Far-Infrared CO Rotational Lines in the Orion Molecular Cloud

We present a high signal-to-noise grating spectrum between 43-196.9 μm of the Orion molecular cloud towards the massive star-forming region IRc2, obtained with the Long Wavelength Spectrometer (LWS) on board the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). CO lines up to J=20-19 have been detected around Orion-IRc2, while in the central position higher quantum numbers have been found. Lines of the ¹³CO isotopic species have also been observed in several directions. In addition, high quality LWS-FP observations of some CO lines have been performed towards IRc2. The data analysis suggest that at least two regions of Orion-IRc2 contribute to the observed CO emission: the ridge, responsible of the spatial extension, and the plateau, dominating the line flux observed towards the center of the map. CO emission through the Orion molecular cloud has been studied in terms of temperature, column density and H₂ volume density, using and Large Velocity Gradient (LVG) model. We find that the flux ratio of the several CO lines can not be explained in terms of an homogeneous source, but a gradient in temperature and density must be involved. Besides the CO lines, several molecular and fine-structure atomic lines have been detected in all observed positions. A detailed discussion of other molecular species rather than CO (H2O, OH...) can be found in the contribution by Cernicharo et al (1998). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The spectrum of Orion-KL at 2 millimeters (150-160 GHz)

A spectral survey of Orion-KL has been carried out in the 2 mm atmospheric window in the frequency range 149.6-159.6 GHz, using the FCRAO 14 m telescope. Typical sensitivities achieved were T*A approximately 0.03-0.1 K, peak-to-peak. Over 180 spectral lines were detected, including approximately 45 unidentified features. The spectra were measured with a single-sideband receiver and, even at levels of T*A approximately 30 mK, are far from being confusion-limited. Fifteen known species were conclusively identified in Orion in this spectral region, with the largest numbers of lines arising from methyl formate, ethyl cyanide, methanol, and dimethyl ether. These species have beam-averaged column densities of N(tot) approximately 0.5-8 x 10(15) cm-2. Several other species have been tentatively observed, including acetaldehyde, C2S, and possibly EtOH. The large organic species, however, appear to arise from different regions. For example, CH3CCH and (CH3)2O come primarily from the extended ridge, while EtCN and VyCN exclusively arise in the hot core. This survey clearly demonstrates that the 2 mm window is rich in spectral lines. It also suggests there is much chemical selectivity in the formation of large organic interstellar molecules.     

Abundances of ethylene oxide and acetaldehyde in hot molecular cloud cores.

We have searched for millimetre-wave line emission from ethylene oxide (c-C2H4O) and its structural isomer acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) in 11 molecular clouds using SEST. Ethylene oxide and acetaldehyde were detected through multiple lines in the hot cores NGC 6334F, G327.3-0.6, G31.41+0.31, and G34.3+0.2. Acetaldehyde was also detected towards G10.47+0.03, G322.2+0.6, and Orion 3'N, and one ethylene oxide line was tentatively detected in G10.47+0.03. Column densities and rotational excitation temperatures were derived using a procedure which fits the observed line intensifies by finding the minimum chi 2-value. The resulting rotational excitation temperatures of ethylene oxide and acetaldehyde are in the range 16-38 K, indicating that these species are excited in the outer, cooler parts of the hot cores or that the excitation is significantly subthermal. For an assumed source size of 20", the deduced column densities are (0.6-1)x10(14) cm-2 for ethylene oxide and (2-5)x10(14) cm-2 for acetaldehyde. The fractional abundances with respect to H2 are X[c-C2H4O]=(2-6)xl0(-10), and X[CH3CHO]=(0.8-3)x10(-9). The ratio X[CH3CHO]/X[c-C2H4O] varies between 2.6 (NGC 6334F) and 8.5 (G327.3-0.6). We also detected and analysed multiple transitions of CH3OH, CH3OCH3, C2H5OH, and HCOOH. The chemical, and possibly evolutionary, states of NGC 6334F, G327.3-0.6, G31.41+0.31, and G34.3+0.2 seem to be very similar.     

The molecular emission-line spectrum of IRC +10216 between 330 and 358 GHz

We have conducted a spectral line survey of IRC +10216 using the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory to an average sensitivity of < or approximately 95 mK. A deconvolution algorithm has been used to derive the continuous single-sideband spectrum from 330.2 to 358.1 GHz. A total of 56 spectral lines were detected of which 54 have been identified with 8 molecules and a total of 18 isotopomers. The observed lines are used to derive column densities and relative abundances for the detected species. Within this frequency range the spectral lines detected contribute the majority of the total flux emitted by IRC +10216. We use the derived column densities and excitation temperatures to simulate the molecular line emission (assuming LTE) at frequencies up to 1000 GHz. The observed and simulated flux from line emission is compared to broadband total flux measurements and to dust emission assuming a power-law variation of the dust emissivity. We conclude that significant corrections for the line flux must be made to broadband flux measurements of IRC +10216 at wavelengths longer than approximately 750 micrometers.     

Detection of a new interstellar molecular ion, H2COH+ (protonated formaldehyde)

A new interstellar molecular ion, H2COH+ (protonated formaldehyde), has been detected toward Sgr B2, Orion KL, W51, and possibly in NGC 7538 and DR21(OH). Six transitions were detected in Sgr B2(M). The 1(1,0)-1(0,1) transition was detected in all sources listed above. Searches were also made toward the cold, dark clouds TMC-1 and L134N, Orion (3N, 1E), and a red giant, IRC + 10216, without success. The excitation temperatures of H2COH+ are calculated to be 60-110 K, and the column densities are on the order of 10(12)-10(14) cm-2 in Sgr B2, Orion KL, and W51. The fractional abundance of H2COH+ is on the order of 10(-11) to 10-(9), and the ratio of H2COH+ to H2CO is in the range 0.001-0.5 in these objects. The values in Orion KL seem to be consistent with the "early time" values of recent model calculations by Lee, Bettens, & Herbst, but they appear to be higher than the model values in Sgr B2 and W51 even if we take the large uncertainties of column densities of H2CO into account. We suggest production routes starting from CH3OH may play an important role in the formation of H2COH+.     

Chemistry of the organic-rich hot core G327.3-0.6

We present gas-phase abundances of species found in the organic-rich hot core G327.3-0.6. The data were taken with the Swedish-ESO Submillimetre Telescope (SEST). The 1-3 mm spectrum of this source is dominated by emission features of nitrile species and saturated organics, with abundances greater than those found in many other hot cores, including Sgr B2 and OMC-1. Population diagram analysis indicates that many species (CH3CN, C2H3CN, C2H5CN, CH3OH, etc.) have hot components that originate in a compact (~2") region. Gas-phase chemical models cannot reproduce the high abundances of these molecules found in hot cores, and we suggest that they originate from processing and evaporation of icy grain mantle material. In addition, we report the first detection of vibrationally excited ethyl cyanide and the first detection of methyl mercaptan (CH3SH) outside the Galactic center.     

Large-Scale Mapping Observations of the C i (3P1-3P0) and CO (J = 3-2) Lines toward the Orion A Molecular Cloud

Large-scale mapping observations of the 3P1-3P0 fine-structure transition of atomic carbon (C i, 492 GHz) and the J=3-2 transition of CO (346 GHz) toward the Orion A molecular cloud have been carried out with the Mount Fuji submillimeter-wave telescope. The observations cover 9 deg2 and include the Orion Nebula M42 and the L1641 dark cloud complex. The C i emission extends over almost the entire region of the Orion A cloud and is surprisingly similar to that of 13CO (J=1-0). The CO (J=3-2) emission shows a more featureless and extended distribution than C i. The C i/CO (J=3-2) integrated intensity ratio shows a spatial gradient running from the north (0.10) to the south (1.2) of the Orion A cloud, which we interpret as a consequence of the temperature gradient. On the other hand, the C i/13CO (J=1-0) intensity ratio shows no systematic gradient. We have found a good correlation between the C i and 13CO (J=1-0) intensities over the Orion A cloud. This result is discussed on the basis of photodissociation region models.     

Heterodyne spectroscopy of the J = 17-16 CO line in Orion

We have obtained high-resolution spectra of the 153 micrometers J = 17-16 CO line in the BN-KL region of Orion using a laser heterodyne spectrometer. The line shows broad wings (30 km s-1 FWHM at BN) characteristic of the plateau emission as well as a narrower component probably associated with the quiescent gas in the molecular ridge. From an analysis of the plateau emission together with that observed in lower J CO transitions, we derive an excitation temperature of 180 +/- 50 K and minimum column density of 1 x 10(18) cm-2 for CO in this component, which constitutes 80% of the total integrated intensity of the J = 17-16 line near BN. The peak intensity of the narrower component observed at 0.8 km s-1 resolution increases relative to that of the plateau component toward theta 1C and away from BN, while the width decreases from 10 to 4 km s-1 (FWHM).     

Carbon Dioxide in Star-forming Regions

Observations with the Short Wavelength Spectrometer on board the Infrared Space Observatory have led to the first detection of the methyl radical CH(3) in the interstellar medium. The nu(2) Q-branch at 16.5 μm and the R(0) line at 16.0 μm have been unambiguously detected toward the Galactic center Sagittarius A*. The analysis of the measured bands gives a column density of &parl0;8.0+/-2.4&parr0;x1014 cm(-2) and an excitation temperature of 17+/-2 K. Gaseous CO at a similarly low excitation temperature and C(2)H(2) are detected for the same line of sight. Using constraints on the H(2) column density obtained from C(18)O and visual extinction, the inferred CH(3) abundance is &parl0;1.3+2.2-0.7&parr0;x10-8. The chemically related CH(4) molecule is not detected, but the pure rotational lines of CH are seen with the Long Wavelength Spectrometer. The absolute abundances and the CH(3)/CH(4) and CH(3)/CH ratios are inconsistent with published pure gas-phase models of dense clouds. The data require a mix of diffuse and translucent clouds with different densities and extinctions, and/or the development of translucent models in which gas-grain chemistry, freeze-out, and reactions of H with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and solid aliphatic material are included.     

Thermal equilibrium and hydrostatic equilibrium for excited states in planetary atmospheres

Thermal equilibrium and hydrostatic equilibrium are mutually exclusive for any particular quantum state of an atmospheric constituent in a non-isothermal atmosphere. As a result, there is a flux of rotationally, vibrationally, and electronically excited atoms and molecules down the temperature gradient, balanced by an up-gradient transport of ground-state atoms and molecules, resulting in a net transport of excitation energy, but with no net mass transport. The energy flux is first formulated as a molecular process and applied to vibrationally excited molecular nitrogen and rotationally excited atomic oxygen in the Earth's lower thermosphere, then reformulated as a bulk process and applied to the Venusian atmosphere, where it is shown that the CO₂ vibrational flux is a significant contribution to the total eddy energy flux in the 0–60 km region.     

Chemical composition of the Orion nebula derived from echelle spectrophotometry

We present echelle spectroscopy in the 3500- to 7060-... range for two positions of the Orion nebula. The data were obtained using the 2.1-m telescope at Observatorio Astronómico Nacional in San Pedro Mártir, Baja California. We have measured the intensities of about 220 emission lines, in particular 81 permitted lines of C⁺, N⁺, N⁺⁺, O⁰, O⁺, Ne⁰, Si⁺, Si⁺⁺ and S⁺, some of them produced by recombination only and others mainly by fluorescence. We have determined electron temperatures, electron densities and ionic abundances using different continuum and line intensity ratios. We derived the He, C and O abundances from recombination lines and find that the C/H and O/H values are very similar to those derived from B stars of the Orion association, and that these nebular values are independent of the temperature structure. We have also derived abundances from collisionally excited lines. These abundances depend on the temperature structure; accurate t ² values have been derived comparing the O II recombination lines with the [O III ] collisionally excited lines. The gaseous abundances of Mg, Si and Fe show significant depletions, implying that a substantial fraction of these atoms is tied up in dust grains. The derived depletions are similar to those found in warm clouds of the Galactic disc, but are not as large as those found in cold clouds. A comparison of the solar and Orion chemical abundances is made.     

A Sensitive Survey of Dense Parts of Outflows toward Massive Cores

A set of samples of 13 massive star-forming cores were observed in SiO (2-1), CH3OH (2-1) and C³⁴S (2-1) thermal lines. Nine of these cores were detected in all three lines. Among the nine SiO detections, three were new detections, and relatively faint. Most of the lines have wide wings, which might be interpreted as the evidence of ongoing energetic out?ows in the cores. The line widths of SiO are generally the broadest, which might further suggest that the SiO emissions are due to higher velocity out?ow, and closer to the excited source. We derive the rotational temperatures, column densities and chemical relative abundances of the cores. There is a strong correlation between SiO and CH3OH abundances, with correlation coeffcient R = 0.77, but no correlation is observed between SiO and C³⁴S.     

Comparison of 13CO line and far-infrared continuum emission as a diagnostic of dust and molecular gas physical conditions – I. Motivation and modelling

Determining temperatures in molecular clouds from ratios of CO rotational lines or from ratios of continuum emission in different wavelength bands suffers from reduced temperature sensitivity in the high-temperature limit. In theory, the ratio of far-infrared (FIR), submillimetre or millimetre continuum to that of a ¹³CO (or C¹⁸O) rotational line can place reliable upper limits on the temperature of the dust and molecular gas. Consequently, FIR continuum data from the COBE /Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE) instrument and Nagoya 4-m  ¹³CO  J = 1 → 0  spectral line data were used to plot  240 μm/¹³CO  J = 1 → 0  intensity ratios against 140/240 μm dust colour temperatures, allowing us to constrain the multiparsec-scale physical conditions in the Orion A and B molecular clouds.
The best-fitting models to the Orion clouds consist of two components: a component near the surface of the clouds that is heated primarily by a very large scale (i.e. ∼1 kpc) interstellar radiation field and a component deeper within the clouds. The former has a fixed temperature and the latter has a range of temperatures that vary from one sightline to another. The models require a dust–gas temperature difference of 0 ± 2 K and suggest that 40–50 per cent of the Orion clouds are in the form of dust and gas with temperatures between 3 and 10 K. The implications are discussed in detail in later papers and include stronger dust–gas thermal coupling and higher Galactic-scale molecular gas temperatures than are usually accepted, and an improved explanation for the N (H₂)/ I (CO) conversion factor. It is emphasized that these results are preliminary and require confirmation by independent observations and methods.     

Heterodyne spectroscopy of the J = 22-21 CO line in Orion

We have observed the J = 22-21 line of 12CO at 2528 GHz (118.8 micrometers) in the IRc2 region of Orion. The spectra at 0.6 km s-1 resolution show both plateau emission with FWHM approximately 35 km s-1 and a narrower component with FWHM approximately 8 km s-1. Comparison with heterodyne data of similar quality on the J = 17-16 line indicates that the broad and narrow components both originate in gas with an excitation temperature Tex approximately 600 K. The emission is consistent with the predictions of shock models in which the wide component arises from the heated outflow gas and postshock molecular material, while the narrow component comes from ambient material near the leading edge of the shock front where temperatures are high but significant acceleration has not yet occurred.     

大质量恒星形成区样本外向流的高灵敏度搜寻

对13个大质量恒星形成区样本进行了SiO(2-1)、CH_3OH(2-1)和C~(34)S(2-1)热线的观测.在9个分子云核中,3条热线同时被探测到.这9个SiO探测中,有3个是新探测到的且它们强度都相对较弱.所有探测到的谱线都有较明显的线翼,这可能是外向流出现的证据.SiO谱线的线宽最宽,这也更进一步表明SiO辐射可能是来自高速的外向流,即更靠近外向流的激发源.估算了各分子谱线的旋转温度,柱密度和相对元素丰度.结果表明SiO和CH_3OH元素丰度之间有较好的相关性,相关系数R=0.77,但是SiO和C~(34)S元素丰度之间却没有任何相关性.     

Detection of interstellar vibrationally excited HCN

Vibrationally excited HCN has been observed for the first time in the interstellar medium. The J = 3-2 rotational transitions of the l-doubled (0,1(1d,1c), 0) bending mode of HCN have been detected toward Orion-KL and IRC +10216. In Orion, the overall column density in the (0,1,0) mode, which exclusively samples the "hot core", is 1.7 x 10(16) cm-2 and can be understood in terms of the "doughnut" model for Orion. The ground-state HCN column density implied by the excited-state observations is 2.3 x 10(18) cm-2 in the hot core, at least one order of magnitude greater than the column densities derived for HCN in its spike and plateau/doughnut components. Radiative excitation by 14 micrometers flux from IRc2 accounts for the (0,1,0) population, provided the hot core is approximately 6-7 x 10(16) cm distant from IRc2, in agreement with the "cavity" model for KL. Toward IRC +10216 we have detected J = 3-2 transitions of both (0,1(1c),(1d), 0) and (0, 2(0), 0) excited states. The spectral profiles have been modeled to yield abundances and excitation conditions throughout the expanding envelope.     

Spectroscopic study of ‘CO’ and its isotopic mm/submillimeter lines from dark cloud Lynds 183

We have made spectral line analysis of CO and its isotopic lines from dark cloud Lynds 183 (L183). Our dataset incorporates ¹²CO(1-0), ¹³CO(1-0) and ¹³CO(2-1) lines using NRAO-12 m and ¹²CO(3-2), ¹³CO(3-2) lines using CSO-10 m telescopes, respectively. Observations suggest steep north-south (direction with respect to the offset position (0, 0)) temperature gradient in the cloud. These are likely to be caused by non-uniform, Inter Stellar Radiation Field (ISRF) illumination due to the shadow of nearby L134 cloud complex. As the emission of radiation depends on local properties like density and kinetic temperature, the present study attempts to deduce the irradiation contrast (and the resulting temperature difference) using 1D Monte Carlo radiative transfer code RATRAN. The model results accord with the observed data and shows a temperature difference of ∼7 K mainly within the cloud envelope. This results in a non-uniform intensity distribution of both CO and its species.     

Population of excited rotational levels of HD and CO in interstellar clouds

Populations of the rotational levels of vibrational and electronic ground state of interstellar HD and CO have been calculated. Ultraviolet pumping and molecular formation have been found to be very important in the case of HD but not so in CO, the population distribution of which is mainly governed either by 3 K or by collisional excitation. The population inversion has been found to occur in HD but not in CO, the excitation temperatures of which pass through maximum for large ultraviolet flux. The population inversion at large density does not occur in HD, probably due to neglect of multipole collision. The observation of HD and CO in the excited states may be possible for suitable values of density and ultraviolet flux.On leave from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay, India.     

分子云核与恒星形成区的良好探针－CH_3CN

本文作者通过对猎户座ＫＬ区的观测、分析与计算，阐明ＣＨ３ＣＮ分子转动谱线系作为分子云核与恒星形成区探针的可能性和优越性．并对观测该线系所需要的仪器条件进行了讨论．     

Identification of Emissions in the Spectrum of Comet C/1989 VI (Skoritchenko–George) Obtained with the 6-m SAO RAS Reflector

The emission spectrum of comet Skoritchenko–George (C/1989 VI), unusual in its information content, was obtained on February 26.7 UT, 1990, with the use of a TV scanner installed on the 6-m BTA reflector of the Special Astronomical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SAO RAS) in Nizhni Arkhyz. Detailed identification of the emission lines of this comet was made. The observed spectrum contains 311 emission lines, including those of the molecules. Among others, the lines of the negative carbon C ₂ ^- ion and the lines corresponding to the electron transition in the neutral CO molecule are discovered. The presence of a large number of lines of the neutral CO molecule (the Asundi bands and the triplet bands) in the visible region is one of the uncommon features of the emission spectrum of this comet. The triplet lines : 15–3, 13–2, 11–2, 9–1, 8–1, 7–1, 7–0, 5–0, 4–0; : 7–0, 6–0, 5–0; and a" : 11–1 (K = 3, 4); 16–4 (K= 0, 1, 2, 4); 9-0 (K= 0, 1, 2); 8–0 (K= 0) were identified for the first time. Prior to this work, the lines of CO in the visible range were observed only in the spectrum of comet C/1979 VI (Bradfield) in 1989.