scholarly journals Physicochemical models: source-tailored or generic?

2020 ◽  
Vol 498 (1) ◽  
pp. 276-291
Author(s):  
Beatrice M Kulterer ◽  
Maria N Drozdovskaya ◽  
Audrey Coutens ◽  
Sébastien Manigand ◽  
Gwendoline Stéphan

ABSTRACT Physicochemical models can be powerful tools to trace the chemical evolution of a protostellar system and allow to constrain its physical conditions at formation. The aim of this work is to assess whether source-tailored modelling is needed to explain the observed molecular abundances around young, low-mass protostars or if, and to what extent, generic models can improve our understanding of the chemistry in the earliest stages of star formation. The physical conditions and the abundances of simple, most abundant molecules based on three models are compared. After establishing the discrepancies between the calculated chemical output, the calculations are redone with the same chemical model for all three sets of physical input parameters. With the differences arising from the chemical models eliminated, the output is compared based on the influence of the physical model. Results suggest that the impact of the chemical model is small compared to the influence of the physical conditions, with considered time-scales having the most drastic effect. Source-tailored models may be simpler by design; however, likely do not sufficiently constrain the physical and chemical parameters within the global picture of star-forming regions. Generic models with more comprehensive physics may not provide the optimal match to observations of a particular protostellar system, but allow a source to be studied in perspective of other star-forming regions.

2000 ◽  
Vol 197 ◽  
pp. 147-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Herbst

It is difficult if not impossible to explain the abundances of assorted interstellar molecules in both the gaseous and condensed phases without the use of grain chemistry. Unfortunately, the chemistry occurring on grains is not well understood because of a variety of uncertainties including the nature, size, and shape of dust particles, the binding energies of key species, the dominant mechanism of surface chemistry, and the correct mathematical treatment of surface processes. Still, intrepid astrochemists have used granular chemistry in chemical models of an assortment of sources including cold clouds, protostellar disks, and hot cores. Indeed, the dominant explanation of the saturated gas-phase molecules observed in hot cores involves grain chemistry during an earlier, low temperature phase. Although gas-grain models have elucidated major features of the chemistry, much more work remains to be accomplished before they can be used to help characterize the physical conditions in star-forming regions and their temporal variations.


Author(s):  
Xue-Jian Jiang ◽  
Yu Gao

AbstractIn order to better understand the chemical conditions and evolutionary properties of massive star-forming regions, and to explore the physical and chemical behavior of simple hydrocarbon molecules, we have used telescopes such as CSO, JCMT, CARMA and SMA, to map the multi-transitions of C2H and HC3N. The column densities and abundances are compared with chemical models to gain some diagnostic of the environment of the regions.


2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (S242) ◽  
pp. 234-235
Author(s):  
T. Umemoto ◽  
N. Mochizuki ◽  
K. M. Shibata ◽  
D.-G. Roh ◽  
H.-S. Chung

AbstractWe present the results of a mm wavelength methanol maser survey towards massive star forming regions. We have carried out Class II methanol maser observations at 86.6 GHz, 86.9 GHz and 107.0 GHz, simultaneously, using the Nobeyama 45 m telescope. We selected 108 6.7 GHz methanol maser sources with declinations above −25 degrees and fluxes above 20 Jy. The detection limit of maser observations was ~3 Jy. Of the 93 sources surveyed so far, we detected methanol emission in 25 sources (27%) and “maser” emission in nine sources (10%), of which thre “maser” sources are new detections. The detection rate for maser emission is about half that of a survey of the southern sky (Caswell et al. 2000). There is a correlation between the maser flux of 107 GHz and 6.7 GHz/12 GHz emission, but no correlation with the “thermal” (non maser) emission. From results of other molecular line observations, we found that the sources with methanol emission show higher gas temperatures and twice the detection rate of SiO emission. This may suggest that dust evaporation and destruction by shock are responsible for the high abundance of methanol molecules, one of the required physical conditions for maser emission.


2018 ◽  
Vol 617 ◽  
pp. A14 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Paron ◽  
M. B. Areal ◽  
M. E. Ortega

Aims. Estimating molecular abundances ratios from directly measuring the emission of the molecules toward a variety of interstellar environments is indeed very useful to advance our understanding of the chemical evolution of the Galaxy, and hence of the physical processes related to the chemistry. It is necessary to increase the sample of molecular clouds, located at different distances, in which the behavior of molecular abundance ratios, such as the 13CO/C18O ratio, is studied in detail. Methods. We selected the well-studied high-mass star-forming region G29.96−0.02, located at a distance of about 6.2 kpc, which is an ideal laboratory to perform this type of study. To study the 13CO/C18O abundance ratio (X13∕18) toward this region, we used 12CO J = 3–2 data obtained from the CO High-Resolution Survey, 13CO and C18O J = 3–2 data from the 13CO/C18O (J = 3–2) Heterodyne Inner Milky Way Plane Survey, and 13CO and C18O J = 2–1 data retrieved from the CDS database that were observed with the IRAM 30 m telescope. The distribution of column densities and X13∕18 throughout the extension of the analyzed molecular cloud was studied based on local thermal equilibrium (LTE) and non-LTE methods. Results. Values of X13∕18 between 1.5 and 10.5, with an average of about 5, were found throughout the studied region, showing that in addition to the dependency of X13∕18 and the galactocentric distance, the local physical conditions may strongly affect this abundance ratio. We found that correlating the X13∕18 map with the location of the ionized gas and dark clouds allows us to suggest in which regions the far-UV radiation stalls in dense gaseous components, and in which regions it escapes and selectively photodissociates the C18O isotope. The non-LTE analysis shows that the molecular gas has very different physical conditions, not only spatially throughout the cloud, but also along the line of sight. This type of study may represent a tool for indirectly estimating (from molecular line observations) the degree of photodissociation in molecular clouds, which is indeed useful to study the chemistry in the interstellar medium.


1999 ◽  
Vol 190 ◽  
pp. 67-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mónica Rubio

The molecular gas content in the Magellanic Clouds has been studied, with different spatial coverage and resolution, through obervations of CO(1-0) line emission. In the LMC and the SMC the molecular gas is dominated by clouds whose properties are different from those of their Galactic counterparts. The relation between the intensity of CO emission and molecular hydrogen column density, or the conversion factor X, is different than that of molecular clouds in our Galaxy and depends on the ambient physical conditions. Studying the molecular gas through observations in the H2 emission line may prove an alternative way to determine the molecular content associated with star forming regions in the Magellanic Clouds. In particular, results obtained towards 30 Doradus in the LMC are presented.


2020 ◽  
Vol 497 (2) ◽  
pp. 2309-2319
Author(s):  
V Wakelam ◽  
W Iqbal ◽  
J-P Melisse ◽  
P Gratier ◽  
M Ruaud ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We present a study of the elemental depletion in the interstellar medium. We combined the results of a Galactic model describing the gas physical conditions during the formation of dense cores with a full-gas-grain chemical model. During the transition between diffuse and dense medium, the reservoirs of elements, initially atomic in the gas, are gradually depleted on dust grains (with a phase of neutralization for those which are ions). This process becomes efficient when the density is larger than 100 cm−3. If the dense material goes back into diffuse conditions, these elements are brought back in the gas phase because of photo-dissociations of the molecules on the ices, followed by thermal desorption from the grains. Nothing remains on the grains for densities below 10 cm−3 or in the gas phase in a molecular form. One exception is chlorine, which is efficiently converted at low density. Our current gas–grain chemical model is not able to reproduce the depletion of atoms observed in the diffuse medium except for Cl, which gas abundance follows the observed one in medium with densities smaller than 10 cm−3. This is an indication that crucial processes (involving maybe chemisorption and/or ice irradiation profoundly modifying the nature of the ices) are missing.


1991 ◽  
Vol 147 ◽  
pp. 37-40
Author(s):  
G. Joncas

The presence of HI in the interstellar medium is ubiquitous. HI is the principal actor in the majority of the physical processes at work in our Galaxy. Restricting ourselves to the topics of this symposium, atomic hydrogen is involved with the formation of molecular clouds and is one of the byproducts of their destruction by young stars. HI has different roles during a molecular cloud's life. I will discuss here a case of coexisting HI and H2 at large scale and the origin of HI in star forming regions. For completeness' sake, it should be mentionned that there are at least three other aspects of HI involvement: HI envelopes around molecular clouds, the impact of SNRs (see work on IC 443), and the role of HI in quiescent dark clouds (see van der Werf's work).


2019 ◽  
Vol 629 ◽  
pp. A77
Author(s):  
A. I. Gómez-Ruiz ◽  
A. Gusdorf ◽  
S. Leurini ◽  
K. M. Menten ◽  
S. Takahashi ◽  
...  

Context. OMC-2/3 is one of the nearest embedded cluster-forming regions that includes intermediate-mass protostars at early stages of evolution. A previous CO (3–2) mapping survey towards this region revealed outflow activity related to sources at different evolutionary phases. Aims. The present work presents a study of the warm gas in the high-velocity emission from several outflows found in CO (3–2) emission by previous observations, determines their physical conditions, and makes a comparison with previous results in low-mass star-forming regions. Methods. We used the CHAMP+ heterodyne array on the APEX telescope to map the CO (6–5) and CO (7–6) emission in the OMC-2 FIR 6 and OMC-3 MMS 1-6 regions, and to observe 13CO (6–5) at selected positions. We analyzed these data together with previous CO (3–2) observations. In addition, we mapped the SiO (5–4) emission in OMC-2 FIR 6. Results. The CO (6–5) emission was detected in most of the outflow lobes in the mapped regions, while the CO (7–6) was found mostly in the OMC-3 outflows. In the OMC-3 MMS 5 outflow, a previously undetected extremely high-velocity gas was found in CO (6–5). This extremely high-velocity emission arises from the regions close to the central object MMS 5. Radiative transfer models revealed that the high-velocity gas from MMS 5 outflow consists of gas with nH2 = 104–105 cm−3 and T > 200 K, similar to what is observed in young Class 0 low-mass protostars. For the other outflows, values of nH2 > 104 cm−3 were found. Conclusions. The physical conditions and kinematic properties of the young intermediate-mass outflows presented here are similar to those found in outflows from Class 0 low-mass objects. Due to their excitation requirements, mid − J CO lines are good tracers of extremely high-velocity gas in young outflows likely related to jets.


2020 ◽  
Vol 635 ◽  
pp. A4 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Hacar ◽  
A. D. Bosman ◽  
E. F. van Dishoeck

Context. The gas kinetic temperature (TK) determines the physical and chemical evolution of the interstellar medium (ISM). However, obtaining reliable TK estimates usually requires expensive observations including the combination of multi-line analysis and dedicated radiative transfer calculations. Aims. This work explores the use of HCN and HNC observations, and particularly the I(HCN)-to-I(HNC) intensity ratio (I(HCN)/I(HNC)) of their J = 1–0 lines, as direct probe of the gas kinetic temperature in the molecular ISM. Methods. We obtained a new set of large-scale observations of the HCN and HNC (1–0) lines throughout the Integral Shape Filament (ISF) in Orion. In combination with ancillary gas and dust temperature measurements, we find a systematic temperature dependence of the observed I(HCN)-to-I(HNC) intensity ratio throughout our maps. Additional comparisons with chemical models demonstrate that these observed I(HCN)/I(HNC) variations are driven by the effective destruction and isomerization mechanisms of HNC under low-energy barriers. Results. The observed variations of I(HCN)/I(HNC) with TK can be described with a two-part linear function. This empirical calibration is then used to create a temperature map of the entire ISF. Comparisons with similar dust temperature measurements in this cloud, as well as in other regions and galactic surveys, validate this simple technique for obtaining direct estimates of the gas kinetic temperature in a wide range of physical conditions and scales with an optimal working range between 15 K ≲ TK ≤ 40 K. Conclusions. Both observations and models demonstrate the strong sensitivity of the I(HCN)/I(HNC) ratio to the gas kinetic temperature. Since these lines are easily obtained in observations of local and extragalactic sources, our results highlight the potential use of this observable as new chemical thermometer for the ISM.


2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 1889-1894 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. T. ARAUDO ◽  
G. E. ROMERO ◽  
V. BOSCH-RAMON ◽  
J. M. PAREDES

Recent radio observations support a picture for star formation where there is accretion of matter onto a central protostar with the ejection of molecular outflows that can affect the surrounding medium. The impact of a supersonic outflow on the ambient gas can produce a strong shock that could accelerate particles up to relativistic energies. Strong evidence for this has been the detection of nonthermal radio emission coming from the jet termination region of some young massive stars. In the present contribution, we study the possible high-energy emission due to the interaction of relativistic particles, electrons and protons, with the magnetic, photon and matter fields inside a giant molecular cloud. Electrons lose energy via relativistic Bremsstrahlung, synchrotron radiation and inverse Compton interactions, and protons cool mainly through inelastic collisions with atoms in the cloud. We conclude that some massive young stellar objects (YSOs) might be detectable at gamma-rays by next generation instruments, both satellite-borne and ground based.


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