scholarly journals Thermal formaldehyde emission in NGC 7538 IRS 1

2021 ◽  
Vol 504 (2) ◽  
pp. 1733-1748
Author(s):  
Onic I Shuvo ◽  
E D Araya ◽  
W S Tan ◽  
P Hofner ◽  
S Kurtz ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Spectral lines from formaldehyde (H2CO) molecules at cm wavelengths are typically detected in absorption and trace a broad range of environments, from diffuse gas to giant molecular clouds. In contrast, thermal emission of formaldehyde lines at cm wavelengths is rare. In previous observations with the 100 m Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT), we detected 2 cm formaldehyde emission towards NGC 7538 IRS1 – a high-mass protostellar object in a prominent star-forming region of our Galaxy. We present further GBT observations of the 2 and 1 cm H2CO lines to investigate the nature of the 2 cm H2CO emission. We conducted observations to constrain the angular size of the 2 cm emission region based on a East–West and North–South cross-scan map. Gaussian fits of the spatial distribution in the East–West direction show a deconvolved size (at half maximum) of the 2 cm emission of 50 arcsec ± 8 arcsec. The 1 cm H2CO observations revealed emission superimposed on a weak absorption feature. A non-LTE radiative transfer analysis shows that the H2CO emission is consistent with quasi-thermal radiation from dense gas (${\sim}10^5$–$10^6$ cm−3). We also report detection of four transitions of CH3OH (12.2, 26.8, 28.3, 28.9 GHz), the (8,8) transition of NH3 (26.5 GHz), and a cross-scan map of the 13 GHz SO line that shows extended emission (>50 arcsec).

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S292) ◽  
pp. 50-50
Author(s):  
Vicki Lowe ◽  
Maria R. Cunningham ◽  
James S. Urquhart ◽  
Shinji Horiuchi

AbstractHigh-mass stars are known to be born within giant molecular clouds (GMCs); However, the exact processes involved in forming a high-mass star are still not well understood. It is clear that high-mass stars do not form in isolation, and that the processes surrounding high-mass star formation may affect the environment of the entire molecular cloud. We are studying the GMC associated with RCW 106 (G333), which is one of the most active massive-star formation regions in the Galactic plane. This GMC, located at l = 333° b = − 0.5°, has been mapped in over 20 molecular line transitions with the Mopra radio telescope (83-110 GHz), in Australia, and with the Swedish-ESO Submillimeter Telescope (SEST) in the 1.2 mm cool dust continuum. The region is also within the Spitzer GLIMPSE infrared survey (3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8.0 μm) area. We have decomposed the dust continuum using a clump-finding algorithm (CLUMPFIND), and are using the multiple molecular line traditions from the Mopra radio telescope to classify the type and stage of star formation taking place therein. Having accurate physical temperatures of the star forming clumps is essential to constrain other parameters to within useful limits. To achieve this, we have obtained pointed NH3 observations from the Tidbinbilla 70-m radio telescope, in Australia, towards these clumps.


2020 ◽  
Vol 497 (2) ◽  
pp. 1348-1364
Author(s):  
W S Tan ◽  
E D Araya ◽  
L E Lee ◽  
P Hofner ◽  
S Kurtz ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We report on one of the highest sensitivity surveys for molecular lines in the frequency range 6.0–7.4 GHz conducted to date. The observations were done with the 305- m Arecibo Telescope toward a sample of 12 intermediate-/high-mass star-forming regions. We searched for a large number of transitions of different molecules, including CH3OH and OH. The low rms noise of our data ($\sim \!5\,$ mJy for most sources and transitions) allowed detection of spectral features that have not been seen in previous lower sensitivity observations of the sources, such as detection of excited OH and 6.7 GHz CH3OH absorption. A review of 6.7 GHz CH3OH detections indicates an association between absorption and radio continuum sources in high-mass star-forming regions, although selection biases in targeted projects and low sensitivity of blind surveys imply incompleteness. Absorption of excited OH transitions was also detected toward three sources. In particular, we confirm a broad 6.035 GHz OH absorption feature in G34.26+0.15 characterized by an asymmetric blueshifted wing indicative of expansion, perhaps a large-scale outflow in this H ii region.


2020 ◽  
Vol 634 ◽  
pp. A115
Author(s):  
O. Miettinen

Context. Initial conditions and very early stages of star formation can be probed through spectroscopic observations of deuterated molecular species Aims. We aim to determine the ortho-H2D+ properties (e.g. column density and fractional abundance with respect to H2) in a sample of dense cores in the Orion B9 star-forming filament, and to compare those with the previously determined source characteristics, in particular with the gas kinetic temperature, [N2D+]/[N2H+] deuterium fractionation, and level of CO depletion. Methods. We used the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) telescope to observe the 372 GHz o-H2D+(JKa, Kc = 11, 0−11, 1) line towards three prestellar cores and three protostellar cores in Orion B9. We also employed our previous APEX observations of C17O, C18O, N2H+, and N2D+ line emission, and 870 μm dust continuum emission towards the target sources. Results. The o-H2D+(11, 0−11, 1) line was detected in all three prestellar cores, but in only one of the protostellar cores. The corresponding o-H2D+ abundances were derived to be ~ (12−30) × 10−11 and ~ 6 × 10−11. Two additional spectral lines, DCO+(5−4) and N2H+(4−3), were detected in the observed frequency bands with high detection rates of 100 and 83%, respectively. We did not find any significant correlations among the explored parameters, although our results are mostly consistent with theoretical expectations. Also, the Orion B9 cores were found to be consistent with the relationship between theo-H2D+ abundance and gas temperature obeyed by other low-mass dense cores. The o-H2D+ abundance was found to decrease as the core evolves. Conclusions. The o-H2D+ abundances in the Orion B9 cores are in line with those found in other low-mass dense cores and larger than derived for high-mass star-forming regions. The higher o-H2D+ abundance in prestellar cores compared to that in cores hosting protostars is to be expected from chemical reactions where higher concentrations of gas-phase CO and elevated gas temperature accelerate the destruction of H2D+. The validity of using the [o-H2D+]/[N2D+] abundance ratio as an evolutionary indicator, which has been proposed for massive clumps, remains to be determined when applied to these target cores. Similarly, the behaviour of the [o-H2D+]/[DCO+] ratio as the source evolves was found to be ambiguous. Still larger samples and observations of additional deuterated species are needed to explore these potential evolutionary indicators further. The low radial velocity of the line emission from one of the targeted prestellar cores, SMM 7 (~ 3.6 km s−1 versus the systemic Orion B9 velocity of ~ 9 km s−1), suggests that it is a chance superposition seen towards Orion B9. Overall, as located in a dynamic environment of the Orion B molecular cloud, the Orion B9 filament provides an interesting target system to investigate the deuterium-based chemistry, and further observations of species like para-H2D+ and D2H+ would be of particular interest.


1996 ◽  
Vol 169 ◽  
pp. 583-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Palouš

Nearly all the star formation in the Milky Way and nearby spiral galaxies occurs in the giant molecular clouds (GMC). Inside the GMC's the units of star formation are the high density (≥ 103cm–3) and high mass (≥ 103M⊙) clumps (Blitz, 1991). Once a GMC is “infected” by star formation many clumps form stars producing a star forming region. The formation of massive stars induces destructive processes, such as H2 dissociation, HI ionization, stellar winds and supernova explosions, thus self-limiting the lifetime of GMC to ∼ 3 107 years.


Author(s):  
A J Rigby ◽  
N Peretto ◽  
R Adam ◽  
P Ade ◽  
M Anderson ◽  
...  

Abstract Determining the mechanism by which high-mass stars are formed is essential for our understanding of the energy budget and chemical evolution of galaxies. By using the New IRAM KIDs Array 2 (NIKA2) camera on the Institut de Radio Astronomie Millimétrique (IRAM) 30-m telescope, we have conducted high-sensitivity and large-scale mapping of a fraction of the Galactic plane in order to search for signatures of the transition between the high- and low-mass star-forming modes. Here, we present the first results from the Galactic Star Formation with NIKA2 (GASTON) project, a Large Programme at the IRAM 30-m telescope which is mapping ≈2 deg2 of the inner Galactic plane (GP), centred on ℓ = 23${_{.}^{\circ}}$9, b = 0${_{.}^{\circ}}$05, as well as targets in Taurus and Ophiuchus in 1.15 and 2.00 mm continuum wavebands. In this paper we present the first of the GASTON GP data taken, and present initial science results. We conduct an extraction of structures from the 1.15 mm maps using a dendrogram analysis and, by comparison to the compact source catalogues from Herschel survey data, we identify a population of 321 previously-undetected clumps. Approximately 80 per cent of these new clumps are 70 μm-quiet, and may be considered as starless candidates. We find that this new population of clumps are less massive and cooler, on average, than clumps that have already been identified. Further, by classifying the full sample of clumps based upon their infrared-bright fraction – an indicator of evolutionary stage – we find evidence for clump mass growth, supporting models of clump-fed high-mass star formation.


2012 ◽  
Vol 538 ◽  
pp. A140 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. D. Klaassen ◽  
L. Testi ◽  
H. Beuther

2018 ◽  
Vol 609 ◽  
pp. A129 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Colzi ◽  
F. Fontani ◽  
P. Caselli ◽  
C. Ceccarelli ◽  
P. Hily-Blant ◽  
...  

The ratio between the two stable isotopes of nitrogen, 14N and 15N, is well measured in the terrestrial atmosphere (~272), and for the pre-solar nebula (~441, deduced from the solar wind). Interestingly, some pristine solar system materials show enrichments in 15N with respect to the pre-solar nebula value. However, it is not yet clear if and how these enrichments are linked to the past chemical history because we have only a limited number of measurements in dense star-forming regions. In this respect, dense cores, which are believed to be the precursors of clusters and also contain intermediate- and high-mass stars, are important targets because the solar system was probably born within a rich stellar cluster, and such clusters are formed in high-mass star-forming regions. The number of observations in such high-mass dense cores has remained limited so far. In this work, we show the results of IRAM-30 m observations of the J = 1−0 rotational transition of the molecules HCN and HNC and their 15N-bearing counterparts towards 27 intermediate- and high-mass dense cores that are divided almost equally into three evolutionary categories: high-mass starless cores, high-mass protostellar objects, and ultra-compact Hii regions. We have also observed the DNC(2–1) rotational transition in order to search for a relation between the isotopic ratios D/H and 14N/15N. We derive average 14N/15N ratios of 359 ± 16 in HCN and of 438 ± 21 in HNC, with a dispersion of about 150–200. We find no trend of the 14N/15N ratio with evolutionary stage. This result agrees with what has been found for N2H+ and its isotopologues in the same sources, although the 14N/15N ratios from N2H+ show a higher dispersion than in HCN/HNC, and on average, their uncertainties are larger as well. Moreover, we have found no correlation between D/H and 14N/15N in HNC. These findings indicate that (1) the chemical evolution does not seem to play a role in the fractionation of nitrogen, and that (2) the fractionation of hydrogen and nitrogen in these objects is not related.


2011 ◽  
Vol 743 (1) ◽  
pp. L25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keping Qiu ◽  
Friedrich Wyrowski ◽  
Karl M. Menten ◽  
Rolf Güsten ◽  
Silvia Leurini ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 609 ◽  
pp. A125 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Wienen ◽  
F. Wyrowski ◽  
K. M. Menten ◽  
J. S. Urquhart ◽  
C. M. Walmsley ◽  
...  

Context. The initial conditions of molecular clumps in which high-mass stars form are poorly understood. In particular, a more detailed study of the earliest evolutionary phases is needed. The APEX Telescope Large Area Survey of the whole inner Galactic disk at 870 μm, ATLASGAL, has therefore been conducted to discover high-mass star-forming regions at different evolutionary phases. Aims. We derive properties such as velocities, rotational temperatures, column densities, and abundances of a large sample of southern ATLASGAL clumps in the fourth quadrant. Methods. Using the Parkes telescope, we observed the NH3 (1, 1) to (3, 3) inversion transitions towards 354 dust clumps detected by ATLASGAL within a Galactic longitude range between 300° and 359° and a latitude within ± 1.5°. For a subsample of 289 sources, the N2H+ (1–0) line was measured with the Mopra telescope. Results. We measured a median NH3 (1, 1) line width of ~ 2 km s-1, rotational temperatures from 12 to 28 K with a mean of 18 K, and source-averaged NH3 abundances from 1.6 × 10-6 to 10-8. For a subsample with detected NH3 (2, 2) hyperfine components, we found that the commonly used method to compute the (2, 2) optical depth from the (1, 1) optical depth and the (2, 2) to (1, 1) main beam brightness temperature ratio leads to an underestimation of the rotational temperature and column density. A larger median virial parameter of ~ 1 is determined using the broader N2H+ line width than is estimated from the NH3 line width of ~ 0.5 with a general trend of a decreasing virial parameter with increasing gas mass. We obtain a rising NH3 (1, 1)/N2H+ line-width ratio with increasing rotational temperature. Conclusions. A comparison of NH3 line parameters of ATLASGAL clumps to cores in nearby molecular clouds reveals smaller velocity dispersions in low-mass than high-mass star-forming regions and a warmer surrounding of ATLASGAL clumps than the surrounding of low-mass cores. The NH3 (1, 1) inversion transition of 49% of the sources shows hyperfine structure anomalies. The intensity ratio of the outer hyperfine structure lines with a median of 1.27 ± 0.03 and a standard deviation of 0.45 is significantly higher than 1, while the intensity ratios of the inner satellites with a median of 0.9 ± 0.02 and standard deviation of 0.3 and the sum of the inner and outer hyperfine components with a median of 1.06 ± 0.02 and standard deviation of 0.37 are closer to 1.


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