83 research outputs found
The Unusual Spitzer Spectrum of the Carbon Star IRAS 04496–6958: A Different Condensation Sequence in the LMC?
We present a new Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) spectrum of the carbon star IRAS 04496-6958 in the Large Magellanic Cloud, which exhibits a fairly broad absorption feature at ~11 μm. This feature is consistent with SiC absorption, as seen in a few Galactic sources. Furthermore, the C2H2 (and other molecular) absorption bands are the deepest ever observed, indicative of a very high column density. While the Galactic sources with SiC absorption have cool colors (continuum temperature ≈300 K), IRAS 04496-6958 is much bluer, with a continuum temperature of ≈600 K. Based on the Galactic sample, SiC dust at this temperature should still display an emission feature at ~11 μm. If SiC is the cause of the absorption feature, it suggests a subtly different evolutionary path and a change to a different condensation sequence than assumed for Galactic carbon stars. An alternative explanation for this feature is molecular line absorption; however, currently available line lists are not sufficient to properly assess this hypothesis
Determining the forsterite abundance of the dust around Asymptotic Giant Branch stars
Aims. We present a diagnostic tool to determine the abundance of the
crystalline silicate forsterite in AGB stars surrounded by a thick shell of
silicate dust. Using six infrared spectra of high mass-loss oxygen rich AGB
stars we obtain the forsterite abundance of their dust shells.
Methods. We use a monte carlo radiative transfer code to calculate infrared
spectra of dust enshrouded AGB stars. We vary the dust composition, mass-loss
rate and outer radius. We focus on the strength of the 11.3 and the 33.6 \mu m
forsterite bands, that probe the most recent (11.3 \mu m) and older (33.6 \mu
m) mass-loss history of the star. Simple diagnostic diagrams are derived,
allowing direct comparison to observed band strengths.
Results. Our analysis shows that the 11.3 \mu m forsterite band is a robust
indicator for the forsterite abundance of the current mass-loss period for AGB
stars with an optically thick dust shell. The 33.6 \mu m band of forsterite is
sensitive to changes in the density and the geometry of the emitting dust
shell, and so a less robust indicator. Applying our method to six high
mass-loss rate AGB stars shows that AGB stars can have forsterite abundances of
12% by mass and higher, which is more than the previously found maximum
abundance of 5%.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Dust in the wind: Crystalline silicates, corundum and periclase in PG 2112+059
We have determined the mineralogical composition of dust in the Broad
Absorption Line (BAL) quasar PG 2112+059 using mid-infrared spectroscopy
obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope. From spectral fitting of the solid
state features, we find evidence for Mg-rich amorphous silicates with olivine
stoichiometry, as well as the first detection of corundum (Al_2O_3) and
periclase (MgO) in quasars. This mixed composition provides the first direct
evidence for a clumpy density structure of the grain forming region. The
silicates in total encompass 56.5% of the identified dust mass, while corundum
takes up 38 wt.%. Depending on the choice of continuum, a range of mass
fractions is observed for periclase ranging from 2.7% in the most conservative
case to 9% in a less constrained continuum. In addition, we identify a feature
at 11.2 micron as the crystalline silicate forsterite, with only a minor
contribution from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The 5% crystalline silicate
fraction requires high temperatures such as those found in the immediate quasar
environment in order to counteract rapid destruction from cosmic rays.Comment: 2 figure
Spitzer detections of new dust components in the outflow of the Red Rectangle
We present Spitzer high spectral resolution IRS spectroscopy of three
positions in the carbon-rich outflow of post-AGB star HD 44179, better known as
the Red Rectangle. Surprisingly, the spectra show some strong unknown
mid-infrared resonances, in the 13-20 micron range. The shape and position of
these resonances varies with position in the nebula, and are not correlated
with the PAH features. We conclude these features are due to oxygen-rich
minerals, located in a region which is believed to be predominantly
carbon-rich. We provide possible explanations for the presence of oxygen-rich
dust in the carbon-rich outflows. Simple Mg-Fe-oxides are suggested as carriers
of these unidentified features.Comment: accepted by ApJL; 5 pages; 4 figure
The variable mass loss of the AGB star WX Psc as traced by the CO J=1-0 through 7-6 lines and the dust emission
Low and intermediate mass stars lose a significant fraction of their mass
through a dust-driven wind during the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) phase.
Recent studies show that winds from late-type stars are far from being smooth.
Mass-loss variations occur on different time scales, from years to tens of
thousands of years. The variations appear to be particularly prominent towards
the end of the AGB evolution. The occurrence, amplitude and time scale of these
variations are still not well understood.
The goal of our study is to gain insight into the structure of the
circumstellar envelope (CSE) of WX Psc and map the possible variability of the
late-AGB mass-loss phenomenon.
We have performed an in-depth analysis of the extreme infrared AGB star WX
Psc by modeling (1) the CO J=1-0 through 7-6 rotational line profiles and the
full spectral energy distribution (SED) ranging from 0.7 to 1300 micron. We
hence are able to trace a geometrically extended region of the CSE.
Both mass-loss diagnostics bear evidence of the occurrence of mass-loss
modulations during the last ~2000 yr. In particular, WX Psc went through a high
mass-loss phase (Mdot~5e-5 Msun/yr) some 800 yr ago. This phase lasted about
600 yr and was followed by a long period of low mass loss (Mdot~5e-8 Msun/yr).
The present day mass-loss rate is estimated to be ~6e-6 Msun/yr.
The AGB star WX Psc has undergone strong mass-loss rate variability on a time
scale of several hundred years during the last few thousand years. These
variations are traced in the strength and profile of the CO rotational lines
and in the SED. We have consistently simulated the behaviour of both tracers
using radiative transfer codes that allow for non-constant mass-loss rates.Comment: 12 pages, accepted for publication in A&
The shape and composition of interstellar silicate grains
We investigate the composition and shape distribution of silicate dust grains
in the interstellar medium. The effect of the amount of magnesium in the
silicate lattice is studied. We fit the spectral shape of the interstellar 10
mu extinction feature as observed towards the galactic center. We use very
irregularly shaped coated and non-coated porous Gaussian Random Field particles
as well as a statistical approach to model shape effects. For the dust
materials we use amorphous and crystalline silicates with various composition
and SiC. The results of our analysis of the 10 mu feature are used to compute
the shape of the 20 mu silicate feature and to compare this with observations.
By using realistic particle shapes we are, for the first time, able to derive
the magnesium fraction in interstellar silicates. We find that the interstellar
silicates are highly magnesium rich (Mg/(Fe+Mg)>0.9) and that the stoichiometry
lies between pyroxene and olivine type silicates. This composition is not
consistent with that of the glassy material found in GEMS in interplanetary
dust particles indicating that these are, in general, not unprocessed remnants
from the interstellar medium. Also, we find a significant fraction of SiC
(~3%). We discuss the implications of our results for the formation and
evolutionary history of cometary and circumstellar dust. We argue that the fact
that crystalline silicates in cometary and circumstellar grains are almost
purely magnesium silicates is a natural consequence of our findings that the
amorphous silicates from which they were formed were already magnesium rich.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Observations of chemical differentiation in clumpy molecular clouds
We have extensively mapped a sample of dense molecular clouds (L1512, TMC-1C,
L1262, Per 7, L1389, L1251E) in lines of HC3N, CH3OH, SO and C^{18}O. We
demonstrate that a high degree of chemical differentiation is present in all of
the observed clouds. We analyse the molecular maps for each cloud,
demonstrating a systematic chemical differentiation across the sample, which we
relate to the evolutionary state of the cloud. We relate our observations to
the cloud physical, kinematical and evolutionary properties, and also compare
them to the predictions of simple chemical models. The implications of this
work for understanding the origin of the clumpy structures and chemical
differentiation observed in dense clouds are discussed.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures. Higher quality figures appear in the published
journal articl
Evolution of the Most Luminous Dusty Galaxies
A summary of mid-infrared continuum luminosities arising from dust is given
for very luminous galaxies, Lir > 10^12 solar luminosities, with 0.005 < z <
3.2 containing active galactic nuclei (AGN), including 115 obscured AGN and 60
unobscured (type 1) AGN. All sources have been observed with the Spitzer
Infrared Spectrograph. Obscured AGN are defined as having optical depth > 0.7
in the 9.7 um silicate absorption feature and unobscured AGN show silicate in
emission. Luminosity vLv(8 um) is found to scale as (1+z)^2.6 to z = 2.8, and
luminosities vLv(8 um) are approximately 3 times greater for the most luminous
unobscured AGN. Total infrared luminosities for the most luminous obscured AGN,
Lir(AGN_obscured) in solar luminosities, scale as log Lir(AGN_obscured) =
12.3+-0.25 + 2.6(+-0.3)log(1+z), and for the most luminous unobscured AGN,
scale as log Lir(AGN1) = 12.6+-0.15 + 2.6(+-0.3)log(1+z), indicating that the
most luminous AGN are about 10 times more luminous than the most luminous
starbursts. Results are consistent with obscured and unobscured AGN having the
same total luminosities with differences arising only from orientation, such
that the obscured AGN are observed through very dusty clouds which extinct
about 50% of the intrinsic luminosity at 8 um. Both obscured and unobscured AGN
should be detected to z ~ 6 by Spitzer surveys with fv(24 um) > 0.3 mJy, even
without luminosity evolution for z > 2.5. By contrast, the most luminous
starbursts cannot be detected for z > 3, even if luminosity evolution continues
beyond z = 2.5.Comment: Includes corrected Figure 3, as publishe
A close look into the carbon disk at the core of the planetary nebula CPD-568032
We present high spatial resolution observations of the dusty core of the
Planetary Nebula with Wolf-Rayet central star CPD-568032. These observations
were taken with the mid-infrared interferometer VLTI/MIDI in imaging mode
providing a typical 300 mas resolution and in interferometric mode using
UT2-UT3 47m baseline providing a typical spatial resolution of 20 mas. The
visible HST images exhibit a complex multilobal geometry dominated by faint
lobes. The farthest structures are located at 7" from the star. The mid-IR
environment of CPD-568032 is dominated by a compact source, barely resolved by
a single UT telescope in a 8.7 micron filter. The infrared core is almost fully
resolved with the three 40-45m projected baselines ranging from -5 to 51 degree
but smooth oscillating fringes at low level have been detected in spectrally
dispersed visibilities. This clear signal is interpreted in terms of a ring
structure which would define the bright inner rim of the equatorial disk.
Geometric models allowed us to derive the main geometrical parameters of the
disk. For instance, a reasonably good fit is reached with an achromatic and
elliptical truncated Gaussian with a radius of 97+/-11 AU, an inclination of
28+/-7 degree and a PA for the major axis at 345+/-7 degree. Furthermore, we
performed some radiative transfer modeling aimed at further constraining the
geometry and mass content of the disk, by taking into account the MIDI
dispersed visibilities, spectra, and the large aperture SED of the source.
These models show that the disk is mostly optically thin in the N band and
highly flared.Comment: Paper accepted in A&
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