiation field (G0 about 100) and the lack of
photons with energy above about 25eV. The enhancement of the intensity of the
11.3 microns band in the HII region, relative to the other AIBs can be
explained by the presence of neutral PAHs. Our observations highlight a
transition region between ionised and neutral PAHs observed with ideal
conditions in our Galaxy. A scenario where PAHs can survive in HII regions and
be significantly neutral could explain the detection of a prominent 11.3
microns band in other Spitzer observations.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A&
SPIRE-FTS observations of RCW 120
The expansion of Galactic HII regions can trigger the formation of a new
generation of stars. However, little is know about the physical conditions that
prevail in these regions. We study the physical conditions that prevail in
specific zones towards expanding HII regions that trace representative media
such as the photodissociation region, the ionized region, and condensations
with and without ongoing star formation. We use the SPIRE Fourier Transform
Spectrometer (FTS) on board to observe the HII region RCW 120.
Continuum and lines are observed in the m range. Line intensities
and line ratios are obtained and used as physical diagnostics of the gas. We
used the Meudon PDR code and the RADEX code to derive the gas density and the
radiation field at nine distinct positions including the PDR surface and
regions with and without star-formation activity. For the different regions we
detect the atomic lines [NII] at m and [CI] at and m,
the ladder between the and levels and the
ladder between the and levels, as well as CH in absorption. We find gas temperatures in the range K for
densities of , and a high column density on the order
of that is in agreement with dust
analysis. The ubiquitousness of the atomic and CH emission suggests the
presence of a low-density PDR throughout RCW 120. High-excitation lines of CO
indicate the presence of irradiated dense structures or small dense clumps
containing young stellar objects, while we also find a less dense medium
() with high temperatures (K).Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted by A&
Density structure of the Horsehead nebula photo-dissociation region
We present high angular resolution images of the H 1-0 S(1) line emission
obtained with the Son of ISAAC (SOFI) at the New Technology Telescope (NTT) of
the Horsehead nebula. These observations are analysed in combination with
H line emission, aromatic dust, CO and dust continuum emissions. The
Horsehead nebula illuminated by the O9.5V star Ori ( 60)
presents a typical photodissociation region (PDR) viewed nearly edge-on and
offers an ideal opportunity to study the gas density structure of a PDR. The
H fluorescent emission observations reveal extremely sharp and bright
filaments associated with the illuminated edge of the nebula which spatially
coincides with the aromatic dust emission. Analysis of the H fluorescent
emission, sensitive to both the far-UV radiation field and the gas density, in
conjunction with the aromatic dust and H line emission, brings new
constraints on the illumination conditions and the gas density in the outer PDR
region. Furthermore, combination of this data with millimeter observations of
CO and dust continuum emission allows us to trace the penetration of the far-UV
radiation field into the cloud and probe the gas density structure throughout
the PDR. From comparison with PDR model calculations, we find that i) the gas
density follows a steep gradient at the cloud edge, with a scale length of 0.02
pc (or 10'') and and cm in the H emitting and
inner cold molecular layers respectively, and ii) this density gradient model
is essentially a constant pressure model, with 4 K cm. The
constraints derived here on the gas density profile are important for the study
of physical and chemical processes in PDRs and provide new insight into the
evolution of interstellar clouds.Comment: To be published in A&
Dust processing in photodissociation regions - Mid-IR emission modelling
Mid-infrared spectroscopy of dense illuminated ridges (or photodissociation
regions, PDRs) suggests dust evolution. Such evolution must be reflected in the
gas physical properties through processes like photo-electric heating or H_2
formation. With Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) and ISOCAM data, we study
the mid-IR emission of closeby, well known PDRs. Focusing on the band and
continuum dust emissions, we follow their relative contributions and analyze
their variations in terms of abundance of dust populations. In order to
disentangle dust evolution and excitation effects, we use a dust emission model
that we couple to radiative transfer. Our dust model reproduces extinction and
emission of the standard interstellar medium that we represent with diffuse
high galactic latitude clouds called Cirrus. We take the properties of dust in
Cirrus as a reference to which we compare the dust emission from more excited
regions, namely the Horsehead and the reflection nebula NGC 2023 North. We show
that in both regions, radiative transfer effects cannot account for the
observed spectral variations. We interpret these variations in term of changes
of the relative abundance between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs,
mid-IR band carriers) and very small grains (VSGs, mid-IR continuum carriers).
We conclude that the PAH/VSG abundance ratio is 2.4 times smaller at the peak
emission of the Horsehead nebula than in the Cirrus case. For NGC2023 North
where spectral evolution is observed across the northern PDR, we conclude that
this ratio is ~5 times lower in the dense, cold zones of the PDR than in its
diffuse illuminated part where dust properties seem to be the same as in
Cirrus. We conclude that dust in PDRs seems to evolve from "dense" to "diffuse"
properties at the small spatial scale of the dense illuminated ridge.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Nano-grain depletion in photon-dominated regions
Context. Carbonaceous nano-grains play a fundamental role in the
physico-chemistry of the interstellar medium (ISM) and especially of
photon-dominated regions (PDRs). Their properties vary with the local physical
conditions and affect the local chemistry and dynamics. Aims. We aim to
highlight the evolution of carbonaceous nano-grains in three different PDRs and
propose a scenario of dust evolution as a response to the physical conditions.
Methods. We used Spitzer/IRAC (3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8 m) and Spitzer/MIPS
(24 m) together with Herschel/PACS (70 m) to map dust emission in
IC63 and the Orion Bar. To assess the dust properties, we modelled the dust
emission in these regions using the radiative transfer code SOC together with
the THEMIS dust model. Results. Regardless of the PDR, we find that nano-grains
are depleted and that their minimum size is larger than in the diffuse ISM
(DISM), which suggests that the mechanisms that lead nano-grains to be
photo-destroyed are very efficient below a given critical size limit. The
evolution of the nano-grain dust-to-gas mass ratio with both G0 and the
effective temperature of the illuminating star indicates a competition between
the nano-grain formation through the fragmentation of larger grains and
nano-grain photo-destruction. We modelled dust collisions driven by radiative
pressure with a classical 1D approach to show that this is a viable scenario
for explaining nano-grain formation through fragmentation and, thus, the
variations observed in nano-grain dust-to-gas mass ratios from one PDR to
another. Conclusions. We find a broad variation in the nano-grain dust
properties from one PDR to another, along with a general trend of nano-grain
depletion in these regions. We propose a viable scenario of nano-grain
formation through fragmentation of large grains due to radiative
pressure-induced collisions
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