936 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
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
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
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
Spin configuration in a frustrated ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic thin film system
We have studied the magnetic configuration in ultrathin antiferromagnetic Mn
films grown around monoatomic steps on an Fe(001) surface by spin-polarized
scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and ab-initio-parametrized
self-consistent real-space tight binding calculations in which the spin
quantization axis is independent for each site thus allowing noncollinear
magnetism. Mn grown on Fe(001) presents a layered antiferromagnetic structure.
In the regions where the Mn films overgrows Fe steps the magnetization of the
surface layer is reversed across the steps. Around these defects a frustration
of the antiferromagnetic order occurs. Due to the weakened magnetic coupling at
the central Mn layers, the amount of frustration is smaller than in Cr and the
width of the wall induced by the step does not change with the thickness, at
least for coverages up to seven monolayers.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure
The hot core towards the intermediate mass protostar NGC7129 FIRS 2: Chemical similarities with Orion KL
NGC 7129 FIRS 2 (hereafter FIRS 2) is an intermediate-mass (2 to 8 Msun)
protostar located at a distance of 1250 pc. High spatial resolution
observations are required to resolve the hot core at its center. We present a
molecular survey from 218200 MHz to 221800 MHz carried out with the IRAM
Plateau de Bure Interferometer. These observations were complemented with a
long integration single-dish spectrum taken with the IRAM 30m telescope. We
used a Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE) single temperature code to model
the whole dataset. The interferometric spectrum is crowded with a total of ~300
lines from which a few dozens remain unidentified yet. The spectrum has been
modeled with a total of 20 species and their isomers, isotopologues and
deuterated compounds. Complex molecules like methyl formate (CH3OCHO), ethanol
(CH3CH2OH), glycolaldehyde (CH2OHCHO), acetone (CH3COCH3), dimethyl ether
(CH3OCH3), ethyl cyanide (CH3CH2CN) and the aGg' conformer of ethylene glycol
(aGg'-(CH2OH)_2) are among the detected species. The detection of vibrationally
excited lines of CH3CN, CH3OCHO, CH3OH, OCS, HC3N and CH3CHO proves the
existence of gas and dust at high temperatures. In fact, the gas kinetic
temperature estimated from the vibrational lines of CH3CN, ~405 K, is similar
to that measured in massive hot cores. Our data allow an extensive comparison
of the chemistry in FIRS~2 and the Orion hot core. We find a quite similar
chemistry in FIRS 2 and Orion. Most of the studied fractional molecular
abundances agree within a factor of 5. Larger differences are only found for
the deuterated compounds D2CO and CH2DOH and a few molecules (CH3CH2CN, SO2,
HNCO and CH3CHO). Since the physical conditions are similar in both hot cores,
only different initial conditions (warmer pre-collapse phase in the case of
Orion) and/or different crossing time of the gas in the hot core can explain
this behavior.Comment: 30 pages, 9 figure
APEX-CHAMP+ high-J CO observations of low-mass young stellar objects: II. Distribution and origin of warm molecular gas
The origin and heating mechanisms of warm (50<T<200 K) molecular gas in
low-mass young stellar objects (YSOs) are strongly debated. Both passive
heating of the inner collapsing envelope by the protostellar luminosity as well
as active heating by shocks and by UV associated with the outflows or accretion
have been proposed. We aim to characterize the warm gas within protosteller
objects, and disentangle contributions from the (inner) envelope, bipolar
outflows and the quiescent cloud. High-J CO maps (12CO J=6--5 and 7--6) of the
immediate surroundings (up to 10,000 AU) of eight low-mass YSOs are obtained
with the CHAMP+ 650/850 GHz array receiver mounted on the APEX telescope. In
addition, isotopologue observations of the 13CO J=6--5 transition and [C I]
3P_2-3P_1 line were taken. Strong quiescent narrow-line 12CO 6--5 and 7--6
emission is seen toward all protostars. In the case of HH~46 and Ced 110 IRS 4,
the on-source emission originates in material heated by UV photons scattered in
the outflow cavity and not just by passive heating in the inner envelope. Warm
quiescent gas is also present along the outflows, heated by UV photons from
shocks. Shock-heated warm gas is only detected for Class 0 flows and the more
massive Class I sources such as HH~46. Outflow temperatures, estimated from the
CO 6--5 and 3--2 line wings, are ~100 K, close to model predictions, with the
exception of the L~1551 IRS 5 and IRAS 12496-7650, for which temperatures <50 K
are found. APEX-CHAMP+ is uniquely suited to directly probe a protostar's
feedback on its accreting envelope gas in terms of heating, photodissociation,
and outflow dispersal by mapping 1'x1' regions in high-J CO and [C I] lines.Comment: 18 pages, accepted by A&A, A version with the figures in higher
quality can be found on my website: http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/~tvankemp
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