2,889 research outputs found
Dust, Ice, and Gas In Time (DIGIT) Herschel program first results: A full PACS-SED scan of the gas line emission in protostar DK Chamaeleontis
Aims. We aim to study the composition and energetics of the circumstellar material of DK Cha, an intermediate-mass star in transition from an
embedded configuration to a star plus disk stage, during this pivotal stage of its evolution.
Methods. Using the range scan mode of PACS on the Herschel Space Observatory, we obtained a spectrum of DK Cha from 55 to 210 ÎŒm as part
of the DIGIT key program.
Results. Almost 50 molecular and atomic lines were detected, many more than the 7 lines detected in ISO-LWS. Nearly the entire ladder of CO
from J = 14â13 to 38â37 (E_u/k = 4080 K), water from levels as excited as J_(Kâ1 K+1) = 7_(07) (E_u/k = 843 K), and OH lines up to E_u/k = 290 K were
detected.
Conclusions. The continuum emission in our PACS SED scan matches the flux expected by a model consisting of a star, a surrounding disk of
0.03 M_â, and an envelope of a similar mass, supporting the suggestion that the object is emerging from its main accretion stage. Molecular, atomic,
and ionic emission lines in the far-infrared reveal the outflowâs influence on the envelope. The inferred hot gas may be photon-heated, but some
emission may be caused by C-shocks in the walls of the outflow cavity
The origin of organic emission in NGC 2071
Context: The physical origin behind organic emission in embedded low-mass
star formation has been fiercely debated in the last two decades. A multitude
of scenarios have been proposed, from a hot corino to PDRs on cavity walls to
shock excitation.
Aims: The aim of this paper is to determine the location and the
corresponding physical conditions of the gas responsible for organics emission
lines. The outflows around the small protocluster NGC 2071 are an ideal testbed
to differentiate between various scenarios.
Methods: Using Herschel-HIFI and the SMA, observations of CH3OH, H2CO and
CH3CN emission lines over a wide range of excitation energies were obtained.
Comparisons to a grid of radiative transfer models provide constraints on the
physical conditions. Comparison to H2O line shape is able to trace gas-phase
synthesis versus a sputtered origin.
Results: Emission of organics originates in three spots: the continuum
sources IRS 1 ('B') and IRS 3 ('A') as well as a outflow position ('F').
Densities are above 10 cm and temperatures between 100 to 200 K.
CH3OH emission observed with HIFI originates in all three regions and cannot be
associated with a single region. Very little organic emission originates
outside of these regions.
Conclusions: Although the three regions are small (<1,500 AU), gas-phase
organics likely originate from sputtering of ices due to outflow activity. The
derived high densities (>10 cm) are likely a requirement for organic
molecules to survive from being destroyed by shock products. The lack of
spatially extended emission confirms that organic molecules cannot (re)form
through gas-phase synthesis, as opposed to H2O, which shows strong line wing
emission. The lack of CH3CN emission at 'F' is evidence for a different history
of ice processing due to the absence of a protostar at that location and recent
ice mantle evaporation.Comment: 10 Pages, 8 figures, Accepted for Astronomy and Astrophysic
Dense and warm molecular gas in the envelopes and outflows of southern low-mass protostars
Observations of dense molecular gas lie at the basis of our understanding of
the density and temperature structure of protostellar envelopes and molecular
outflows. We aim to characterize the properties of the protostellar envelope,
molecular outflow and surrounding cloud, through observations of high
excitation molecular lines within a sample of 16 southern sources presumed to
be embedded YSOs. Observations of submillimeter lines of CO, HCO+ and their
isotopologues, both single spectra and small maps were taken with the FLASH and
APEX-2a instruments mounted on APEX to trace the gas around the sources. The
HARP-B instrument on the JCMT was used to map IRAS 15398-3359 in these lines.
HCO+ mapping probes the presence of dense centrally condensed gas, a
characteristic of protostellar envelopes. The rare isotopologues C18O and
H13CO+ are also included to determine the optical depth, column density, and
source velocity. The combination of multiple CO transitions, such as 3-2, 4-3
and 7-6, allows to constrain outflow properties, in particular the temperature.
Archival submillimeter continuum data are used to determine envelope masses.
Eleven of the sixteen sources have associated warm and/or dense quiescent as
characteristic of protostellar envelopes, or an associated outflow. Using the
strength and degree of concentration of the HCO+ 4-3 and CO 4-3 lines as a
diagnostic, five sources classified as Class I based on their spectral energy
distributions are found not to be embedded YSOs. The C18O 3-2 lines show that
for none of the sources, foreground cloud layers are present. Strong molecular
outflows are found around six sources, .. (continued in paper)Comment: Accepted by A&A, 13 figure
Sub-arcsecond SMA observations of the prototype Class 0 object VLA1623 at 1.3 mm: A single protostar with a structured outflow cavity ?
We present 1.3-mm subarcsecond SMA observations of the prototypical Class 0
protostar VLA1623. We report the detection of 1.3-mm continuum emission both
from the central protostellar component VLA1623 and two additional sources,
Knot-A and Knot-B, which have been already detected at longer wavelengths.
Knot-A and Knot-B are both located along the western cavity wall opened by the
protostellar outflow from VLA1623. Our SMA observations moreover show that
these two continuum sources are associated with bright, high-velocity 12CO(2-1)
emission, slightly shifted downstream of the outflow propagation direction with
respect to the 1.3-mm continuum emission peaks. The alignment of Knot-A and
Knot-B along the protostellar outflow cavity, the compactness of their 1.3-mm
continuum emission and the properties of the associated CO emission suggest
that these two sources trace outflow features due to shocks along the cavity
wall, rather than protostellar objects. While it was considered as one of the
best examples of a close protobinary system so far, the present analysis
suggests that the prototypical Class 0, VLA1623, is single on the scales a>100
AU probed by our SMA observations. Moreover, we present here the second robust
case of compact millimeter continuum emission produced by interactions between
the protostellar jet and the envelope of a Class 0 protostar, which suggests a
high occurrence of these outflow features during the embedded phase.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Low
resolution figure
Hydrogels by irradiation of a synthetic heparinoid polyelectrolyte
Gamma irradiation of aqueous solutions of a synthetic heparinoid polyelectrolyte results in the formation of hydrogels, varying in water content and mechanical strength. The equilibrium water content and the mechanical strength of the hydrogels are dependent on the initial polyelectrolyte concentration, the molecular weight of the polyelectrolyte, the percentage of double bonds in the polyelectrolyte and the radiation dose.\ud
\ud
The polyelectrolyte hydrogels do not deplete Antithrombin III from blood and there is no activation of factor XII according to an in vitro kallikrein generation test. However, in a very sensitive test for factor XII activation (contact promoted shortening of the thrombotest) a slight activation of this factor was observed
Conductance of Pd-H nanojunctions
Results of an experimental study of palladium nanojunctions in hydrogen
environment are presented. Two new hydrogen-related atomic configurations are
found, which have a conductances of ~0.5 and ~1 quantum unit (2e^2/h). Phonon
spectrum measurements demonstrate that these configurations are situated
between electrodes containing dissolved hydrogen. The crucial differences
compared to the previously studied Pt-H_2 junctions, and the possible
microscopic realizations of the new configurations in palladium-hydrogen
atomic-sized contacts are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Far infrared CO and HO emission in intermediate-mass protostars
Intermediate-mass young stellar objects (YSOs) provide a link to understand
how feedback from shocks and UV radiation scales from low to high-mass star
forming regions. Aims: Our aim is to analyze excitation of CO and HO in
deeply-embedded intermediate-mass YSOs and compare with low-mass and high-mass
YSOs. Methods: Herschel/PACS spectral maps are analyzed for 6 YSOs with
bolometric luminosities of . The maps
cover spatial scales of AU in several CO and HO lines located
in the m range. Results: Rotational diagrams of CO show two
temperature components at K and
K, comparable to low- and high-mass protostars
probed at similar spatial scales. The diagrams for HO show a single
component at K, as seen in low-mass protostars, and
about K lower than in high-mass protostars. Since the uncertainties in
are of the same order as the difference between the
intermediate and high-mass protostars, we cannot conclude whether the change in
rotational temperature occurs at a specific luminosity, or whether the change
is more gradual from low- to high-mass YSOs. Conclusions: Molecular excitation
in intermediate-mass protostars is comparable to the central AU of
low-mass protostars and consistent within the uncertainties with the high-mass
protostars probed at AU scales, suggesting similar shock
conditions in all those sources.Comment: Accepted to Astronomy & Astrophysics. 4 pages, 5 figures, 3 table
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