Laboratory Investigations of the Physical and Optical Properties of the Analogs of Individual Cosmic Dust Grains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbas, M. M.; Tankosic, D.; Craven, P. D.; Spann, J. F.; LeClair, A.; West, E. A.

2005-01-01

Microdsub-micron size cosmic dust grains play an important role in the physical and dynamical process in the galaxy, the interstellar medium, and the interplanetary and planetary environments. The dust grains in various astrophysical environments are generally charged by a variety of mechanisms that include collisional process with electrons and ions, and photoelectric emissions with UV radiation. The photoelectric emission process is believed to be the dominant process in many astrophysical environments with nearby UV sources, such as the interstellar medium, diffuse clouds, the outer regions of the dense molecular clouds, interplanetary medium, dust in planetary environments and rings, cometary tails, etc. Also, the processes and mechanisms involved in the rotation and alignment of interstellar dust grains are of great interest in view of the polarization of observed starlight as a probe for evaluation of the galactic magnetic field.

High-energy radiation from collisions of high-velocity clouds and the Galactic disc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

del Valle, Maria V.; Müller, A. L.; Romero, G. E.

2018-04-01

High-velocity clouds (HVCs) are interstellar clouds of atomic hydrogen that do not follow normal Galactic rotation and have velocities of a several hundred kilometres per second. A considerable number of these clouds are falling down towards the Galactic disc. HVCs form large and massive complexes, so if they collide with the disc a great amount of energy would be released into the interstellar medium. The cloud-disc interaction produces two shocks: one propagates through the cloud and the other through the disc. The properties of these shocks depend mainly on the cloud velocity and the disc-cloud density ratio. In this work, we study the conditions necessary for these shocks to accelerate particles by diffusive shock acceleration and we study the non-thermal radiation that is produced. We analyse particle acceleration in both the cloud and disc shocks. Solving a time-dependent two-dimensional transport equation for both relativistic electrons and protons, we obtain particle distributions and non-thermal spectral energy distributions. In a shocked cloud, significant synchrotron radio emission is produced along with soft gamma rays. In the case of acceleration in the shocked disc, the non-thermal radiation is stronger; the gamma rays, of leptonic origin, might be detectable with current instruments. A large number of protons are injected into the Galactic interstellar medium, and locally exceed the cosmic ray background. We conclude that under adequate conditions the contribution from HVC-disc collisions to the galactic population of relativistic particles and the associated extended non-thermal radiation might be important.

HD 62542: Probing the Bare, Dense Core of an Interstellar Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welty, Daniel; Sonnentrucker, Paule G.; Rachford, Brian; Snow, Theodore; York, Donald G.

2018-01-01

We discuss the interstellar absorption from many atomic and molecular species seen in high-resolution HST/STIS UV spectra of the moderately reddened B3-5 V star HD 62542 [E(B-V) ~ 0.35; AV ~ 1.2]. This remarkable sight line exhibits both very steep far-UV extinction and a high fraction of hydrogen in molecular form -- with strong absorption from CH, C2, CN, and CO but weak absorption from CH+ and most of the commonly observed diffuse interstellar bands. Most of the material appears to reside in a single narrow velocity component -- thus offering a rare opportunity to probe the relatively dense, primarily molecular core of a single interstellar cloud, with little associated diffuse atomic gas.Detailed analyses of the absorption-line profiles seen in the UV spectra reveal a number of properties of the main diffuse molecular cloud toward HD 62542:1) The depletions of Mg, Si, and Fe are more severe than those seen in any other sight line, but the depletions of Cl and Kr are very mild; the overall pattern of depletions differs somewhat from those derived from larger samples of Galactic sight lines.2) The rotational excitation of H2 and C2 indicates that the gas is fairly cold (Tk = 40-45 K) and moderately dense (nH > 420 cm-3) somewhat higher densities are suggested by the fine-structure excitation of neutral carbon.3) The excitation temperatures characterizing the rotational populations of both 12CO (11.7 K) and 13CO (7.7 K) are higher than those typically found for Galactic diffuse molecular clouds.4) Carbon is primarily singly ionized -- N(C+) > N(CO) > N(C).5) The relative abundances of various trace neutral atomic species reflect the effects of both the steep far-UV extinction and the severe depletions of some elements.6) Differences in line widths for the various atomic and molecular species are suggestive of differences in spatial distribution within the main cloud.Support for this study was provided by NASA, via STScI grant GO-12277.008-A.

Interstellar cyanogen and the temperature of the cosmic microwave background radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roth, Katherine C.; Meyer, David M.; Hawkins, Isabel

1993-01-01

We present the results of a recently completed effort to determine the amount of CN rotational excitation in five diffuse interstellar clouds for the purpose of accurately measuring the temperature of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR). In addition, we report a new detection of emission from the strongest hyperfine component of the 2.64 mm CN rotational transition (N = 1-0) in the direction toward HD 21483. We have used this result in combination with existing emission measurements toward our other stars to correct for local excitation effects within diffuse clouds which raise the measured CN rotational temperature above that of the CMBR. After making this correction, we find a weighted mean value of T(CMBR) = 2.729 (+0.023, -0.031) K. This temperature is in excellent agreement with the new COBE measurement of 2.726 +/- 0.010 K (Mather et al., 1993). Our result, which samples the CMBR far from the near-Earth environment, attests to the accuracy of the COBE measurement and reaffirms the cosmic nature of this background radiation. From the observed agreement between our CMBR temperature and the COBE result, we conclude that corrections for local CN excitation based on millimeter emission measurements provide an accurate adjustment to the measured rotational excitation.

A Rigorous Attempt to Verify Interstellar Glycine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, L. E.; Lovas, F. J.; Hollis, J. M.; Friedel, D. N.; Jewell, P. R.; Remijan, A.; Ilyushin, V. V.; Alekseev, E. A.; Dyubko, S. F.

2004-01-01

In 2003, Kuan, Charnley, and co-workers reported the detection of interstellar glycine (NH2CH2COOH) based on observations of 27 lines in 19 different spectral bands in one or more of the sources Sgr BP(N-LMH), Orion KL, and W51 e1/e2. They supported their detection report with rotational temperature diagrams for all three sources. In this paper, we present essential criteria which can be used in a straightforward analysis technique to confirm the identity of an interstellar asymmetric rotor such as glycine. We use new laboratory measurements of glycine as a basis for applying this analysis technique, both to our previously unpublished 12 m telescope data and to the previously published SEST data of Nummelin and colleagues. We conclude that key lines necessary for an interstellar glycine identification have not yet been found. We identify several common molecular candidates that should be examined further as more likely carriers of the lines reported as glycine. Finally, we illustrate that rotational temperature diagrams used without the support of correct spectroscopic assignments are not a reliable tool for the identification of interstellar molecules. Subject headings: ISM: abundances - ISM: clouds - ISM: individual (Sagittarius B2[N-

Three milieux for interstellar chemistry: gas, dust, and ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbst, Eric

The interdisciplinary science of astrochemistry is 45 years of age, if we pinpoint its origin to have occurred when the first polyatomic molecules were detected in the interstellar gas. Since that time, the field has grown remarkably from an esoteric area of research to one that unites scientists around the globe. Almost 200 different molecules have been detected in the gas-phase of interstellar clouds, mainly by rotational spectroscopy, while dust particles and their icy mantles in colder regions can be probed by vibrational spectroscopy. Astrochemistry is exciting to scientists in a number of different fields. Astronomers are interested in molecular spectra from the heavens because such spectra are excellent probes of the physical conditions where molecules exist, while chemists are interested in the exotic molecules, their spectra, and the unusual chemical processes that produce and destroy them under conditions often very different from those on our home planet. Chemical simulations involving thousands of reactions are now used to calculate concentrations and spectra of interstellar molecules as functions of time. Even biologists share an interest in the subject, because the interstellar clouds of gas and dust, portions of which collapse to form stars and planetary systems, contain organic molecules that may become part of the initial inventory of new planets and may indeed be the precursors of life. An irresistible subject to its practitioners, astrochemistry is proving to be exciting to a much wider audience. In this perspective article, the field is first introduced, and the emphasis is then placed on the three environments in which chemistry occurs in the interstellar medium: the gas phase, the surfaces of bare dust particles, and the ice mantles that cover bare grains in cold dense interstellar clouds. What we do know and what we do not know is distinguished. The status of chemical simulations for a variety of interstellar sources having to do with stellar and planetary evolution is surveyed. An optimistic view of the future of astrochemistry ends the article.

Mid-infrared rotational line emission from interstellar molecular hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burton, Michael G.; Hollenbach, D. J.; Tielens, A. G. G.

1992-11-01

The line emission from the v = 0-0 S(0), S(2), and S(3), and the v = 1-0 and v = 2-1 S(1) transitions of molecular hydrogen in clouds exposed to high FUV fluxes and in shocks is modeled. Particular attention is given to the lowest pure rotational H2 transitions at 20 and 17 microns, respectively. It is found that, in photodissociation regions (PDRs), the emission comes from warm (greater than about 100 k) molecular gas, situated at optical depths greater than about 1, beyond the hot atomic surface layer of the clouds. For FUV fields, G0 = 1000 to 100,000 times the average interstellar field densities n = 10 exp 3 - 10 exp 7/cu cm, the typical line intensities are in the range 10 exp -6 to 10 exp -4 ergs/s sq cm sr. The predictions for the line intensities from both C-type and J-type shock models are compared. The results are applied to recent observations of the 0-0 S(1) transition in both the PDR and the shocked gas in Orion.

Astrochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millar, T. J.

2015-08-01

In the last 40 years a wide range of molecules, including neutrals, cations and anions, containing up to 13 atoms—in addition to detections of {{\\text{C}}60} and {{\\text{C}}70} —have been found in the harsh environment of the interstellar medium. The exquisite sensitivity and very high spectral and, more recently, spatial resolution, of modern telescopes has enabled the physics of star formation to be probed through rotational line emission. In this article, I review the basic properties of interstellar clouds and the processes that initiate the chemistry and generate chemical complexity, particularly in regions of star and planet formation. Our understanding of astrochemistry has evolved over the years. Before 1990, the general consensus was that molecules were formed in binary, gas-phase, or volume, reactions, most importantly ion-neutral reactions despite the very low ionization in clouds. Since then, observations have indicated unambiguously that there is also a contribution from surface processes, particularly on the icy mantles that form around refractory grain cores in cold, dense gas. The balance between these two processes depends on particular physical conditions and can vary during the life cycle of a particular volume of interstellar cloud. The complex chemistry that occurs in space is driven mostly through interaction of the gas with cosmic ray protons, a source of ionization that enables a rich ion-neutral chemistry. In addition, I show that the interaction between the gas and the dust in cold, dense regions also leads to additional chemical complexity through reactions that take place in ices at only a few tens of degrees above absolute zero. Although densities are low compared to those in terrestrial environments, the extremely long life times of interstellar clouds and their enormous sizes, enable complex molecules to be synthesised and detected. I show that in some instances, particularly in reactions involving deuterium, the rotational populations of reactants, together with spin-selection rules, can determine the detailed abundances. Although the review is mainly focused on regions associated with star formation, I also consider chemistry in other interesting astronomical regions—in the early Universe and in the envelopes formed by mass loss during the final stages of stellar evolution.

Collisional excitation of CH2 rotational/fine-structure levels by helium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dagdigian, P. J.; Lique, F.

2018-02-01

Accurate determination of the abundance of CH2 in interstellar media relies on both radiative and collisional rate coefficients. We investigate here the rotational/fine-structure excitation of CH2 induced by collisions with He. We employ a recoupling technique to generate fine-structure-resolved cross-sections and rate coefficients from close coupling spin-free scattering calculations. The calculations are based on a recent, high-accuracy CH2-He potential energy surface computed at the coupled clusters level of theory. The collisional cross-section calculations are performed for all fine-structure transitions among the first 22 and 24 energy levels of ortho- and para-CH2, respectively, and for temperatures up to 300 K. As a first application, we simulate the excitation of CH2 in typical molecular clouds. The excitation temperatures of the CH2 lines are found to be small at typical densities of molecular clouds, showing that the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium approach has to be used to analyse interstellar spectra. We also found that the fine-structure lines connected with the 404 - 313 and 505 - 414 rotational transitions show possible maser emissions so that they can be easily seen in emission. These calculations show that CH2 may have to be detected mainly through absorption spectra.

Interstellar absorption in the Mg II resonance line k2 and h2 emissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boehm-Vitense, E.

1981-01-01

High-resolution (0.2 A) IUE spectra for the long wavelength range (1800-3000 A) have been studied. It is shown that narrow interstellar Mg II lines are seen in the center of the k2 and h2 emissions from nearby stars with large rotational velocities. For all observed stars, the radial velocity of the central k3 absorption component in the rest system of the star is strongly correlated with the mirror image of the radial velocity of the stars; this shows that a major fraction if not all of the k3 absorption is due to interstellar absorption in the solar neighborhood. The violet to red asymmetry of the k2 emission also correlates with the radial velocities of the star; this shows that the shift of k3 is due to the velocity shift of the local interstellar cloud with respect to the star.

Deep, Broadband Spectral Line Surveys of Molecule-rich Interstellar Clouds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Widicus Weaver, Susanna L.; Laas, Jacob C.; Zou, Luyao

2017-09-01

Spectral line surveys are an indispensable tool for exploring the physical and chemical evolution of astrophysical environments due to the vast amount of data that can be obtained in a relatively short amount of time. We present deep, broadband spectral line surveys of 30 interstellar clouds using two broadband λ  = 1.3 mm receivers at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory. This information can be used to probe the influence of physical environment on molecular complexity. We observed a wide variety of sources to examine the relative abundances of organic molecules as they relate to the physical properties of the source (i.e., temperature,more » density, dynamics, etc.). The spectra are highly sensitive, with noise levels ≤25 mK at a velocity resolution of ∼0.35 km s{sup −1}. In the initial analysis presented here, column densities and rotational temperatures have been determined for the molecular species that contribute significantly to the spectral line density in this wavelength regime. We present these results and discuss their implications for complex molecule formation in the interstellar medium.« less

Researchers Use NRAO Telescope to Study Formation Of Chemical Precursors to Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2006-08-01

In just two years of work, an international research team has discovered eight new complex, biologically-significant molecules in interstellar space using the National Science Foundation's Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in West Virginia. "This is a feat unprecedented in the 35-year history of searching for complex molecules in space and suggests that a universal prebiotic chemistry is at work," said Jan M. Hollis of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, leader of the research team. Chemistry Cycle The Cosmic Chemistry Cycle CREDIT: Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF Full Size Image Files Interactive Graphic With "Mouseover" Text Blocks Chemical Cycle Graphic (above image, JPEG, 129K) Graphic With Text Blocks (JPEG, 165K) High-Res TIFF (44.2M) High-Res TIFF With Text Blocks (44.2M) Green Bank Telescope and Molecule Diagrams (JPEG, 58K) Green Bank Telescope and Molecule Diagrams (TIFF, 21M) New Molecules: Chemical Diagrams (PDF, 64K) The new discoveries are helping scientists unlock the secrets of how the molecular precursors to life can form in the giant clouds of gas and dust in which stars and planets are born. "The first of the many chemical processes that ultimately led to life on Earth probably took place even before our planet was formed. The GBT has taken the leading role in exploring the origin of biomolecules in interstellar clouds," said Phil Jewell of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). The eight new molecules discovered with the GBT bring the total to 141 different molecular species found in interstellar space. About 90 percent of those interstellar molecules contain carbon, which is required for a molecule to be classified as organic. The newly-discovered molecules all contain carbon and are composed of 6 to 11 atoms each. These results suggest, the scientists say, that chemical evolution occurs routinely in the gas and dust from which stars and planets eventually are born. The mass of an interstellar cloud is 99 percent gas and one percent dust. The GBT discoveries have been made in just two prototypical interstellar clouds. The molecules acetamide (CH3CONH2), cyclopropenone (H2C3O), propenal (CH2CHCHO), propanal (CH3CH2CHO), and ketenimine (CH2CNH) were found in a cloud called Sagittarius B2(N), which is near the center of our Milky Way Galaxy some 26,000 light years from Earth. This star-forming region is the largest repository of complex interstellar molecules known. The molecules methyl-cyano-diacetylene (CH3C5N), methyl-triacetylene (CH3C6H), and cyanoallene (CH2CCHCN) were found in the Taurus Molecular Cloud (TMC-1), which is relatively nearby at a distance of 450 light years. The starless TMC-1 cloud is dark and cold with a temperature of only 10 degrees above absolute zero and may eventually evolve into a star-forming region. "The discovery of these large organic molecules in the coldest regions of the interstellar medium has certainly changed the belief that large organic molecules would only have their origins in hot molecular cores. It has forced us to rethink the paradigms of interstellar chemistry," said Anthony Remijan of the NRAO. These large molecules found with the GBT are built up from smaller ones, the scientists say, by two principal mechanisms. In the first, simple chemical reactions add an atom to a molecular structure residing on the surface of a dust grain. As an example of this process, the researchers cite a molecule called cyclopropenylidene (c-C3H2, where "c-" means cyclic), which contains three carbon atoms in a ring. Cyclopropenylidene was discovered in interstellar space in 1987, and is known to be highly reactive. In 2005, using the GBT, scientists discovered another molecule, cyclopropenone (c-H2C3O), which can be produced by adding an oxygen atom to cyclopropenylidene. The second method for constructing larger molecules from smaller ones involves neutral-radical reactions that can occur within the gas in an interstellar cloud. For example, in 2006, the scientists discovered acetamide (CH3CONH2), which can be formed when a previously-discovered neutral molecule called formamide (HCONH2) combines with radicals such as CH2 and CH3, also previously discovered. Acetamide is particularly interesting because it contains a peptide bond which is the means for linking amino acids together to form proteins. Once interstellar molecules are ejected from dust grains into the gas phase, presumably by shock waves, they are free to rotate end-over-end. As gas molecules change their rotational modes, they can emit or absorb radiation at precise radio frequencies, called transitions, that are unique to each type of molecule. By detecting several rotational transitions, astronomers can unambiguously identify a specific interstellar molecule. "It is important to note that likely interstellar molecule candidates are first studied in gas-phase laboratory experiments so that transition frequencies are known in advance of an interstellar experiment," said Frank Lovas of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Along the line of sight from the interstellar cloud to the telescope, thousands of billions of molecules undergo the exact same transition, producing a signal strong enough to be detected by sensitive equipment. For this type of work, the GBT is the world's most sensitive tool that can be accurately pointed and track astronomical objects. In addition to Hollis, Jewell, Remijan, and Lovas, the research team included Lewis Snyder of the University of Illinois; Harald Mollendal of the University of Oslo, Norway; Vadim Ilyushin of the Institute of Radio Astronomy of the National Academy of Sciences of the Ukraine; and Isabell Kleiner of the Universite Paris, France. The astronomers' reports on their results appeared in 8 separate editions of the Astrophysical Journal. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Development of a wavy Stark velocity filter for studying interstellar chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okada, Kunihiro; Takada, Yusuke; Kimura, Naoki; Wada, Michiharu; Schuessler, Hans A.

2017-08-01

Cold polar molecules are key to both the understanding of fundamental physics and the characterization of the chemical evolution of interstellar clouds. To facilitate such studies over a wide range of temperatures, we developed a new type of Stark velocity filter for changing the translational and rotational temperatures of velocity-selected polar molecules without changing the output beam position. The translational temperature of guided polar molecules can be significantly varied by exchanging the wavy deflection section with one having a different radius of the curvature and a different deflection angle. Combining in addition a temperature variable gas cell with the wavy Stark velocity filter enables to observe the translational and rotational temperature dependence of the reaction-rate constants of cold ion-polar molecule reactions over the interesting temperature range of 10-100 K.

Chemical abundances in cold, dark interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, William M.; Kaifu, Norio; Ohishi, Masatoshi

1991-01-01

Current tabulations are presented of the entire range of known interstellar molecules, giving attention to that subset which has been identified in the cold, dark interstellar clouds out of which the sun has been suggested to have formed. The molecular abundances of two such clouds, Taurus Molecular Cloud 1 and Lynd's 134N, exhibit prepossessing chemical differences despite considerable physical similarities. This discrepancy may be accounted for by the two clouds' differing evolutionary stages. Two novel classes of interstellar molecules are noted: sulfur-terminated carbon chains and silicon-terminated ones.

Scientists Discover Sugar in Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2000-06-01

The prospects for life in the Universe just got sweeter, with the first discovery of a simple sugar molecule in space. The discovery of the sugar molecule glycolaldehyde in a giant cloud of gas and dust near the center of our own Milky Way Galaxy was made by scientists using the National Science Foundation's 12 Meter Telescope, a radio telescope on Kitt Peak, Arizona. "The discovery of this sugar molecule in a cloud from which new stars are forming means it is increasingly likely that the chemical precursors to life are formed in such clouds long before planets develop around the stars," said Jan M. Hollis of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. Hollis worked with Frank J. Lovas of the University of Illinois and Philip R. Jewell of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Green Bank, WV, on the observations, made in May. The scientists have submitted their results to the Astrophysical Journal Letters. "This discovery may be an important key to understanding the formation of life on the early Earth," said Jewell. Conditions in interstellar clouds may, in some cases, mimic the conditions on the early Earth, so studying the chemistry of interstellar clouds may help scientists understand how bio-molecules formed early in our planet's history. In addition, some scientists have suggested that Earth could have been "seeded" with complex molecules by passing comets, made of material from the interstellar cloud that condensed to form the Solar System. Glycolaldehyde, an 8-atom molecule composed of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen, can combine with other molecules to form the more-complex sugars Ribose and Glucose. Ribose is a building block of nucleic acids such as RNA and DNA, which carry the genetic code of living organisms. Glucose is the sugar found in fruits. Glycolaldehyde contains exactly the same atoms, though in a different molecular structure, as methyl formate and acetic acid, both of which were detected previously in interstellar clouds. Glycolaldehyde is a simpler molecular cousin to table sugar, the scientists say. The sugar molecule was detected in a large cloud of gas and dust some 26,000 light-years away, near the center of our Galaxy. Such clouds, often many light-years across, are the material from which new stars are formed. Though very rarified by Earth standards, these interstellar clouds are the sites of complex chemical reactions that occur over hundreds of thousands or millions of years. So far, about 120 different molecules have been discovered in these clouds. Most of these molecules contain a small number of atoms, and only a few molecules with eight or more atoms have been found in interstellar clouds. The 12 Meter Telescope "Finding glycolaldehyde in one of these interstellar clouds means that such molecules can be formed even in very rarified conditions," said Hollis. "We don't yet understand how it could be formed there," he added. "A combination of more astronomical observations and theoretical chemistry work will be required to resolve the mystery of how this molecule is formed in space." "We hope this discovery inspires renewed efforts to find even more kinds of molecules, so that, with a better idea of the total picture, we may be able to deduce the details of the prebiotic chemistry taking place in interstellar clouds," Hollis said. The discovery was made by detecting faint radio emission from the sugar molecules in the interstellar cloud. Molecules rotate end-for-end, and as they change from one rotational energy state to another, they emit radio waves at precise frequencies. The "family" of radio frequencies emitted by a particular molecule forms a unique "fingerprint" that scientists can use to identify that molecule. The scientists identified glycolaldehyde by detecting six frequencies of radio emission in what is termed the millimeter-wavelength region of the electromagnetic spectrum -- a region between more-familiar microwaves and infrared radiation. The NRAO 12 Meter Telescope used to detect the sugar molecule has been a pioneer instrument in the detection of molecules in space. Built in 1967, it made the first detections of dozens of the molecules now known to exist in space, including the important first discovery of carbon monoxide, now widely used by astronomers as a signpost showing regions where stars are being formed. The 12 Meter Telescope is scheduled to be closed at the end of July, in preparation for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, an advanced system of 64 radio-telescope antennas in northern Chile now being developed by an international partnership. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. Giant Molecular Cloud Near Milky Way's Center The giant molecular cloud, known as Sagittarius B2 (North), as seen by the NSF's Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope in New Mexico. This is the cloud in which scientists using the 12 Meter Telescope detected the simple sugar molecule glycolaldehyde. This VLA image shows hydrogen gas in a region nearly 3 light-years across. In this image, red indicates stronger radio emission; blue weaker. The 12 Meter Telescope studied this region at much shorter wavelengths, which revealed the evidence of sugar molecules. CREDIT: R. Gaume, M. Claussen, C. De Pree, W.M. Goss, D. Mehringer, NRAO/AUI/NSF.

Optical observations related to the molecular chemistry in diffuse interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Federman, S. R.

1987-01-01

Observations, which have been published since 1979, of molecular species in diffuse clouds are discussed. Particular attention is given to the ultraviolet measurements of CO with the Copernicus and IUE satellites and to ground-based optical measurements of CH, CH(+), CN, and 02. These data encompass large enough samples to test the chemical schemes expected to occur in diffuse clouds. Upper limits for other species (e.g., H2O, H2O(+), and C3) place restrictions on the pathways for molecular production. Moreover, analysis of the rotational distribution of the C2 molecule results in the determination of the physical conditions of the cloud. These parameters, including density, temperature, and the intensity of the radiation field, are necessary for modeling the chemistry.

Magnetic seismology of interstellar gas clouds: Unveiling a hidden dimension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tritsis, Aris; Tassis, Konstantinos

2018-05-01

Stars and planets are formed inside dense interstellar molecular clouds by processes imprinted on the three-dimensional (3D) morphology of the clouds. Determining the 3D structure of interstellar clouds remains challenging because of projection effects and difficulties measuring the extent of the clouds along the line of sight. We report the detection of normal vibrational modes in the isolated interstellar cloud Musca, allowing determination of the 3D physical dimensions of the cloud. We found that Musca is vibrating globally, with the characteristic modes of a sheet viewed edge on, not the characteristics of a filament as previously supposed. We reconstructed the physical properties of Musca through 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations, reproducing the observed normal modes and confirming a sheetlike morphology.

Boundary conditions for the paleoenvironment: Chemical and Physical Processes in dense interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, W. M.; Schloerb, F. P.; Ziurys, L. M.

1986-01-01

The present research includes searches for important new interstellar constituents; observations relevant to differentiating between different models for the chemical processes that are important in the interstellar environment; and coordinated studies of the chemistry, physics, and dynamics of molecular clouds which are the sites or possible future sites of star formation. Recent research has included the detection and study of four new interstellar molecules; searches which have placed upper limits on the abundance of several other potential constituents of interstellar clouds; quantitative studies of comparative molecular abundances in different types of interstellar clouds; investigation of reaction pathways for astrochemistry from a comparison of theory and the observed abundance of related species such as isomers and isotopic variants; studies of possible tracers of energenic events related to star formation, including silicon and sulfur containing molecules; and mapping of physical, chemical, and dynamical properties over extended regions of nearby cold molecular clouds.

Boundary conditions for the paleoenvironment: Chemical and physical processes in the pre-solar nebula. [molecular clouds, interstellar matter, and abundance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, W. M.; Schloerb, F. P.

1985-01-01

Two additional hyperfine components of the interstellar radical C3H were detected. In addition, methanol was discovered in interstellar clouds. The abundance of HCCN and various chemical isomers in molecular clouds was investigated.

Anomalous 13C isotope abundances in C3S and C4H observed toward the cold interstellar cloud, Taurus Molecular Cloud-1.

PubMed

Sakai, Nami; Takano, Shuro; Sakai, Takeshi; Shiba, Shoichi; Sumiyoshi, Yoshihiro; Endo, Yasuki; Yamamoto, Satoshi

2013-10-03

We have studied the abundances of the (13)C isotopic species of C3S and C4H in the cold molecular cloud, Taurus Molecular Cloud-1 (Cyanopolyyne Peak), by radioastronomical observations of their rotational emission lines. The CCCS/(13)CCCS and CCCS/C(13)CCS ratios are determined to be >206 and 48 ± 15, respectively. The CC(13)CS line is identified with the aid of laboratory microwave spectroscopy, and the range of the CCCS/CC(13)CS ratio is found to be from 30 to 206. The abundances of at least two (13)C isotopic species of C3S are thus found to be different. Similarly, it is found that the abundances of the four (13)C isotopic species of C4H are not equivalent. The CCCCH/(13)CCCCH, CCCCH/C(13)CCCH, CCCCH/CC(13)CCH, and CCCCH/CCC(13)CH ratios are evaluated to be 141 ± 44, 97 ± 27, 82 ± 15, and 118 ± 23, respectively. Here the errors denote 3 times the standard deviation. These results will constrain the formation pathways of C3S and C4H, if the nonequivalence is caused during the formation processes of these molecules. The exchange reactions after the formation of these two molecules may also contribute to the nonequivalence. In addition, we have confirmed that the (12)C/(13)C ratio of some species are significantly higher than the interstellar elemental (12)C/(13)C ratio of 60-70. The observations of the (13)C isotopic species provide us with rich information on chemical processes in cold interstellar clouds.

Detection of nitric oxide in the dark cloud L134N

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgonagle, D.; Irvine, W. M.; Minh, Y. C.; Ziurys, L. M.

1990-01-01

The first detection of interstellar nitric oxide (NO) in a cold dark cloud, L134N is reported. Nitric oxide was observed by means of its two 2 Pi 1/2, J = 3/2 - 1/2, rotational transitions at 150.2 and 150.5 GHz, which occur because of Lambda-doubling. The inferred column density for L134N is about 5 x 10 to the 14th/sq cm toward the SO peak in that cloud. This value corresponds to a fractional abundance relative to molecular hydrogen of about 6 x 10 to the -8th and is in good agreement with predictions of quiescent cloud ion-molecule chemistry. NO was not detected toward the dark cloud TMC-1 at an upper limit of 3 x 10 to the -8th or less.

Are CO Observations of Interstellar Clouds Tracing the H2?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Federrath, Christoph; Glover, S. C. O.; Klessen, R. S.; Mac Low, M.

2010-01-01

Interstellar clouds are commonly observed through the emission of rotational transitions from carbon monoxide (CO). However, the abundance ratio of CO to molecular hydrogen (H2), which is the most abundant molecule in molecular clouds is only about 10-4. This raises the important question of whether the observed CO emission is actually tracing the bulk of the gas in these clouds, and whether it can be used to derive quantities like the total mass of the cloud, the gas density distribution function, the fractal dimension, and the velocity dispersion--size relation. To evaluate the usability and accuracy of CO as a tracer for H2 gas, we generate synthetic observations of hydrodynamical models that include a detailed chemical network to follow the formation and photo-dissociation of H2 and CO. These three-dimensional models of turbulent interstellar cloud formation self-consistently follow the coupled thermal, dynamical and chemical evolution of 32 species, with a particular focus on H2 and CO (Glover et al. 2009). We find that CO primarily traces the dense gas in the clouds, however, with a significant scatter due to turbulent mixing and self-shielding of H2 and CO. The H2 probability distribution function (PDF) is well-described by a log-normal distribution. In contrast, the CO column density PDF has a strongly non-Gaussian low-density wing, not at all consistent with a log-normal distribution. Centroid velocity statistics show that CO is more intermittent than H2, leading to an overestimate of the velocity scaling exponent in the velocity dispersion--size relation. With our systematic comparison of H2 and CO data from the numerical models, we hope to provide a statistical formula to correct for the bias of CO observations. CF acknowledges financial support from a Kade Fellowship of the American Museum of Natural History.

Probing non polar interstellar molecules through their protonated form: Detection of protonated cyanogen (NCCNH+)★

PubMed Central

Agúndez, M.; Cernicharo, J.; de Vicente, P.; Marcelino, N.; Roueff, E.; Fuente, A.; Gerin, M.; Guélin, M.; Albo, C.; Barcia, A.; Barbas, L.; Bolaño, R.; Colomer, F.; Diez, M. C.; Gallego, J. D.; Gómez-González, J.; López-Fernández, I.; López-Fernández, J. A.; López-Pérez, J. A.; Malo, I.; Serna, J. M.; Tercero, F.

2015-01-01

Cyanogen (NCCN) is the simplest member of the series of dicyanopolyynes. It has been hypothesized that this family of molecules can be important constituents of interstellar and circumstellar media, although the lack of a permanent electric dipole moment prevents its detection through radioastronomical techniques. Here we present the first solid evidence of the presence of cyanogen in interstellar clouds through the detection of its protonated form toward the cold dark clouds TMC-1 and L483. Protonated cyanogen (NCCNH+) has been identified through the J = 5 – 4 and J = 10 – 9 rotational transitions using the 40m radiotelescope of Yebes and the IRAM 30m telescope. We derive beam averaged column densities for NCCNH+ of (8.6 ± 4.4) × 1010 cm−2 in TMC-1 and (3.9 ± 1.8) × 1010 cm−2 in L483, which translate to fairly low fractional abundances relative to H2, in the range (1-10) × 10−12. The chemistry of protonated molecules in dark clouds is discussed, and it is found that, in general terms, the abundance ratio between the protonated and non protonated forms of a molecule increases with increasing proton affinity. Our chemical model predicts an abundance ratio NCCNH+/NCCN of ~ 10−4, which implies that the abundance of cyanogen in dark clouds could be as high as (1-10) × 10−8 relative to H2, i.e., comparable to that of other abundant nitriles such as HCN, HNC, and HC3N. PMID:26543239

Time-dependent interstellar chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glassgold, A. E.

1985-01-01

Some current problems in interstellar chemistry are considered in the context of time-dependent calculations. The limitations of steady-state models of interstellar gas-phase chemistry are discussed, and attempts to chemically date interstellar clouds are reviewed. The importance of studying the physical and chemical properties of interstellar dust is emphasized. Finally, the results of a series of studies of collapsing clouds are described.

Hubble's Role in Studies of Venus' Clouds, Climate and Habitability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jessup, Kandis-Lea; Marcq, Emmanuel; Mills, Franklin; Bertaux, Jean-Loup; Lee, Yeon Joo; Limaye, Sanjay; Roman, Anthony; Yung, Yuk

2018-06-01

Venus’ slow rotation fosters thick cloud formation, via long solar days, low Coriolis forces and strong subsolar convection. Thus, Venus and other slow rotators may maintain an Earth-like climate at ~ 2x the stellar flux as rapid rotators – if the cloud albedo is high, buffering climate change (Yang et al. 2014). However, Venus’ dense H2SO4 clouds host an absorbing source that drives solar heating, fostering rather than buffering climate change. As such, the response of an atmosphere to the available stellar flux and its impact on habitability will be quite different for a slow rotator planet with Venus-like vs. Earth-like buffering clouds.2010/2011 HST/STIS observations of Venus have provided data relevant for studying several of the mechanisms that determine Venus’ climate. These observations showed unambiguously that SO2 photolysis is not the sole process balancing the growth and loss of the cloud top SO (and SO2). As the parent species of Venus’ H2SO4 clouds, these results indicated that additional sulfur chemistry must be considered when defining the mechanisms controlling Venus’ H2SO4 formation process (Jessup et al. 2015). The STIS observations also showed decisively that vertical transport of Venus’ key UV absorbers: SO2, SO and the unnamed absorber are sensitive to the underlying surface elevation (Jessup et al. 2018). This implies that observations made over varying terrain types can be used to parameterize a) the energy and momentum released during surface-atmosphere interactions, which is essential for understanding Venus’ slow body and fast cloud rotation; and b) the sensitivity of the vertical profiles of the species having the greatest impact on Venus’ energy balance and climate to the underlying terrain. Cross-calibration of STIS and Venus Express data also enabled definitive identification of a 6 year decline in the cloud albedo resulting in a nearly 40% increase in the solar heating rate, suggesting dramatic climate change unparalleled in the solar system (Lee et al. 2018). Studies of the links between these phenomena, the super-rotation speed and the solar cycle will be revelatory for inter-stellar habitability studies.

Interstellar clouds - From a dynamical perspective on their chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, S. S.

1985-01-01

The possibility is examined that in the course of its dynamical evolution, a single mass of interstellar gas would exhibit properties of diffuse clouds, dense clouds and finally also of clouds perturbed by shocks or intense UV or X-ray radiation generated by a star of its own creation. This concept provides a common thread through the bewildering diversity of physical and chemical compositional properties shown by interstellar clouds. From this perspective, instead of being static objects, interstellar clouds are possibly incessantly evolving from initially diffuse to later dense state and then to star formation which ultimately restructures or disperses the remaining cloud material to begin the whole evolutionary process once again. Based on a simplified study of interstellar chemistry from a dynamical perspective, the ideas are presented as an heuristic: to encourage thought on the future direction of molecular astrophysics and the need to consider the chemical behavior of interstellar clouds in conjunction with, rather than in isolation from, their dynamical behavior. A physical basis must be sought for the semiempirical temperature formula which has been given a critical role in the collapse of diffuse clouds. Self-shielding effects in the chemistry of CO were neglected and this drawback should be removed; the ability of the model to explain the fractional abundances of more complex molecules, such as cyanopolyynes, should be examined.

Infrared and far-infrared transition frequencies for the CH2 radical. [in interstellar gas clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sears, T. J.; Mckellar, A. R. W.; Bunker, P. R.; Evenson, K. M.; Brown, J. M.

1984-01-01

A list of frequencies and intensities for transitions of CH2 in the middle and far infrared regions is presented which should aid in the detection of CH2 and provide valuable information on the local physical and chemical environment. Results are presented for frequency, vacuum wavelength, and line strength for rotational transition frequencies and for the transition frequencies of the v(2) band.

Boundary Conditions for the Paleoenvironment: Chemical and Physical Processes in the Pre-Solar Nebula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, William M.; Schloerb, F. Peter

1997-01-01

The basic theme of this program is the study of molecular complexity and evolution in interstellar clouds and in primitive solar system objects. Research has included the detection and study of a number of new interstellar molecules and investigation of reaction pathways for astrochemistry from a comparison of theory and observed molecular abundances. The latter includes studies of cold, dark clouds in which ion-molecule chemistry should predominate, searches for the effects of interchange of material between the gas and solid phases in interstellar clouds, unbiased spectral surveys of particular sources, and systematic investigation of the interlinked chemistry and physics of dense interstellar clouds. In addition, the study of comets has allowed a comparison between the chemistry of such minimally thermally processed objects and that of interstellar clouds, shedding light on the evolution of the biogenic elements during the process of solar system formation.

Molecules in interstellar clouds. [physical and chemical conditions of star formation and biological evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, W. M.; Hjalmarson, A.; Rydbeck, O. E. H.

1981-01-01

The physical conditions and chemical compositions of the gas in interstellar clouds are reviewed in light of the importance of interstellar clouds for star formation and the origin of life. The Orion A region is discussed as an example of a giant molecular cloud where massive stars are being formed, and it is pointed out that conditions in the core of the cloud, with a kinetic temperature of about 75 K and a density of 100,000-1,000,000 molecules/cu cm, may support gas phase ion-molecule chemistry. The Taurus Molecular Clouds are then considered as examples of cold, dark, relatively dense interstellar clouds which may be the birthplaces of solar-type stars and which have been found to contain the heaviest interstellar molecules yet discovered. The molecular species identified in each of these regions are tabulated, including such building blocks of biological monomers as H2O, NH3, H2CO, CO, H2S, CH3CN and H2, and more complex species such as HCOOCH3 and CH3CH2CN.

Is interstellar detection of higher members of the linear radicals CnCH and CnN feasible?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pauzat, F.; Ellinger, Y.; Mclean, A. D.

1991-01-01

Rotational constants and dipole moments for linear-chain radicals CnCH and CnN are estimated using a combinatiaon of ab initio molecular orbital calculations and observed data on the starting members of the series. CnCH with n = 0-5 have been observed by radioastronomy in carbon-rich interstellar clouds; higher members of the series have 2Pi ground states with large dipole moments and are strong candidates for observation. CN and C3N have also been observed by radioastronomy; higher members of the series, with the possible exception of C5N, have 2Pi ground states with near-zero dipole moments making their interstellar detection hopeless under present observational conditions. C5N can be a strong candidate only if it has a 2Sigma ground state, and best computations so far indicate that this is not the case.

Is interstellar detection of higher members of the linear radicals CnCH and CnN feasible?

PubMed

Pauzat, F; Ellinger, Y; McLean, A D

1991-03-01

Rotational constants and dipole moments for linear-chain radicals CnCH and CnN are estimated using a combination of ab initio molecular orbital calculations and observed data on the starting members of the series. CnCH with n = 0-5 have been observed by radioastronomy in carbon-rich interstellar clouds; higher members of the series have 2 pi ground states with large dipole moments and are strong candidates for observation. CN and C3N have also been observed by radioastronomy; higher members of the series, with the possible exception of C5N, have 2 pi ground states with near-zero dipole moments making their interstellar detection hopeless under present observational conditions. C5N can be a strong candidate only if it has a 2 sigma ground state, and our best computations so far indicate that this is not the case.

Is interstellar detection of higher members of the linear radicals CnCH and CnN feasible

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pauzat, F.; Ellinger, Y.; Mclean, A.D.

1991-03-01

Rotational constants and dipole moments for linear-chain radicals CnCH and CnN are estimated using a combinatiaon of ab initio molecular orbital calculations and observed data on the starting members of the series. CnCH with n = 0-5 have been observed by radioastronomy in carbon-rich interstellar clouds; higher members of the series have 2Pi ground states with large dipole moments and are strong candidates for observation. CN and C3N have also been observed by radioastronomy; higher members of the series, with the possible exception of C5N, have 2Pi ground states with near-zero dipole moments making their interstellar detection hopeless under presentmore » observational conditions. C5N can be a strong candidate only if it has a 2Sigma ground state, and best computations so far indicate that this is not the case. 20 refs.« less

Magnetic seismology of interstellar gas clouds: Unveiling a hidden dimension.

PubMed

Tritsis, Aris; Tassis, Konstantinos

2018-05-11

Stars and planets are formed inside dense interstellar molecular clouds by processes imprinted on the three-dimensional (3D) morphology of the clouds. Determining the 3D structure of interstellar clouds remains challenging because of projection effects and difficulties measuring the extent of the clouds along the line of sight. We report the detection of normal vibrational modes in the isolated interstellar cloud Musca, allowing determination of the 3D physical dimensions of the cloud. We found that Musca is vibrating globally, with the characteristic modes of a sheet viewed edge on, not the characteristics of a filament as previously supposed. We reconstructed the physical properties of Musca through 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations, reproducing the observed normal modes and confirming a sheetlike morphology. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

Boundary conditions for the paleoenvironment: Chemical and physical processes in the pre-solar nebula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, William M.; Schloerb, F. Peter

1987-01-01

Detailed study of the first interstellar hydrocarbon ring, cyclopropenylidene (C3H2), is continuing. The singly deuterated isotope of this molecule, C3HD, was observed in several cold interstellar clouds. The results of a large survey for C3H2 in galactic sources of various types will soon be completed. It appears that cyclopropenylidene is present in virtually all interstellar clouds of at least moderate density. In order to make the first determinations of the CO2/CO abundance ratio in interstellar sources, observations of protonated CO2 were pursued. The spectrum from 18.5 to 22 GHz for several interstellar clouds is being systematically measured. Particular attention is being given to the cold, dark clouds TMC-1 and L124N, which may be formation sites for solar mass stars. The phenomena of maser emission from molecules of methanol is being studied in certain interstellar clouds. A comparison of 1 millimeter continuum emission from dust with the column density of carbon monoxide as determined from the rare C(18)O isotope for 4 molecular clouds in the Galaxy is nearing completion. Papers published during the period of this report are listed.

Comets, carbonaceous chondrites, and interstellar clouds: Condensation of carbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Field, G. B.

1979-01-01

Comets, carbonaceous chondrites, and interstellar clouds are discussed in relation to information on interstellar dust. The formation and presence of carbon in stars, comets, and meteorites is investigated. The existence of graphite in the interstellar medium, though it is predicted from thermodynamic calculations, is questioned and the form of carbon contained in comets is considered.

Morphology and ionization of the interstellar cloud surrounding the solar system.

PubMed

Frisch, P C

1994-09-02

The first encounter between the sun and the surrounding interstellar cloud appears to have occurred 2000 to 8000 years ago. The sun and cloud space motions are nearly perpendicular, an indication that the sun is skimming the cloud surface. The electron density derived for the surrounding cloud from the carbon component of the anomalous cosmic ray population in the solar system and from the interstellar ratio of Mg(+) to Mg degrees toward Sirius support an equilibrium model for cloud ionization (an electron density of 0.22 to 0.44 per cubic centimeter). The upwind magnetic field direction is nearly parallel to the cloud surface. The relative sun-cloud motion indicates that the solar system has a bow shock.

EVALUATING THE MORPHOLOGY OF THE LOCAL INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM: USING NEW DATA TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN MULTIPLE DISCRETE CLOUDS AND A CONTINUOUS MEDIUM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Redfield, Seth; Linsky, Jeffrey L., E-mail: sredfield@wesleyan.edu, E-mail: jlinsky@jila.colorado.edu

Ultraviolet and optical spectra of interstellar gas along the lines of sight to nearby stars have been interpreted by Redfield and Linsky and previous studies as a set of discrete warm, partially ionized clouds each with a different flow vector, temperature, and metal depletion. Recently, Gry and Jenkins proposed a fundamentally different model consisting of a single cloud with nonrigid flows filling space out to 9 pc from the Sun that they propose better describes the local ISM. Here we test these fundamentally different morphological models against the spatially unbiased Malamut et al. spectroscopic data set, and find that themore » multiple cloud morphology model provides a better fit to both the new and old data sets. The detection of three or more velocity components along the lines of sight to many nearby stars, the presence of nearby scattering screens, the observed thin elongated structures of warm interstellar gas, and the likely presence of strong interstellar magnetic fields also support the multiple cloud model. The detection and identification of intercloud gas and the measurement of neutral hydrogen density in clouds beyond the Local Interstellar Cloud could provide future morphological tests.« less

The interstellar N2 abundance towards HD 124314 from far-ultraviolet observations.

PubMed

Knauth, David C; Andersson, B-G; McCandliss, Stephan R; Moos, H Warren

2004-06-10

The abundance of interstellar molecular nitrogen (N2) is of considerable importance: models of steady-state gas-phase interstellar chemistry, together with millimetre-wavelength observations of interstellar N2H+ in dense molecular clouds predict that N2 should be the most abundant nitrogen-bearing molecule in the interstellar medium. Previous attempts to detect N2 absorption in the far-ultraviolet or infrared (ice features) have hitherto been unsuccessful. Here we report the detection of interstellar N2 at far-ultraviolet wavelengths towards the moderately reddened star HD 124314 in the constellation of Centaurus. The N2 column density is larger than expected from models of diffuse clouds and significantly smaller than expected for dense molecular clouds. Moreover, the N2 abundance does not explain the observed variations in the abundance of atomic nitrogen (N I) towards high-column-density sightlines, implying that the models of nitrogen chemistry in the interstellar medium are incomplete.

Scientists Detect Radio Emission from Rapidly Rotating Cosmic Dust Grains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-11-01

Astronomers have made the first tentative observations of a long-speculated, but never before detected, source of natural radio waves in interstellar space. Data from the National Science Foundation's 140 Foot Radio Telescope at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, W.Va., show the faint, tell-tale signals of what appear to be dust grains spinning billions of times each second. This discovery eventually could yield a powerful new tool for understanding the interstellar medium - the immense clouds of gas and dust that populate interstellar space. The NRAO 140 Foot Radio Telescope The NRAO 140-Foot Radio Telescope "What we believe we have found," said Douglas P. Finkbeiner of Princeton University's Department of Astrophysics, "is the first hard evidence for electric dipole emission from rapidly rotating dust grains. If our studies are confirmed, it will be the first new source of continuum emission to be conclusively identified in the interstellar medium in nearly the past 20 years." Finkbeiner believes that these emissions have the potential in the future of revealing new and exciting information about the interstellar medium; they also may help to refine future studies of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. The results from this study, which took place in spring 1999, were accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal. Other contributors to this paper include David J. Schlegel, department of astrophysics, Princeton University; Curtis Frank, department of astronomy, University of Maryland; and Carl Heiles, department of astronomy, University of California at Berkeley. "The idea of dust grains emitting radiation by rotating is not new," comments Finkbeiner, "but to date it has been somewhat speculative." Scientists first proposed in 1957 that dust grains could emit radio signals, if they were caused to rotate rapidly enough. It was believed, however, that these radio emissions would be negligibly small - too weak to be of any impact to current radio astronomy research, and the idea was largely forgotten. In the 1990s this perception began to change when scientists and engineers designed sensitive instruments to detect the faint afterglow of the Big Bang, which is seen in the Universe as the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. While making detailed maps of this faint and cold radiation, scientists also detected signals at approximately the same wavelength and intensity as the background radiation, but clearly emanating from within the Milky Way's galactic plane. The researchers expected to detect some emission from the Milky Way, but what they encountered was much brighter than anticipated. This discovery caused some concern among researchers because of the need to have a very clear "window" on the Universe to study the background radiation in great detail. If there were a source of radio emission in our own galactic "back yard," then studies of the microwave background radiation would need to recognize these emissions and correct for them. "We want to be clear, however, that nothing we have found invalidates the current interpretation of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation," assured Finkbeiner. "Nobody has done anything wrong in neglecting these signals - so far." Scientists considered several plausible mechanisms for this anomalous emission, but these theories failed to explain the observed spatial distribution of this emission across the sky. This predicament prompted theorists to rethink the spinning dust idea, leading to a 1998 model by Bruce Draine (Princeton University) and Alex Lazarian (University of Wisconsin), which proposed rotational dust-grain emission as an important mechanism. Draine and Lazarian assumed that small dust grains, perhaps having no more than 100 atoms each, would populate many interstellar dust clouds in the Galaxy. Each grain would have a small electric dipole and would therefore react to the charged ions that race through the clouds at tremendous speeds. As an ion either strikes or passes near a dust grains, the grain would "spin up," reaching speeds of up to one trillion revolutions per minute, causing it to radiate. The rate of rotation of these dust grains directly correlates to the frequencies at which they radiate. For example, a dust grain rotating 10 billion times each second would emit radio waves at 10 gigahertz (GHz). In looking for this elusive signal, the researchers narrowed their search to 10 dust clouds within the Milky Way Galaxy. These specific clouds were selected because their location and properties would help to eliminate other possibilities for these emissions. "Our goal was to find those areas within the Milky Way Galaxy that would help us rule out other sources of emission," said Finkbeiner. "By selected these specific targets, we believe that the signals we received are very indicative of rapidly rotating dust grains." The researchers emphasize, however, that additional observations will be required to confirm their results, and other potential emission mechanisms have not been ruled out. Particularly, it is possible that a portion of this radiation is due to the presence of ferro-magnetic minerals within the dust grains. Additional studies with more sensitive equipment will be necessary to confirm these results conclusively. "What we think is the most intriguing, however," said Finkbeiner, "is that with further advances in radio astronomy, the faint emissions from rotating dust grains may reveal previously unknown details about the dynamics of the interstellar medium. By detecting and understanding this emission we also hope to give astronomers a tool to greatly refine future studies of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation." The NSF's 140 Foot Radio Telescope now is decommissioned after a long and highly productive career. Research will continue on the newly commissioned Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, which is the world's largest fully steerable radio telescope. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

The state of clouds in a violent interstellar medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heathcote, S. R.; Brand, P. W. J. L.

1983-04-01

A highly approximate but simple model is developed which describes the interaction of a supernova blast wave with an interstellar cloud. The behavior of a cloud when exposed to conditions prevalent in a violent interstellar medium is examined using this model. Results show that after a cloud has been shocked it is rarely allowed sufficient time to return to pressure equilibrium with its surroundings before encountering a second shock. Thus, significant departures from pressure equilibrium are inevitable. It is determined that the disruption of a cloud by its passage through a blast wave is quite effective and the half life of clouds cannot greatly exceed the mean interval between shocks striking a given cloud. In addition, it is found that composite core-envelope clouds are not viable under typical conditions.

Rotational spectrum of methoxyamine up to 480 GHz: a laboratory study and astronomical search

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolesniková, L.; Tercero, B.; Alonso, E. R.; Guillemin, J.-C.; Cernicharo, J.; Alonso, J. L.

2018-01-01

Aims: Methoxyamine is a potential interstellar amine that has been predicted by gas-grain chemical models for the formation of complex molecules. The aim of this work is to provide direct experimental frequencies of its ground-vibrational state in the millimeter- and submillimeter-wave regions to achieve its detection in the interstellar medium. Methods: Methoxyamine was chemically liberated from its hydrochloride salt, and its rotational spectrum was recorded at room temperature from 75 to 480 GHz using the millimeter-wave spectrometer in Valladolid. Many observed transitions revealed A-E splitting caused by the internal rotation of the methyl group, which had to be treated with specific internal rotation codes. Results: Over 400 lines were newly assigned for the most stable conformer of methoxyamine, and a precise set of spectroscopic constants was obtained. Spectral features of methoxyamine were then searched for in the Orion KL, Sgr B2, B1-b, and TMC-1 molecular clouds. Upper limits to the column density of methoxyamine were derived. Table 3 is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/609/A24

Interaction of a supernova shock with two interstellar clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, J. F.; McKee, C. F.

2005-10-01

The interaction of supernova shocks and interstellar clouds is an important astrophysical phenomenon since it can result in stellar and planetary formation. Our experiments attempt to simulate this mass-loading as it occurs when a shock passes through interstellar clouds. We drive a strong shock using a 5 kJ laser into a foam-filled cylinder with embedded Al spheres (diameter D=120 μm) simulating interstellar clouds. The density ratio between Al and foam is ˜9. We have previously reported on the interaction between shock and a single cloud, and the ensuing Kelvin-Helmholtz and Widnall instabilities. We now report on experiments under way in which two clouds are placed side by side. Cloud separation (center to center) is either 1.2xD or 1.5xD. Initial results for 1.2xD show that cloud material merges and travels further downstream than in the single cloud case. For 1.5xD, material does not merge, but the clouds tilt toward each other. Work performed under the auspices of the Department of Energy by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract number W-7405-ENG-48.

Newly detected molecules in dense interstellar clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irvine, William M.; Avery, L. W.; Friberg, P.; Matthews, H. E.; Ziurys, L. M.

Several new interstellar molecules have been identified including C2S, C3S, C5H, C6H and (probably) HC2CHO in the cold, dark cloud TMC-1; and the discovery of the first interstellar phosphorus-containing molecule, PN, in the Orion "plateau" source. Further results include the observations of 13C3H2 and C3HD, and the first detection of HCOOH (formic acid) in a cold cloud.

Local turbulence simulations for the multiphase ISM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kissmann, R.; Kleimann, J.; Fichtner, H.; Grauer, R.

2008-12-01

In this paper, we show results of numerical simulations for the turbulence in the interstellar medium (ISM). These results were obtained using a Riemann solver-free numerical scheme for high-Mach number hyperbolic equations. Here, we especially concentrate on the physical properties of the ISM. That is, we do not present turbulence simulations trimmed to be applicable to the ISM. The simulations are rather based on physical estimates for the relevant parameters of the interstellar gas. Applying our code to simulate the turbulent plasma motion within a typical interstellar molecular cloud, we investigate the influence of different equations of state (isothermal and adiabatic) on the statistical properties of the resulting turbulent structures. We find slightly different density power spectra and dispersion maps, while both cases yield qualitatively similar dissipative structures, and exhibit a departure from the classical Kolmogorov case towards a scaling described by the She-Leveque model. Solving the full energy equation with realistic heating/cooling terms appropriate for the diffuse interstellar gas (DIG), we are able to reproduce a realistic two-phase distribution of cold and warm plasma. When extracting maps of polarized intensity from our simulation data, we find encouraging similarity to actual observations. Finally, we compare the actual magnetic field strength of our simulations to its value inferred from the rotation measure. We find these to be systematically different by a factor of about 1.15, thus highlighting the often-underestimated influence of varying line-of-sight particle densities on the magnetic field strength derived from observed rotation measures.

Near-infrared spectroscopy of the proto-planetary nebula CRL 618 and the origin of the hydrocarbon dust component in the interstellar medium.

PubMed

Chiar, J E; Pendleton, Y J; Geballe, T R; Tielens, A G

1998-11-01

A new 2.8-3.8 micrometers spectrum of the carbon-rich protoplanetary nebula CRL 618 confirms the previous detection of a circumstellar 3.4 micrometers absorption feature in this object (Lequeux & Jourdain de Muizon). The high resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio of our spectrum allow us to derive the detailed profile of this absorption feature, which is very similar to that observed in the spectrum of the Galactic center and also resembles the strong 3.4 micrometers emission feature in some post-asymptotic giant branch stars. A weak 3.3 micrometers unidentified infrared band, marginally detected in the CRL 618 spectrum of Lequeux & Jourdain de Muizon, is present in our spectrum. The existence of the 3.4 micrometers feature implies the presence of relatively short-chained, aliphatic hydrocarbon materials (-CH2-/-CH3 approximately = 2-2.5) in the circumstellar environment around CRL 618. It also implies that the carriers of the interstellar 3.4 micrometers feature are produced at least in part in circumstellar material, and it calls into question whether any are produced by the processing of interstellar ices in dense interstellar clouds, as has been previously proposed. Other features in the spectrum are recombination lines of hydrogen, rotational and vibration-rotation lines of molecular hydrogen, and a broad absorption probably due to a blend of HCN and C2H2 bands.

Near-infrared spectroscopy of the proto-planetary nebula CRL 618 and the origin of the hydrocarbon dust component in the interstellar medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chiar, J. E.; Pendleton, Y. J.; Geballe, T. R.; Tielens, A. G.

1998-01-01

A new 2.8-3.8 micrometers spectrum of the carbon-rich protoplanetary nebula CRL 618 confirms the previous detection of a circumstellar 3.4 micrometers absorption feature in this object (Lequeux & Jourdain de Muizon). The high resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio of our spectrum allow us to derive the detailed profile of this absorption feature, which is very similar to that observed in the spectrum of the Galactic center and also resembles the strong 3.4 micrometers emission feature in some post-asymptotic giant branch stars. A weak 3.3 micrometers unidentified infrared band, marginally detected in the CRL 618 spectrum of Lequeux & Jourdain de Muizon, is present in our spectrum. The existence of the 3.4 micrometers feature implies the presence of relatively short-chained, aliphatic hydrocarbon materials (-CH2-/-CH3 approximately = 2-2.5) in the circumstellar environment around CRL 618. It also implies that the carriers of the interstellar 3.4 micrometers feature are produced at least in part in circumstellar material, and it calls into question whether any are produced by the processing of interstellar ices in dense interstellar clouds, as has been previously proposed. Other features in the spectrum are recombination lines of hydrogen, rotational and vibration-rotation lines of molecular hydrogen, and a broad absorption probably due to a blend of HCN and C2H2 bands.

Boundary Conditions for the Paleoenvironment: Chemical and Physical Processes in Dense Interstellar Clouds: Summary of Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, William M.

1999-01-01

The basic theme of this program was the study of molecular complexity and evolution for the biogenic elements and compounds in interstellar clouds and in primitive solar system objects. Research included the detection and study of new interstellar and cometary molecules and investigation of reaction pathways for astrochemistry from a comparison of theory and observed molecular abundances. The latter includes studies of cold, dark clouds in which ion-molecule chemistry should predominate, searches for the effects of interchange of material between the gas and solid phases in interstellar clouds, unbiased spectral surveys of particular sources, and systematic investigation of the interlinked chemistry and physics of dense interstellar clouds. In addition, the study of comets has allowed a comparison between the chemistry of such minimally thermally processed objects and that of interstellar clouds, shedding light on the evolution of the biogenic elements during the process of solar system formation. One PhD dissertation on this research was completed by a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts. An additional 4 graduate students at the University of Massachusetts and 5 graduate students from other institutions participated in research supported by this grant, with 6 of these thus far receiving PhD degrees from the University of Massachusetts or their home institutions. Four postdoctoral research associates at the University of Massachusetts also participated in research supported by this grant, receiving valuable training.

A reanalysis of the HCO(+)/HOC(+) abundance ratio in dense interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jarrold, M. F.; Bowers, M. T.; Defrees, D. J.; Mclean, A. D.; Herbst, E.

1986-01-01

New theoretical and experimental results have prompted a reinvestigation of the HCO(+)/HOC(+) abundance ratio in dense interstellar clouds. These results pertain principally but not exclusively to the reaction between HOC(+) and H2, which was previously calculated by DeFrees et al. (1984) to possess a large activation energy barrier. New calculations, reported here, indicate that this activation energy barrier is quite small and may well be zero. In addition, experimental results at higher energy and temperature indicate strongly that the reaction proceeds efficiently at interstellar temperatures. If HOC(+) does indeed react efficiently with H2 in interstellar clouds, the calculated HCO(+)/HOC(+) abundance ratio rises to a substantially greater value under standard dense cloud conditions than is deduced via the tentative observation of HOC(+) in Sgr B2.

Collisional excitation of molecules in dense interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, S.

1985-01-01

State transitions which permit the identification of the molecular species in dense interstellar clouds are reviewed, along with the techniques used to calculate the transition energies, the database on known molecular transitions and the accuracy of the values. The transition energies cannot be measured directly and therefore must be modeled analytically. Scattering theory is used to determine the intermolecular forces on the basis of quantum mechanics. The nuclear motions can also be modeled with classical mechanics. Sample rate constants are provided for molecular systems known to inhabit dense interstellar clouds. The values serve as a database for interpreting microwave and RF astrophysical data on the transitions undergone by interstellar molecules.

The detection of interstellar methylcyanoacetylene

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broten, N. W.; Macleod, J. M.; Avery, L. W.; Friberg, P.; Hjalmarson, A.; Hoglund, B.; Irvine, W. M.

1984-01-01

A new interstellar molecule, methylcyanoacetylene (CH3C3N), has been detected in the molecular cloud TMC-1. The J = 8 to 7, J = 7 to 6, J = 6 to 5, and J = 5 to 4 transitions have been observed. For the first three of these, both the K = 0 and K = 1 components are present, while for J = 5 to 4, only the K = 0 line has been detected. The observed frequencies were calculated by assuming a value of radial velocity V(LSR) = 5.8 km/s for TMC-1, typical of other molecules in the cloud. All observed frequencies are within 10 kHz of the calculated frequencies, which are based on the 1982 laboratory constants of Moises et al. (1982), so the identification is secure. The lines are broadened by hyperfine splitting, and the J = 5 to 4, K = 0 transition shows incipient resolution into three hyperfine components. The rotational temperature determined from these observations is quite low, with T(rot) in the range from 2.7 to 4 K. The total column density is approximately 5 x 10 to the 12th per sq cm.

Helical magnetic fields in molecular clouds?. A new method to determine the line-of-sight magnetic field structure in molecular clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tahani, M.; Plume, R.; Brown, J. C.; Kainulainen, J.

2018-06-01

Context. Magnetic fields pervade in the interstellar medium (ISM) and are believed to be important in the process of star formation, yet probing magnetic fields in star formation regions is challenging. Aims: We propose a new method to use Faraday rotation measurements in small-scale star forming regions to find the direction and magnitude of the component of magnetic field along the line of sight. We test the proposed method in four relatively nearby regions of Orion A, Orion B, Perseus, and California. Methods: We use rotation measure data from the literature. We adopt a simple approach based on relative measurements to estimate the rotation measure due to the molecular clouds over the Galactic contribution. We then use a chemical evolution code along with extinction maps of each cloud to find the electron column density of the molecular cloud at the position of each rotation measure data point. Combining the rotation measures produced by the molecular clouds and the electron column density, we calculate the line-of-sight magnetic field strength and direction. Results: In California and Orion A, we find clear evidence that the magnetic fields at one side of these filamentary structures are pointing towards us and are pointing away from us at the other side. Even though the magnetic fields in Perseus might seem to suggest the same behavior, not enough data points are available to draw such conclusions. In Orion B, as well, there are not enough data points available to detect such behavior. This magnetic field reversal is consistent with a helical magnetic field morphology. In the vicinity of available Zeeman measurements in OMC-1, OMC-B, and the dark cloud Barnard 1, we find magnetic field values of - 23 ± 38 μG, - 129 ± 28 μG, and 32 ± 101 μG, respectively, which are in agreement with the Zeeman measurements. Tables 1 to 7 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/614/A100

MAGNETIZED GAS IN THE SMITH HIGH VELOCITY CLOUD

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hill, Alex S.; McClure-Griffiths, Naomi M.; Mao, S. A.

2013-11-01

We report the first detection of magnetic fields associated with the Smith High Velocity Cloud. We use a catalog of Faraday rotation measures toward extragalactic radio sources behind the Smith Cloud, new H I observations from the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, and a spectroscopic map of Hα from the Wisconsin H-Alpha Mapper Northern Sky Survey. There are enhancements in rotation measure (RM) of ≈100 rad m{sup –2} which are generally well correlated with decelerated Hα emission. We estimate a lower limit on the line-of-sight component of the field of ≈8 μG along a decelerated filament; this is amore » lower limit due to our assumptions about the geometry. No RM excess is evident in sightlines dominated by H I or Hα at the velocity of the Smith Cloud. The smooth Hα morphology of the emission at the Smith Cloud velocity suggests photoionization by the Galactic ionizing radiation field as the dominant ionization mechanism, while the filamentary morphology and high (≈1 Rayleigh) Hα intensity of the lower-velocity magnetized ionized gas suggests an ionization process associated with shocks due to interaction with the Galactic interstellar medium. The presence of the magnetic field may contribute to the survival of high velocity clouds like the Smith Cloud as they move from the Galactic halo to the disk. We expect these data to provide a test for magnetohydrodynamic simulations of infalling gas.« less

Terahertz Spectroscopy of Deuterated Methylene Bi-Radical CD_2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozeki, Hiroyuki; Bailleux, Stephane

2015-06-01

Methylene, the parent of the carbene compounds, plays a crucial role in many chemical reactions. This bi-radical is a known interstellar molecule that has been detected towards hot cores in dense interstellar clouds. CH_2 is also thought to be present in cometary atmospheres. In the gas phase chemical models of both dense and diffuse molecular clouds, CH_2 is a key intermediate in interstellar carbon chemistry which is produced primarily by dissociative recombination of the methyl ion, CH^+_3. Recently tentative detection of the mono-deuterated methyl ion, CH_2D^+ has been reported toward an infrared source in the vicinity of Orion. Deuterated methylene CHD and CD_2 can be produced from this ion or its counterpart CHD^+_2 by dissociative recombination with an electron: CH2D+ + e- → CHD+ H or {CH2 + D}, CHD2+ ~+ e- → CHD+ D or CD2 + H. Thus, both CHD and CD_2 can be observed in warm interstellar clouds, where the deuterium fractionation process is important. Precise laboratory reference data are desirable for radioastronomical observation of these molecules. Here we report on our high-resolution spectroscopic investigation on the deuterated methylene radical, CD_2 (X ^3B_1) up to 1.45 THz. At present time, eleven out of the twelve fine-structure components of four pure rotational transitions have been newly recorded, and these measurements double the number of previously observed transitions. CD_2 was generated in a discharge in CD_2CO which was obtained from the flash pyrolysis of acetic anhydride-d6 ((CD_3CO)_2O). Effort is currently made to measure the astronomically important 111 - 000 transition whose fine-structure components are predicted to occur at 1.224,1.228 and 1.234 THz. D. C. Lis, P. F. Goldsmith, E. A. Bergin et al. 2009, in Submillimeter Astrophysics and Technology, ASP Conf. Ser., 417, 23. H. Ozeki and S. Saito J. Chem. Phys. 1996, 104, 2167.

Copernicus observations of C I and CO in diffuse interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, E. B.; Jura, M.; Loewenstein, M.

1980-01-01

Copernicus was used to observe absorption lines of C I in its ground state and excited fine structure levels and CO toward 29 stars. We use the C I data to infer densities and pressures within the observed clouds, and because our results are of higher precision than previous work, much more precise estimates of the physical conditions in clouds are obtained. In agreement with previous work, the interstellar thermal pressure appears to be variable, with most clouds having values of p/k between 1000/cu cm K and 10,000/cu cm K, but there are some clouds with p/k as high as 100,000/cu cm K. Our results are consistent with the view that the interstellar thermal pressure is so variable that the gas undergoes continuous dynamic evolution. Our observations provide useful constraints on the physical processes on the surfaces of grains. In particular, we find that grains are efficient catalysts of interstellar H2 in the sense that at least half of the hydrogen atoms that strike grains come off as part of H2. Results place strong constraints on models for the formation and destruction of interstellar CO. In many clouds, an order of magnitude less CO than predicted in some models was found.

Diffuse cloud chemistry. [in interstellar matter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Dishoeck, Ewine F.; Black, John H.

1988-01-01

The current status of models of diffuse interstellar clouds is reviewed. A detailed comparison of recent gas-phase steady-state models shows that both the physical conditions and the molecular abundances in diffuse clouds are still not fully understood. Alternative mechanisms are discussed and observational tests which may discriminate between the various models are suggested. Recent developments regarding the velocity structure of diffuse clouds are mentioned. Similarities and differences between the chemistries in diffuse clouds and those in translucent and high latitude clouds are pointed out.

Physical conditions in CaFe interstellar clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnaciński, P.; Krogulec, M.

2008-01-01

Interstellar clouds that exhibit strong Ca I and Fe I lines are called CaFe clouds. Ionisation equilibrium equations were used to model the column densities of Ca II, Ca I, K I, Na I, Fe I and Ti II in CaFe clouds. We find that the chemical composition of CaFe clouds is solar and that there is no depletion into dust grains. CaFe clouds have high electron densities, n_e≈1 cm-3, that lead to high column densities of neutral Ca and Fe.

Recipes for planet formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Michael R.

2009-11-01

Anyone who has ever used baking soda instead of baking powder when trying to make a cake knows a simple truth: ingredients matter. The same is true for planet formation. Planets are made from the materials that coalesce in a rotating disk around young stars - essentially the "leftovers" from when the stars themselves formed through the gravitational collapse of rotating clouds of gas and dust. The planet-making disk should therefore initially have the same gas-to-dust ratio as the interstellar medium: about 100 to 1, by mass. Similarly, it seems logical that the elemental composition of the disk should match that of the star, reflecting the initial conditions at that particular spot in the galaxy.

A detailed investigation of proposed gas-phase syntheses of ammonia in dense interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herbst, Eric; Defrees, D. J.; Mclean, A. D.

1987-01-01

The initial reactions of the Herbst and Klemperer (1973) and the Dalgarno (1974) schemes (I and II, respectively) for the gas-phase synthesis of ammonia in dense interstellar clouds were investigated. The rate of the slightly endothermic reaction between N(+) and H2 to yield NH(+) and H (scheme I) under interstellar conditions was reinvestigated under thermal and nonthermal conditions based on laboratory data. It was found that the relative importance of this reaction in synthesizing ammonia is determined by how the laboratory data at low temperature are interpreted. On the other hand, the exothermic reaction between N and H3(+) to form NH2(+) + H (scheme II) was calculated to possess significant activation energy and, therefore, to have a negligible rate coefficient under interstellar conditions. Consequently, this reaction cannot take place appreciably in interstellar clouds.

The Submillimeter-wave Rotational Spectra of Interstellar Molecules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herbst, Eric; DeLucia, Frank C.; Butler, R. A. H.; Winnewisser, M.; Winnewisser, G.; Fuchs, U.; Groner, P.; Sastry, K. V. L. N.

2002-01-01

We discuss past and recent progress in our long-term laboratory program concerning the submillimeter-wave rotational spectroscopy of known and likely interstellar molecules, especially those associated with regions of high-mass star formation. Our program on the use of spectroscopy to study rotationally inelastic collisions of interstellar interest is also briefly mentioned.

Optical observations of nearby interstellar gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frisch, P. C.; York, D. G.

1984-11-01

Observations indicated that a cloud with a heliocentric velocity of approximately -28 km/s and a hydrogen column density that possibly could be on the order of, or greater than, 5 x 10 to the 19 power/square cm is located within the nearest 50 to 80 parsecs in the direction of Ophiuchus. This is a surprisingly large column density of material for this distance range. The patchy nature of the absorption from the cloud indicates that it may not be a feature with uniform properties, but rather one with small scale structure which includes local enhancements in the column density. This cloud is probably associated with the interstellar cloud at about the same velocity in front of the 20 parsec distant star alpha Oph (Frisch 1981, Crutcher 1982), and the weak interstellar polarization found in stars as near as 35 parsecs in this general region (Tinbergen 1982). These data also indicate that some portion of the -14 km/s cloud also must lie within the 100 parsec region. Similar observations of both Na1 and Ca2 interstellar absorption features were performed in other lines of sight. Similar interstellar absorption features were found in a dozen stars between 20 and 100 parsecs of the Sun.

Optical Observations of Nearby Interstellar Gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frisch, P. C.; York, D. G.

1984-01-01

Observations indicated that a cloud with a heliocentric velocity of approximately -28 km/s and a hydrogen column density that possibly could be on the order of, or greater than, 5 x 10 to the 19 power/square cm is located within the nearest 50 to 80 parsecs in the direction of Ophiuchus. This is a surprisingly large column density of material for this distance range. The patchy nature of the absorption from the cloud indicates that it may not be a feature with uniform properties, but rather one with small scale structure which includes local enhancements in the column density. This cloud is probably associated with the interstellar cloud at about the same velocity in front of the 20 parsec distant star alpha Oph (Frisch 1981, Crutcher 1982), and the weak interstellar polarization found in stars as near as 35 parsecs in this general region (Tinbergen 1982). These data also indicate that some portion of the -14 km/s cloud also must lie within the 100 parsec region. Similar observations of both Na1 and Ca2 interstellar absorption features were performed in other lines of sight. Similar interstellar absorption features were found in a dozen stars between 20 and 100 parsecs of the Sun.

Measurement of the adsorption energy difference between ortho- and para-D2 on an amorphous ice surface.

PubMed

Amiaud, L; Momeni, A; Dulieu, F; Fillion, J H; Matar, E; Lemaire, J-L

2008-02-08

Molecular hydrogen interaction on water ice surfaces is a major process taking place in interstellar dense clouds. By coupling laser detection and classical thermal desorption spectroscopy, it is possible to study the effect of rotation of D(2) on adsorption on amorphous solid water ice surfaces. The desorption profiles of ortho- and para-D(2) are different. This difference is due to a shift in the adsorption energy distribution of the two lowest rotational states. Molecules in J''=1 rotational state are on average more strongly bound to the ice surface than those in J''=0 rotational state. This energy difference is estimated to be 1.4+/-0.3 meV. This value is in agreement with previous calculation and interpretation. The nonspherical wave function J'' =1 has an interaction with the asymmetric part of the adsorption potential and contributes positively in the binding energy.

Large Interstellar Polarisation Survey. II. UV/optical study of cloud-to-cloud variations of dust in the diffuse ISM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siebenmorgen, R.; Voshchinnikov, N. V.; Bagnulo, S.; Cox, N. L. J.; Cami, J.; Peest, C.

2018-03-01

It is well known that the dust properties of the diffuse interstellar medium exhibit variations towards different sight-lines on a large scale. We have investigated the variability of the dust characteristics on a small scale, and from cloud-to-cloud. We use low-resolution spectro-polarimetric data obtained in the context of the Large Interstellar Polarisation Survey (LIPS) towards 59 sight-lines in the Southern Hemisphere, and we fit these data using a dust model composed of silicate and carbon particles with sizes from the molecular to the sub-micrometre domain. Large (≥6 nm) silicates of prolate shape account for the observed polarisation. For 32 sight-lines we complement our data set with UVES archive high-resolution spectra, which enable us to establish the presence of single-cloud or multiple-clouds towards individual sight-lines. We find that the majority of these 35 sight-lines intersect two or more clouds, while eight of them are dominated by a single absorbing cloud. We confirm several correlations between extinction and parameters of the Serkowski law with dust parameters, but we also find previously undetected correlations between these parameters that are valid only in single-cloud sight-lines. We find that interstellar polarisation from multiple-clouds is smaller than from single-cloud sight-lines, showing that the presence of a second or more clouds depolarises the incoming radiation. We find large variations of the dust characteristics from cloud-to-cloud. However, when we average a sufficiently large number of clouds in single-cloud or multiple-cloud sight-lines, we always retrieve similar mean dust parameters. The typical dust abundances of the single-cloud cases are [C]/[H] = 92 ppm and [Si]/[H] = 20 ppm.

a Look at Nitrile Chemistry in SGR B2(N) Using the Combined Power of the GBT and the VLA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steber, Amanda; Zaleski, Daniel P.; Seifert, Nathan A.; Neill, Justin; Muckle, Matt; Pate, Brooks; Corby, Joanna F.; Remijan, Anthony

2014-06-01

Nitriles form the most prolific family of molecules known in the ISM, and laboratory work shows that radical-driven chemistry can account for the formation of a diverse set of nitrile and imine molecules. Broadband reaction screening of nitrile chemistry in a pulsed discharge nozzle coupled to a chirped-pulse Fourier transform rotational spectrometer has enabled detections of several new interstellar species including E- and Z-ethanimine and E-cyanomethanimine. The detections were made by direct comparisons of laboratory broadband rotational spectra with the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) PRebiotic Interstellar MOlecule Survery (PRIMOS) survey towards Sgr B2(N), the most chemically complex interstellar region known. In order to probe nitrile chemistry in Sgr B2, we targeted low energy rotational transitions in the 18-21 GHz range of several nitriles with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) at ˜1 arcsecond resolution. The data indicate that most nitriles and nitrile derivatives are co-spatial with shell shaped continuum features thought to be expanding ionization fronts. The CH2CN radical and imine species in particular are NOT associated with the hot core known as the "Large Molecule Heimat", where most large organic molecules are thought to reside. This result suggests radical driven nitrile chemistry may be promoted by near-UV radiation in moderate density regions of molecular clouds, and the data will be useful for evaluating possible formation mechanisms. R.A. Loomis et al. Ap. J. L., 765, (L9), 2013. D.P. Zaleski et al. Ap. J. L., 765, (L10), 2013.

Composition, structure and chemistry of interstellar dust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tielens, Alexander G. G. M.; Allamandola, Louis J.

1986-01-01

The observational constraints on the composition of the interstellar dust are analyzed. The dust in the diffuse interstellar medium consists of a mixture of stardust (amorphous silicates, amorphous carbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and graphite) and interstellar medium dust (organic refractory material). Stardust seems to dominate in the local diffuse interstellar medium. Inside molecular clouds, however, icy grain mantles are also important. The structural differences between crystalline and amorphous materials, which lead to differences in the optical properties, are discussed. The astrophysical consequences are briefly examined. The physical principles of grain surface chemistry are discussed and applied to the formation of molecular hydrogen and icy grain mantles inside dense molecular clouds. Transformation of these icy grain mantles into the organic refractory dust component observed in the diffuse interstellar medium requires ultraviolet sources inside molecular clouds as well as radical diffusion promoted by transient heating of the mantle. The latter process also returns a considerable fraction of the molecules in the grain mantle to the gas phase.

Evaluating the Morphology of the Local Interstellar Medium: Using New Data to Distinguish between Multiple Discrete Clouds and a Continuous Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redfield, Seth; Linsky, Jeffrey L.

2015-10-01

Ultraviolet and optical spectra of interstellar gas along the lines of sight to nearby stars have been interpreted by Redfield & Linsky and previous studies as a set of discrete warm, partially ionized clouds each with a different flow vector, temperature, and metal depletion. Recently, Gry & Jenkins proposed a fundamentally different model consisting of a single cloud with nonrigid flows filling space out to 9 pc from the Sun that they propose better describes the local ISM. Here we test these fundamentally different morphological models against the spatially unbiased Malamut et al. spectroscopic data set, and find that the multiple cloud morphology model provides a better fit to both the new and old data sets. The detection of three or more velocity components along the lines of sight to many nearby stars, the presence of nearby scattering screens, the observed thin elongated structures of warm interstellar gas, and the likely presence of strong interstellar magnetic fields also support the multiple cloud model. The detection and identification of intercloud gas and the measurement of neutral hydrogen density in clouds beyond the Local Interstellar Cloud could provide future morphological tests. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the Data Archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS AR-09525.01A. These observations are associated with programs #11568.

The Fourth Flight of CHESS: Analysis of Interstellar H2 on the γ Ara Sightline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruczek, Nick E.; France, Kevin; Nell, Nicholas; Fleming, Brian

2018-06-01

In this talk, we describe the scientific motivation and technical development of the Colorado High-resolution Echelle Stellar Spectrograph (CHESS) sounding rocket, focusing on the preliminary science results for the fourth launch of the payload (CHESS-4). CHESS is a far ultraviolet rocket-borne instrument designed to study the atomic-to-molecular transitions within translucent cloud regions in the interstellar medium. CHESS-4 launched on 13 April 2018 aboard NASA/CU sounding rocket mission 36.333 UG. The target for this flight was γ Ara, a B1I star that is known to display a variable and equatorially enhanced stellar wind. We present flight results of interstellar molecular hydrogen excitation, including initial measurements of the column density and temperature, on the sightline. These results are compared to previous values that were calculated using the damping wings of low-J H2 absorption features in Copernicus spectra. We also present analogous flight data for the sightline toward β Sco, finding that the derived column density of the J” = 1 rotational level differs by a factor of ~2 when compared to the previous observations. We discuss the discrepancies between the two measurements and show that the source of the difference is likely due to the opacity of higher rotational levels contributing to the J” = 1 absorption wing, increasing the inferred column density in the previous work.

Observational discrimination between modes of shock propagation in interstellar clouds: Predictions of CH+ and SH+ column densities in diffuse clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flower, D. R.; Desforets, G. P.; Roueff, E.; Hartquist, T. W.

1986-01-01

Considerable effort in recent years has been devoted to the study of shocks in the diffuse interstellar medium. This work has been motivated partly by the observations of rotationally excited states of H2, and partly by the realization that species such as CH(+), OH and H2O might be formed preferentially in hot, post-shock gas. The problem of CH(+) and the difficulties encountered when trying to explain the high column densities, observed along lines of sight to certain hot stars, have been reviewed earlier. The importance of a transverse magnetic field on the structure of an interstellar shock was also demonstrated earlier. Transverse magnetic fields above a critical strength give rise to an acceleration zone or precursor, in which the parameters on the flow vary continuously. Chemical reactions, which change the degree of ionization of the gas, also modify the structure of the shock considerably. Recent work has shown that large column densities of CH(+) can be produced in magnetohydrodynamic shock models. Shock speeds U sub s approx. = 10 km/s and initial magnetic field strengths of a few micro G are sufficient to produce ion-neutral drift velocities which can drive the endothermic C(+)(H2,H)CH(+) reaction. It was also shown that single-fluid hydrodynamic models do not generate sufficiently large column densities of CH(+) unless unacceptably high shock velocities (u sub s approx. 20 km/s) are assumed in the models. Thus, the observed column densities of CH(+) provide a constraint on the mode of shock propagation in diffuse clouds. More precisely, they determine a lower limit to the ion-neutral drift velocity.

Full-dimensional Quantum Calculations of Rovibrational Transitions in CS induced by H2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Benhui; Zhang, Peng; Stancil, Phillip; Bowman, J.; Balakrishnan, N.; Forrey, R.

2017-04-01

Carbon monosulfide (CS), the sulfur analogue of carbon monoxide, has been widely observed in a variety interstellar regions. An accurate prediction of its abundance requires collisional rate coefficients with ambient gases. However, the collisional rate coefficients are largely unknown and primarily rely on theoretical scattering calculations. In interstellar clouds, the dominant collision partner is H2. Rate coefficient data on CS-H2 collisions are limited to pure rotational transitions and no data exist for rovibrational transitions. In this work we evaluate the first full-dimensional potential energy surface for the CS-H2 system using high-level electronic structure theory and perform explicit quantum close-coupling calculations of rovibrational transitions in CS induced by H2 collisions. Cross sections and rate coefficients for rotational transitions are compared with previous theoretical results obtained within a rigid-rotor model. For rovibrational transitions, state-to-state rate coefficients are evaluated for several low-lying rotational levels in the first excited vibrational level of CS. Results are presented for both para-H2 and ortho-H2 collision partners. Work at UGA and Emory are supported by NASA Grant No. NNX16AF09G, at UNLV by NSF Grant No. PHY-1505557, and at Penn State by NSF Grant No. PHY-1503615.

A general theory for the lifetimes of giant molecular clouds under the influence of galactic dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeffreson, Sarah M. R.; Kruijssen, J. M. Diederik

2018-05-01

We propose a simple analytic theory for environmentally dependent molecular cloud lifetimes, based on the large-scale (galactic) dynamics of the interstellar medium. Within this theory, the cloud lifetime is set by the time-scales for gravitational collapse, galactic shear, spiral arm interactions, epicyclic perturbations, and cloud-cloud collisions. It is dependent on five observable quantities, accessible through measurements of the galactic rotation curve, the gas and stellar surface densities, and the gas and stellar velocity dispersions of the host galaxy. We determine how the relative importance of each dynamical mechanism varies throughout the space of observable galactic properties, and conclude that gravitational collapse and galactic shear play the greatest role in setting the cloud lifetime for the considered range of galaxy properties, while cloud-cloud collisions exert a much lesser influence. All five environmental mechanisms are nevertheless required to obtain a complete picture of cloud evolution. We apply our theory to the galaxies M31, M51, M83, and the Milky Way, and find a strong dependence of the cloud lifetime upon galactocentric radius in each case, with a typical cloud lifetime between 10 and 50 Myr. Our theory is ideally suited for systematic observational tests with the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre array.

Interstellar gas in the Gum Nebula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallerstein, G.; Jenkins, E. B.; Silk, J.

1980-01-01

A survey of the interstellar gas near the Gum Nebula by optical observation of 67 stars at Ca II, 42 stars at Na I, and 14 stars in the UV with the Copernicus satellite provided radial velocities and column densities for all resolved absorption components. Velocity dispersions for gas in the Gum Nebula are not significantly larger than in the general interstellar medium; the ionization structure is predominantly that of an H II region with moderately high ionization. Denser, more highly ionized clouds are concentrated toward the Gum Nebula; these clouds do not show the anomalously high ionization observed in the Vela remnant clouds.

The physics of interstellar shock waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shull, J. Michael; Draine, Bruce T.

1987-01-01

This review discusses the observations and theoretical models of interstellar shock waves, in both diffuse cloud and molecular cloud environments. It summarizes the relevant gas dynamics, atomic, molecular and grain processes, radiative transfer, and physics of radiative and magnetic precursors in shock models. It then describes the importance of shocks for observations, diagnostics, and global interstellar dynamics. It concludes with current research problems and data needs for atomic, molecular and grain physics.

DESPOTIC - a new software library to Derive the Energetics and SPectra of Optically Thick Interstellar Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumholz, Mark R.

2014-01-01

I describe DESPOTIC, a code to Derive the Energetics and SPectra of Optically Thick Interstellar Clouds. DESPOTIC represents such clouds using a one-zone model, and can calculate line luminosities, line cooling rates, and in restricted cases line profiles using an escape probability formalism. It also includes approximate treatments of the dominant heating, cooling and chemical processes for the cold interstellar medium, including cosmic ray and X-ray heating, grain photoelectric heating, heating of the dust by infrared and ultraviolet radiation, thermal cooling of the dust, collisional energy exchange between dust and gas, and a simple network for carbon chemistry. Based on these heating, cooling and chemical rates, DESPOTIC can calculate clouds' equilibrium gas and dust temperatures, equilibrium carbon chemical state and time-dependent thermal and chemical evolution. The software is intended to allow rapid and interactive calculation of clouds' characteristic temperatures, identification of their dominant heating and cooling mechanisms and prediction of their observable spectra across a wide range of interstellar environments. DESPOTIC is implemented as a PYTHON package, and is released under the GNU General Public License.

Summary of Research/Publications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Summary of research/publications include:(1) Comment on broadening of water microwave lines by collisions with helium atoms; (2) Calculations of ion-molecule deuterium fractionation reactions involving HD; (3) Ab initio predictions on the rotational spectra of carbon-chain carbene molecules; (4) Theoretical IR spectra of ionized naphthalene; (5) Improved collisional excitation rates for interstellar water; (6) Calculations on the competition between association and reaction for C3H+ + H2; (7) Theoretical infrared spectra of some model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: effect of ionization; (8) Calculations concerning interstellar isomeric abundance ratios for C3H and C3H2; (9) New calculations on the ion-molecule processes C2H2+ + H2 C2H3+ + H and C2H2+ + H2 C2H4+; (10) Anisotropic rigid rotor potential energy function for H2O-H2; (11) A correlated ab initio study of linear carbon-chain radicals CnH (n=2-7); (12) Ab initio characterization of MgCCH, MgCCH+, and MgC2 and pathways to their formation in the interstellar medium; (13) Why HOC+ is detectable in interstellar clouds: The rate of the reaction between HOC+ and H2; (14) A correlated ab initio study of the X 2A 1 and A 2E states of MgCH3; (15) On the stability of interstellar carbon clusters: The rate of the reaction between C3 and O; and (16) The rate of the reaction between CN and C2H2 at interstellar temperatures.

A Search for Interstellar Oxiranecarbonitrile (C3H3NO)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dicken, J. E.; Irvine, W. M.; Ohishi, M.; Arrhenius, G.; Bauder, A.; Mueller, F.; Eschenmoser, A.

1996-01-01

We report a search in cold, quiescent and in 'hot core' type interstellar molecular clouds for the small cyclic molecule oxiranecarbonitrile (C3H3NO), which has been suggested as a precursor of important prebiotic molecules. We have determined upper limits to the column density and fractional abundance for the observed sources and find that, typically, the fractional abundance by number relative to molecular hydrogen Of C3H3NO is less than a few times 10(exp -10). This limit is one to two orders of magnitude less than the measured abundance of such similarly complex species as CH3CH2CN and HCOOCH3 in well-studied hot cores. A number of astrochemical discoveries were made, including the first detection of the species CH3CH2CN in the massive star-forming clouds G34.3+0.2 and W51M and the first astronomical detections of some eight rotational transitions of CH3CH2CN, CH3CCH, and HCOOCH3. In addition, we found 8 emission lines in the 89 GHz region and 18 in the 102 GHz region which we were unable to assign.

Diamonds in dense molecular clouds - A challenge to the standard interstellar medium paradigm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allamandola, L. J.; Sandford, S. A.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.; Herbst, T. M.

1993-01-01

Observations of a newly discovered infrared C-H stretching band indicate that interstellar diamond-like material appears to be characteristic of dense clouds. In sharp contrast, the spectral signature of dust in the diffuse interstellar medium is dominated by -CH2- and -CH3 groups. This dichotomy in the aliphatic organic component between the dense and diffuse media challenges standard assumptions about the processes occurring in, and interactions between, these two media. The ubiquity of this interstellar diamond-like material rules out models for meteoritic diamond formation in unusual circumstellar environments and implies that the formation of the diamond-like material is associated with common interstellar processes or stellar types.

Galactic interstellar abundance surveys with IUE and IRAS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Steenberg, M.E.

1987-01-01

This thesis is a survey of interstellar densities, abundances, and cloud structure in the Galaxy, using two NASA satellites: the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) and Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS). From IUE high-resolution spectra, the author measured equivalent widths of 18 ultraviolet resonance transitions and derived column densities for Si/sup +/, Mn/sup +/, Fe/sup +/, S/sup +/, and Zn/sup +/ toward 261 early-type stars. From the IRAS all-sky survey he also measured the infrared cirrus flux. He examined the variations of the measured parameters with spectral type, E(B-V), galactic longitude and latitude, distance from the Sun, and mean density. The hydrogen-columnmore » densities, metal-column densities, and gas-to-dust ratio are in good agreement with Copernicus surveys. The derived interstellar abundances yield mean logarithmic depletions. These depletions correlate with mean density but not with the physical density derived from Copernicus H/sub 2/ rotational states. Abundance ratios indicate a larger Fe halo abundance compared to Si, Mn, S, or Zn, which may result from selective grain processing in shocks or from Type I supernovae.« less

The interstellar medium and star formation of galactic disks. I. Interstellar medium and giant molecular cloud properties with diffuse far-ultraviolet and cosmic-ray backgrounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qi; Tan, Jonathan C.; Christie, Duncan; Bisbas, Thomas G.; Wu, Benjamin

2018-05-01

We present a series of adaptive mesh refinement hydrodynamic simulations of flat rotation curve galactic gas disks, with a detailed treatment of the interstellar medium (ISM) physics of the atomic to molecular phase transition under the influence of diffuse far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiation fields and cosmic-ray backgrounds. We explore the effects of different FUV intensities, including a model with a radial gradient designed to mimic the Milky Way. The effects of cosmic rays, including radial gradients in their heating and ionization rates, are also explored. The final simulations in this series achieve 4 pc resolution across the ˜20 kpc global disk diameter, with heating and cooling followed down to temperatures of ˜10 K. The disks are evolved for 300 Myr, which is enough time for the ISM to achieve a quasi-statistical equilibrium. In particular, the mass fraction of molecular gas is stabilized by ˜200 Myr. Additional global ISM properties are analyzed. Giant molecular clouds (GMCs) are also identified and the statistical properties of their populations are examined. GMCs are tracked as the disks evolve. GMC collisions, which may be a means of triggering star cluster formation, are counted and their rates are compared with analytic models. Relatively frequent GMC collision rates are seen in these simulations, and their implications for understanding GMC properties, including the driving of internal turbulence, are discussed.

CaFe interstellar clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondar, A.; Kozak, M.; Gnaciński, P.; Galazutdinov, G. A.; Beletsky, Y.; Krełowski, J.

2007-07-01

A new kind of interstellar cloud is proposed. These are rare (just a few examples among ~300 lines of sight) objects with the CaI 4227-Å, FeI 3720-Å and 3860-Å lines stronger than those of KI (near 7699 Å) and NaI (near 3302 Å). We propose the name `CaFe' for these clouds. Apparently they occupy different volumes from the well-known interstellar HI clouds where the KI and ultraviolet NaI lines are dominant features. In the CaFe clouds we have not found either detectable molecular features (CH, CN) or diffuse interstellar bands which, as commonly believed, are carried by some complex, organic molecules. We have found the CaFe clouds only along sightlines toward hot, luminous (and thus distant) objects with high rates of mass loss. In principle, the observed gas-phase interstellar abundances reflect the combined effects of the nucleosynthetic history of the material, the depletion of heavy elements into dust grains and the ionization state of these elements which may depend on irradiation by neighbouring stars. Based on data collected using the Maestro spectrograph at the Terskol 2-m telescope, Russia; and on data collected using the ESO Feros spectrograph; and on data obtained from the ESO Science Archive Facility acquired with the UVES spectrograph, Chile. E-mail: `arctur'@rambler.ru (AB); marizak@astri.uni.torun.pl (MK); pg@iftia.univ.gda.pl (PG); gala@boao.re.kr (GAG); ybialets@eso.org (YB); jacek@astri.uni.torun.pl (JK)

Detection of interstellar CH in the far-infrared

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stacey, Gordon J.; Lugten, J. B.; Genzel, R.

1987-01-01

The first astronomical detection of CH in the far-infrared has been made. A ground state of rotational transition was observed in absorption against the far-infrared continuum peak of Sgr B2. The lines are resolved at a velocity resolution of 62 km/s, have a line width of roughly 250 km/s, and a line center optical depth of about 0.29. The inferred total column density of CH in the ground state along the line of sight is roughly 1.6 x 10 to the 15th/sq cm. Comparison of the far-infrared profiles to the 3 GHz emission lines confirms that the ground-state Lambda-doublet levels are inverted and gives an accurate estimate of the excitation temperature. The excitation temperature of the 3264 MHz line varies from cloud to cloud along the line of sight, the levels being most inverted in the Sgr B2 molecular cloud. The large intensity of the 3264 MHz line in this cloud relative to other clouds along the line of sight may thus be primarily an excitation effect.

New Insights Concerning the Local Interstellar medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linsky, Jeffrey L.; Redfield, Seth

2015-08-01

We have been analyzing HST high-resolution ultraviolet spectra of nearby stars to measure the radial velocities, turbulence, temperature, and depletions on warm diffuse interstellar gas within a few parsecs of the Sun. These data reveal a picture of many partially-ionized warm gas clouds, each with their own vector velocity and physical characteristics. This picture has been recently challenged by Gry and Jenkins (2014), who argue for a single nonrigid cloud surrounding the Sun. We present a test of these two very different morphological structure by checking how well each predicts the radial velocities in a new data set (Malamut et al. 2014) that was not available when both models were constructed. We find that the multicloud model (Redfield & Linsky 2008) provides a much better fit to the new data. We compare the new IBEX results for the temperature and velocity of inflowing He gas (McComas et al. 2015) with the properties of the Local Interstellar Cloud and the G cloud. We also show a preliminary three-dimensional model for the local interstellar medium.

Silicon chemistry in interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langer, William D.; Glassgold, A. E.

1990-01-01

A new model of interstellar silicon chemistry is presented that explains the lack of SiO detections in cold clouds and contains an exponential temperature dependence for the SiO abundance. A key aspect of the model is the sensitivity of SiO production by neutral silicon reactions to density and temperature, which arises from the dependence of the rate coefficients on the population of the excited fine-structure levels of the silicon atom. As part of the explanation of the lack of SiO detections at low temperatures and densities, the model also emphasizes the small efficiencies of the production routes and the correspondingly long times needed to reach equilibrium. Measurements of the abundance of SiO, in conjunction with theory, can provide information on the physical properties of interstellar clouds such as the abundance of oxygen bearing molecules and the depletion of interstellar silicon.

Molecule Formation at High Extinction and Low Metallicity in the Magellanic Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shull, J. Michael

2005-01-01

During 2005, our FUSE research group prepared two major FUSE surveys of interstellar molecular hydrogen: 1. Galactic Disk Sightlines. We measured N(H2) in rotational states J = 0 and 1 and in higher states, J = 2,3,4,5, sometimes up to J = l, for 139 sightlines to Galactic OB stars. 2. High-Latitude QSO sightlines. We surveyed 50 sightlines to high-latitude QSOs, finding H2 in most of them (44 of 50). 3 . Molecular Hydrogen in Infrared Cirrus. Related to the high-latitude H2 survey (#2), we examined the high-latitude infrared cirrus and its correlation with H2. In addition, we are accumulating H2 measurements for additional 0 stars in the Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC) to add to the previously published survey.

Copernicus observations of C I: pressures and carbon abundances in diffuse interstellar clouds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jenkins, E.B.; Jura, M.; Loewenstein, M.

1983-07-01

Using the Copernicus satellite, we observed ultraviolet absorption lines of interstellar neutral carbon atoms toward 27 stars. In addition to deriving column densities of C I (both in its ground state and the two excited fine-structure levels), we used our equivalent widths to revise the f-values of some of the C I transitions measured by other investigators. We also observed H/sub 2/ from the J = 4 level so that we could compare the rotational excitation of H/sub 2/ with the fine-structure excitation of C I. From the amount of fine-structure excitation of C I in each case, we havemore » derived information on the thermal gas pressures within the diffuse clouds. Most clouds have p/k between 10/sup 3/ cm/sup -3/ K and 10/sup 4/ cm/sup -3/ K, but we found that at least 6% of the C I-bearing material is at p/k>10/sup 4/ cm/sup -3/ K, and one-third of the gas has upper limits for pressure below 10/sup 3/ cm/sup -3/ K, assuming temperatures are not appreciably below 20 K. An analysis of radial velocities for the absorption lines showed no distinctive trends for the kinematics of high- or low-pressure gas components. From the apparent lack of acceleration of high-pressure clouds, we conclude that it is unlikely that streaming intercloud material is causing significant ram pressurization. We have compared our results with the predictions for pressure fluctuations caused by supernova explosions in the theory of McKee and Ostriker.« less

The rotational excitation of the HCN and HNC molecules by H2 revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández Vera, M.; Lique, F.; Dumouchel, F.; Hily-Blant, P.; Faure, A.

2017-06-01

HCN and HNC are two fundamental molecules in the dense interstellar medium. The HNC/HCN abundance ratio depends on the kinetic temperature and can be used to explore the physical and chemical conditions of star-forming regions. Modelling of HCN and HNC emissions from interstellar clouds requires to model their collisional and radiative excitations. We report the calculation of the HCN and HNC excitation rate coefficients among the first 26 rotational levels due to H2 collisions, for temperatures ranging from 5 to 500 K, using the exact close coupling and the approximate coupled states methods. We found a propensity for even Δj transitions in the case of HCN-para-H2 collisions, whereas a propensity for odd Δj transitions is observed in the case of HNC-para-H2 collisions. For collisions with ortho-H2, both molecules show a propensity rule favouring transitions with odd Δj. The rate coefficients for HCN and HNC differ significantly, showing clearly that the collisional excitation of the two isomers is different, especially for para-H2. We also evaluate the impact of these new data on the astrophysical modelling through radiative transfer calculations. It is shown that specific calculations have to be performed for the two isomers and that the HNC/HCN abundance ratio in cold molecular clouds cannot be estimated from line intensity ratio. Finally, observations of the two isotopologues H13CN and HN13C towards a sample of prestellar cores are presented, and the larger excitation temperature of HN13C is well reproduced by our excitation model.

The impact of different interstellar medium structures on the dynamical evolution of supernova remnants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yueyang; Bao, Biwen; Yang, Chuyuan; Zhang, Li

2018-05-01

The dynamical properties of supernova remnants (SNRs) evolving with different interstellar medium structures are investigated through performing extensive two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations in the cylindrical symmetry. Three cases of different interstellar medium structures are considered: the uniform medium, the turbulent medium and the cloudy medium. Large-scale density and magnetic fluctuations are calculated and mapped into the computational domain before simulations. The clouds are set by random distribution in advance. The above configuration allows us to study the time-dependent dynamical properties and morphological evolution of the SNR evolving with different ambient structures, along with the development of the instabilities at the contact discontinuity. Our simulation results indicate that remnant morphology deviates from symmetry if the interstellar medium contains clouds or turbulent density fluctuations. In the cloudy medium case, interactions between the shock wave and clouds lead to clouds' fragmentation. The magnetic field can be greatly enhanced by stretching field lines with a combination of instabilities while the width of amplification region is quite different among the three cases. Moreover, both the width of amplification region and the maximum magnetic-field strength are closely related to the clouds' density.

The influence of Oort clouds on the mass and chemical balance of the interstellar medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stern, S. Alan; Shull, J. Michael

1990-01-01

The contribution of stellar encounters and interstellar erosion to comet cloud mass injection to the ISM is calculated. It is shown that evaporative mass loss from passing stars and SNe results in an average Galactic mass injection rate of up to 10 to the -5th solar mass/yr if such clouds are frequent around solar-type stars. Cometary erosion by interstellar grains produces an injection rate of 10 to the -5th to 10 to the -4th solar mass/yr. An injection rate of 2 x 10 to the -5th solar mass/yr is calculated. Each of these rates could be increased by a factor of about 15 if the comet clouds contain a significant amount of smaller debris. It is concluded that the total mass injection rate of material to the ISM by comet clouds is small compared to other ISM mass injection sources. Comet cloud mass loss to the ISM could be responsible for a sizeable fraction of the metal and dust abundances of the ISM if Oort clouds are common.

A cloud/particle model of the interstellar medium - Galactic spiral structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levinson, F. H.; Roberts, W. W., Jr.

1981-01-01

A cloud/particle model for gas flow in galaxies is developed that incorporates cloud-cloud collisions and supernovae as dominant local processes. Cloud-cloud collisions are the main means of dissipation. To counter this dissipation and maintain local dispersion, supernova explosions in the medium administer radial snowplow pushes to all nearby clouds. The causal link between these processes is that cloud-cloud collisions will form stars and that these stars will rapidly become supernovae. The cloud/particle model is tested and used to investigate the gas dynamics and spiral structures in galaxies where these assumptions may be reasonable. Particular attention is given to whether large-scale galactic shock waves, which are thought to underlie the regular well-delineated spiral structure in some galaxies, form and persist in a cloud-supernova dominated interstellar medium; this question is answered in the affirmative.

The early stages of massive star formation: tracing the physical and chemical conditions in hot cores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calcutt, Hannah

2015-04-01

Molecules are essential to the formation of stars, by allowing radiation to escape the cloud and cooling to occur. Over 180 molecules have been detected in interstellar environments, ranging from comets to interstellar clouds. Their spectra are useful probes of the conditions in which these molecules form. Comparison of rest frequencies to observed frequencies can provide information about the velocity of gas and indicate physical structures. The density, temperature, and excitation conditions of gas can be determined directly from the spectra of molecules. Furthermore, by taking a chemical inventory of a particular object, one can gain an understanding of the chemical processes occurring within a cloud. The class of molecules known as complex molecules (>6 atoms), are of particular interest when probing the conditions in massive starforming environments, as they are observed to trace a more compact region than smaller molecules. This thesis details the work of my PhD, to explore how complex molecules can be used to trace the physical and chemical conditions in hot cores (HCs), one of the earliest stages of massive star formation. This work combines both the observations and chemical modelling of several different massive star-forming regions. We identify molecular transitions observed in the spectra of these regions, and calculate column densities and rotation temperatures of these molecules (Chapters 2 and 3). In Chapter 4, we chemically model the HCs, and perform a comparison between observational column densities and chemical modelling column densities. In Chapter 5, we look at the abundance ratio of three isomers, acetic acid, glycolaldehyde, and methyl formate, to ascertain whether this ratio can be used as an indicator of HC evolution. Finally, we explore the chemistry of the HC IRAS 17233-3606, to identify emission features in the spectra, and determine column densities and rotation temperatures of the detected molecules.

Millimeter-Wave Time Resolved Studies of the Formation and Decay of CO^+

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oesterling, Lee; Herbst, Eric; de Lucia, Frank

1998-04-01

Since the rate constants for ion-molecule interactions are typically much larger than neutral-neutral interactions, understanding ion-molecule interactions is essential to interpreting radio astronomical spectra from interstellar clouds and modeling the processes which lead to the formation of stars in these regions. We have developed a cell which allows us to study ion-molecule interactions in gases at low temperatures and pressures by using an electron gun technique to create ions. By centering our millimeter-wave source on a rotational resonance and gating the electron beam on and off, we are able to study the time-dependent rotational state distribution of the ion during its formation and decay, and so learn about excitation and relaxation processes as functions of temperature, pressure, electron beam energy, and electron beam current.

The determination of cloud masses and dust characteristics from submillimetre thermal emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hildebrand, R. H.

1983-01-01

The principles by which the dust and masses and total masses of interstellar clouds and certain characteristics of interstellar dust grains can be derived from observations of far infrared and submillimeter thermal emission are reviewed. To the extent possible, the discussion will be independent of particular grain models.

The effect of catastrophic collisional fragmentation and diffuse medium accretion on a computational interstellar dust system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liffman, Kurt

1990-01-01

The effects of catastrophic collisional fragmentation and diffuse medium accretion on a the interstellar dust system are computed using a Monte Carlo computer model. The Monte Carlo code has as its basis an analytic solution of the bulk chemical evolution of a two-phase interstellar medium, described by Liffman and Clayton (1989). The model is subjected to numerous different interstellar processes as it transfers from one interstellar phase to another. Collisional fragmentation was found to be the dominant physical process that shapes the size spectrum of interstellar dust. It was found that, in the diffuse cloud phase, 90 percent of the refractory material is locked up in the dust grains, primarily due to accretion in the molecular medium. This result is consistent with the observed depletions of silicon. Depletions were found to be affected only slightly by diffuse cloud accretion.

Influence of galactic arm scale dynamics on the molecular composition of the cold and dense ISM. I. Observed abundance gradients in dense clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruaud, M.; Wakelam, V.; Gratier, P.; Bonnell, I. A.

2018-04-01

Aim. We study the effect of large scale dynamics on the molecular composition of the dense interstellar medium during the transition between diffuse to dense clouds. Methods: We followed the formation of dense clouds (on sub-parsec scales) through the dynamics of the interstellar medium at galactic scales. We used results from smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations from which we extracted physical parameters that are used as inputs for our full gas-grain chemical model. In these simulations, the evolution of the interstellar matter is followed for 50 Myr. The warm low-density interstellar medium gas flows into spiral arms where orbit crowding produces the shock formation of dense clouds, which are held together temporarily by the external pressure. Results: We show that depending on the physical history of each SPH particle, the molecular composition of the modeled dense clouds presents a high dispersion in the computed abundances even if the local physical properties are similar. We find that carbon chains are the most affected species and show that these differences are directly connected to differences in (1) the electronic fraction, (2) the C/O ratio, and (3) the local physical conditions. We argue that differences in the dynamical evolution of the gas that formed dense clouds could account for the molecular diversity observed between and within these clouds. Conclusions: This study shows the importance of past physical conditions in establishing the chemical composition of the dense medium.

Recommended Rest Frequencies for Observed Interstellar Molecular Microwave Transitions - 2002 Revision

National Institute of Standards and Technology Data Gateway

SRD 116 NIST Recommended Rest Frequencies for Observed Interstellar Molecular Microwave Transitions - 2002 Revision (Web, free access)   Critically evaluated transition frequencies for the molecular transitions detected in interstellar and circumstellar clouds are presented.

The kinetic temperature in the interior of the Xi Ophiuchi cloud from Copernicus observations of interstellar C2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snow, T. P., Jr.

1978-01-01

Satellite observations of transitions of C2 at 2312 Angstroms in the spectrum of Xi Ophiuchi were carried out to evaluate the kinetic temperature of the interior cloud. A column density of 1.22 x 10 to the 12th per sq cm is derived from an absorption feature at the 4 sigma level of significance at the position of the R(0) line. This would imply a rotational temperature of not more than 22 K, with a more probable value of less than 16 K. Since total column density (3.2 x 10 to the 12th per sq cm) is found to be lower by a factor of approximately 4 than that which had been previously reported, substantial photo-dissociation of C2 is assumed.

Searching for Bio-Precursors and Complex Organic Molecules in Space using the GBT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cordiner, M.; Charnley, S.; Kisiel, Z.

2012-01-01

Using the latest microwave receiver technology, large organic molecules with abundances as low as approx. 10(exp -11) times that of molecular hydrogen are detectable in cold interstellar clouds via their rotational emission line spectra. We report new observations to search for complex molecules, including molecules of possible pre-biotic importance, using the newly-commissioned Kband focal plane array (KFPA) of the NRAO Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope. Spectra are presented of the dense molecular cloud TMC-1, showing strict upper limits on the level of emission from nitrogen-bearing rings pyrimidine, quinoline and iso-quinoline, carbon-chain oxides C60, C70, HC60 and HC70, and the carbon-chain anion C4H-. The typical RMS brightness temperature noise levels we achieved are approx. 1 mK at around 20 GHz.

Evolutionary models of interstellar chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, Sheo S.

1987-01-01

The goal of evolutionary models of interstellar chemistry is to understand how interstellar clouds came to be the way they are, how they will change with time, and to place them in an evolutionary sequence with other celestial objects such as stars. An improved Mark II version of an earlier model of chemistry in dynamically evolving clouds is presented. The Mark II model suggests that the conventional elemental C/O ratio less than one can explain the observed abundances of CI and the nondetection of O2 in dense clouds. Coupled chemical-dynamical models seem to have the potential to generate many observable discriminators of the evolutionary tracks. This is exciting, because, in general, purely dynamical models do not yield enough verifiable discriminators of the predicted tracks.

Rotational and High-resolution Infrared Spectrum of HC3N: Global Ro-vibrational Analysis and Improved Line Catalog for Astrophysical Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bizzocchi, Luca; Tamassia, Filippo; Laas, Jacob; Giuliano, Barbara M.; Degli Esposti, Claudio; Dore, Luca; Melosso, Mattia; Canè, Elisabetta; Pietropolli Charmet, Andrea; Müller, Holger S. P.; Spahn, Holger; Belloche, Arnaud; Caselli, Paola; Menten, Karl M.; Garrod, Robin T.

2017-11-01

HC3N is a ubiquitous molecule in interstellar environments, from external galaxies to Galactic interstellar clouds, star-forming regions, and planetary atmospheres. Observations of its rotational and vibrational transitions provide important information on the physical and chemical structures of the above environments. We present the most complete global analysis of the spectroscopic data of HC3N. We recorded the high-resolution infrared spectrum from 450 to 1350 cm-1, a region dominated by the intense {ν }5 and {ν }6 fundamental bands, located at 660 and 500 cm-1, respectively, and their associated hot bands. Pure rotational transitions in the ground and vibrationally excited states were recorded in the millimeter and submillimeter regions in order to extend the frequency range so far considered in previous investigations. All of the transitions from the literature and from this work involving energy levels lower than 1000 cm-1 were fitted together to an effective Hamiltonian. Because of the presence of various anharmonic resonances, the Hamiltonian includes a number of interaction constants, in addition to the conventional rotational and vibrational l-type resonance terms. The data set contains about 3400 ro-vibrational lines of 13 bands and some 1500 pure rotational lines belonging to 12 vibrational states. More than 120 spectroscopic constants were determined directly from the fit, without any assumption deduced from theoretical calculations or comparisons with similar molecules. An extensive list of highly accurate rest frequencies was produced to assist astronomical searches and data interpretation. These improved data enabled a refined analysis of the ALMA observations toward Sgr B2(N2).

Putting a Ring on it: Light Echoes from X-ray Transients as Probes of Interstellar Dust and Galactic Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heinz, Sebastian

2017-09-01

When an X-ray transient exhibits a bright flare, scattering by interstellar dust clouds can give rise to a light echo in the form of concentric rings. To date, three such echoes have been detected, each leading to significant discoveries and press attention. We propose a Target-of-Opportunity campaign to observe future echoes with the aim to follow the temporal evolution of the echo in order to (a) map the 3D distribution interstellar dust along the line of sight to parsec accuracy, (b) constrain the composition and grain size distribution of ISM dust in each of the clouds towards the source, (c) measure the distance to the X-ray source, (d) constrain the velocity dispersion of molecular clouds and (e) search for evidence of streaming velocities by combing X-ray and CO data on the clouds.

Cassini-CDA Science in 2014 and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srama, Ralf

2015-04-01

Today, the German-lead Cosmic Dust Analyser (CDA) is operated continuously for 10 years in orbit around Saturn. Many discoveries like the Saturn nanodust streams or the large extended E-ring were achieved. CDA provided unique results regarding Enceladus, his plume and the liquid water below the icy crust. In 2014 and 2015 CDA focuses on extended inclination and equatorial scans of the ring particle densities. Furthermore, scans are performed of the Pallene and Helene regions. Special attention is also given to the search of the dust cloud around Dione and to the Titan region. Long integration times are needed in order to characterize the flux and composition of exogenous dust (including interstellar dust) or possible retrograde dust particles. Finally, dedicated observation campaigns focus on the coupling of nanodust streams to Saturn's magnetosphere and the search of possible periodicities in the stream data. Saturn's rotation frequency was identified in the impact rate of nanodust particles at a Saturn distance of 40 Saturn radii. In the final three years CDA performs exogenous and interstellar dust campaigns, studies of the composition and origin of Saturn's main rings by unique ring ejecta measurements, long-duration nano-dust stream observations, high-resolution maps of small moon orbit crossings, studies of the dust cloud around Dione and studies of the E-ring interaction with the large moon Titan.

Lower mass limit of an evolving interstellar cloud and chemistry in an evolving oscillatory cloud

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarafdar, S. P.

1986-01-01

Simultaneous solution of the equation of motion, equation of state and energy equation including heating and cooling processes for interstellar medium gives for a collapsing cloud a lower mass limit which is significantly smaller than the Jeans mass for the same initial density. The clouds with higher mass than this limiting mass collapse whereas clouds with smaller than critical mass pass through a maximum central density giving apparently similar clouds (i.e., same Av, size and central density) at two different phases of its evolution (i.e., with different life time). Preliminary results of chemistry in such an evolving oscillatory cloud show significant difference in abundances of some of the molecules in two physically similar clouds with different life times. The problems of depletion and short life time of evolving clouds appear to be less severe in such an oscillatory cloud.

Goulds Belt, Interstellar Clouds, and the Eocene-Oligocene Helium-3 Spike

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rubincam, David Parry

2015-01-01

Drag from hydrogen in the interstellar cloud which formed Gould's Belt may have sent small meteoroids with embedded helium to the Earth, perhaps explaining part or all of the (sup 3) He spike seen in the sedimentary record at the Eocene-Oligocene transition. Assuming the Solar System passed through part of the cloud, meteoroids in the asteroid belt up to centimeter size may have been dragged to the resonances, where their orbital eccentricities were pumped up into Earth-crossing orbits.

Dust evolution, a global view I. Nanoparticles, nascence, nitrogen and natural selection … joining the dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, A. P.

2016-12-01

The role and importance of nanoparticles for interstellar chemistry and beyond is explored within the framework of The Heterogeneous dust Evolution Model for Interstellar Solids (THEMIS), focusing on their active surface chemistry, the effects of nitrogen doping and the natural selection of interesting nanoparticle sub-structures. Nanoparticle-driven chemistry, and in particular the role of intrinsic epoxide-type structures, could provide a viable route to the observed gas phase OH in tenuous interstellar clouds en route to becoming molecular clouds. The aromatic-rich moieties present in asphaltenes probably provide a viable model for the structures present within aromatic-rich interstellar carbonaceous grains. The observed doping of such nanoparticle structures with nitrogen, if also prevalent in interstellar dust, could perhaps have important and observable consequences for surface chemistry and the formation of precursor pre-biotic species.

Rotational Spectra in 29 Vibrationally Excited States of Interstellar Aminoacetonitrile

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kolesniková, L.; Alonso, E. R.; Mata, S.

2017-04-01

We report a detailed spectroscopic investigation of the interstellar aminoacetonitrile, a possible precursor molecule of glycine. Using a combination of Stark and frequency-modulation microwave and millimeter wave spectroscopies, we observed and analyzed the room-temperature rotational spectra of 29 excited states with energies up to 1000 cm{sup −1}. We also observed the {sup 13}C isotopologues in the ground vibrational state in natural abundance (1.1%). The extensive data set of more than 2000 new rotational transitions will support further identifications of aminoacetonitrile in the interstellar medium.

Observations of Interstellar Formamide: Availability of a Prebiotic Precursor in the Galactic Habitable Zone

PubMed Central

Adande, Gilles R.; Woolf, Neville J.

2013-01-01

Abstract We conducted a study on interstellar formamide, NH2CHO, toward star-forming regions of dense molecular clouds, using the telescopes of the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). The Kitt Peak 12 m antenna and the Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) were used to measure multiple rotational transitions of this molecule between 100 and 250 GHz. Four new sources of formamide were found [W51M, M17 SW, G34.3, and DR21(OH)], and complementary data were obtained toward Orion-KL, W3(OH), and NGC 7538. From these observations, column densities for formamide were determined to be in the range of 1.1×1012 to 9.1×1013 cm−2, with rotational temperatures of 70–177 K. The molecule is thus present in warm gas, with abundances relative to H2 of 1×10−11 to 1×10−10. It appears to be a common constituent of star-forming regions that foster planetary systems within the galactic habitable zone, with abundances comparable to that found in comet Hale-Bopp. Formamide's presence in comets and molecular clouds suggests that the compound could have been brought to Earth by exogenous delivery, perhaps with an infall flux as high as ∼0.1 mol/km2/yr or 0.18 mmol/m2 in a single impact. Formamide has recently been proposed as a single-carbon, prebiotic source of nucleobases and nucleic acids. This study suggests that a sufficient amount of NH2CHO could have been available for such chemistry. Key Words: Formamide—Astrobiology—Radioastronomy—ISM—Comets—Meteorites. Astrobiology 13, 439–453. PMID:23654214

Symmetry breaking and spectral considerations of the surprisingly floppy c-C3H radical and the related dipole-bound excited state of c-C3H-

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassett, Matthew K.; Fortenberry, Ryan C.

2017-06-01

The C3H radical is believed to be prevalent throughout the interstellar medium and may be involved in the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. C3H exists as both a linear and a cyclic isomer. The C2 v cyclopropenylidenyl radical isomer was detected in the dark molecular cloud TMC-1, and the linear propenylidenyl radical isomer has been observed in various dark molecular clouds. Even though the c-C3H radical has been classified rotationally, the vibrational frequencies of this seemingly important interstellar molecule have never been directly observed. Established, highly accurate quartic force field methodologies are employed here to compute useful geometrical data, spectroscopic constants, and vibrational frequencies. The computed rotational constants are consistent with the experimental results. Consequently, the three a1 (ν1, ν2, and ν3) and one b1 (ν6) anharmonic vibrational frequencies at 3117.7 cm-1, 1564.3 cm-1, 1198.5 cm-1, and 826.7 cm-1, respectively, are reliable predictions for these, as of yet unseen, observables. Unfortunately, the two b2 fundamentals (ν4 and ν5) cannot be treated adequately in the current approach due to a flat and possible double-well potential described in detail herein. The dipole-bound excited state of the anion suffers from the same issues and may not even be bound. However, the trusted fundamental vibrational frequencies described for the neutral radical should not be affected by this deformity and are the first robustly produced for c-C3H. The insights gained here will also be applicable to other structures containing three-membered bare and exposed carbon rings that are surprisingly floppy in nature.

Organic Chemistry in Interstellar Ices: Connection to the Comet Halley Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schutte, W. A.; Agarwal, V. K.; deGroot, M. S.; Greenberg, J. M.; McCain, P.; Ferris, J. P.; Briggs, R.

1997-01-01

Mass spectroscopic measurements on the gas and dust in the coma of Comet Halley revealed the presence of considerable amounts of organic species. Greenberg (1973) proposed that prior to the formation of the comet UV processing of the ice mantles on grains in dense clouds could lead to the formation of complex organic molecules. Theoretical predictions of the internal UV field in dense clouds as well as the discovery in interstellar ices of species like OCS and OCN- which have been formed in simulation experiments by photoprocessing of interstellar ice analogues point to the importance of such processing. We undertook a laboratory simulation study of the formation of organic molecules in interstellar ices and their possible relevance to the Comet Halley results.

Interstellar Dust: Contributed Papers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tielens, Alexander G. G. M. (Editor); Allamandola, Louis J. (Editor)

1989-01-01

A coherent picture of the dust composition and its physical characteristics in the various phases of the interstellar medium was the central theme. Topics addressed included: dust in diffuse interstellar medium; overidentified infrared emission features; dust in dense clouds; dust in galaxies; optical properties of dust grains; interstellar dust models; interstellar dust and the solar system; dust formation and destruction; UV, visible, and IR observations of interstellar extinction; and quantum-statistical calculations of IR emission from highly vibrationally excited polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Utomo, Dyas; Blitz, Leo; Davis, Timothy

We present a high spatial resolution (≈20 pc) of {sup 12}CO(2 −1) observations of the lenticular galaxy NGC 4526. We identify 103 resolved giant molecular clouds (GMCs) and measure their properties: size R, velocity dispersion σ{sub v}, and luminosity L. This is the first GMC catalog of an early-type galaxy. We find that the GMC population in NGC 4526 is gravitationally bound, with a virial parameter α ∼ 1. The mass distribution, dN/dM ∝ M{sup −2.39±0.03}, is steeper than that for GMCs in the inner Milky Way, but comparable to that found in some late-type galaxies. We find no size–linemore » width correlation for the NGC 4526 clouds, in contradiction to the expectation from Larson’s relation. In general, the GMCs in NGC 4526 are more luminous, denser, and have a higher velocity dispersion than equal-size GMCs in the Milky Way and other galaxies in the Local Group. These may be due to higher interstellar radiation field than in the Milky Way disk and weaker external pressure than in the Galactic center. In addition, a kinematic measurement of cloud rotation shows that the rotation is driven by the galactic shear. For the vast majority of the clouds, the rotational energy is less than the turbulent and gravitational energy, while the four innermost clouds are unbound and will likely be torn apart by the strong shear at the galactic center. We combine our data with the archival data of other galaxies to show that the surface density Σ of GMCs is not approximately constant, as previously believed, but varies by ∼3 orders of magnitude. We also show that the size and velocity dispersion of the GMC population across galaxies are related to the surface density, as expected from the gravitational and pressure equilibrium, i.e., σ{sub v} R{sup −1/2} ∝ Σ{sup 1/2}.« less

Photometry and Classification of Stars around the Reflection Nebula NGC 7023 IN Cepheus. II. Interstellar Extinction and Cloud Distances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zdanavičius, K.; Zdanavičius, J.; Straižys, V.; Maskoliūnas, M.

Interstellar extinction is investigated in a 1.5 square degree area in the direction of the reflection nebula NGC 7023 at ℓ = 104.1\\degr, b = +14.2\\degr. The study is based on photometric classification and the determination of interstellar extinctions and distances of 480 stars down to V = 16.5 mag from photometry in the Vilnius seven-color system published in Paper I (2008). The investigated area is divided into five smaller subareas with slightly different dependence of the extinction on distance. The distribution of reddened stars is in accordance with the presence of two dust clouds at 282 pc and 715 pc, however in some directions the dust distribution can be continuous or more clouds can be present.

Gas Phase Spectroscopy of Cold PAH Ions: Contribution to the Interstellar Extinction and the Diffuse Interstellar Bands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biennier, L.; Salama, F.; Allamandola, L. J.; Scherer, J. J.; OKeefe, A.

2002-01-01

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon molecules (PAHs) are ubiquitous in the interstellar medium (ISM) and constitute the building blocks of interstellar dust grains. Despite their inferred important role in mediating the energetic and chemical processes in thc ISM, their exact contribution to the interstellar extinction, and in particular to the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) remains unclear. The DIBs are spectral absorption features observed in the line of sight of stars that are obscured by diffuse interstellar clouds. More than 200 bands have been reported to date spanning from the near UV to the near IR with bandwidths ranging from 0.4 to 40 Angstroms (Tielens & Snow 1995). The present consensus is that the DIBs arise from free flying, gas-phase, organic molecules and/or ions that are abundant under the typical conditions reigning in the diffuse ISM. PAHs have been proposed as possible carriers (Allamandola et al. 1985; Leger & DHendecourt 1985). The PAH hypothesis is consistent with the cosmic abundance of Carbon and Hydrogen and with the required photostability of the DIB carriers against the strong VUV radiation field in the diffuse interstellar clouds. A significant fraction of PAHs is expected to be ionized in the diffuse ISM.

The interstellar line spectra of zeta Ophiuchi and zeta Persei and their relation to the short wavelength microwave background radiation. Ph.D. Thesis - N. Y. Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bortolot, V. J., Jr.

1972-01-01

Thirty-one high dispersion Coude spectrograms of zeta Ophiuchi and seven of zeta Persei were numerically synthesized to produce high resolution, low noise spectra in the interval 3650 A to 4350 that yield data on atomic and molecular absorption in well-defined regions of the interstellar medium. The detection threshold is improved by as much as a factor 5 over single plates. Several interstellar lines were discovered in the zeta Oph - 15km/sec cloud and the zeta Per + 13 km/sec cloud.

Chemistry and Evolution of Interstellar Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wooden, D. H.; Charnley, S. B.; Ehrenfreund, P.

2003-01-01

In this chapter we describe how elements have been and are still being formed in the galaxy and how they are transformed into the reservoir of materials present at the time of formation of our protosolar nebula. We discuss the global cycle of matter, beginning at its formation site in stars, where it is ejected through winds and explosions into the diffuse interstellar medium. In the next stage of the global cycle occurs in cold, dense molecular clouds, where the complexity of molecules and ices increases relative to the diffuse ISM.. When a protostar forms in a dense core within a molecular cloud, it heats the surrounding infalling matter warms and releases molecules from the solid phase into the gas phase in a warm, dense core, sponsoring a rich gas-phase chemistry. Some material from the cold and warm regions within molecular clouds probably survives as interstellar matter in the protostellar disk. For the diffuse ISM, for cold, dense clouds, and for dense-warm cores, the physio-chemical processes that occur within the gas and solid phases are discussed in detail.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Asahina, Yuta; Kawashima, Tomohisa; Furukawa, Naoko

The formation mechanism of CO clouds observed with the NANTEN2 and Mopra telescopes toward the stellar cluster Westerlund 2 is studied by 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations, taking into account the interstellar cooling. These molecular clouds show a peculiar shape composed of an arc-shaped cloud on one side of the TeV γ -ray source HESS J1023-575 and a linear distribution of clouds (jet clouds) on the other side. We propose that these clouds are formed by the interaction of a jet with clumps of interstellar neutral hydrogen (H i). By studying the dependence of the shape of dense cold clouds formed bymore » shock compression and cooling on the filling factor of H i clumps, we found that the density distribution of H i clumps determines the shape of molecular clouds formed by the jet–cloud interaction: arc clouds are formed when the filling factor is large. On the other hand, when the filling factor is small, molecular clouds align with the jet. The jet propagates faster in models with small filling factors.« less

The millimeter wave spectrum of methyl cyanate: a laboratory study and astronomical search in space^.

PubMed

Kolesniková, L; Alonso, J L; Bermúdez, C; Alonso, E R; Tercero, B; Cernicharo, J; Guillemin, J-C

2016-07-01

The recent discovery of methyl isocyanate (CH 3 NCO) in Sgr B2(N) and Orion KL makes methyl cyanate (CH 3 OCN) a potential molecule in the interstellar medium. The aim of this work is to fulfill the first requirement for its unequivocal identification in space, i.e. the availability of transition frequencies with high accuracy. The room-temperature rotational spectrum of methyl cyanate was recorded in the millimeter wave domain from 130 to 350 GHz. All rotational transitions revealed A - E splitting owing to methyl internal rotation and were globally analyzed using the ERHAM program. The data set for the ground torsional state of methyl cyanate exceeds 700 transitions within J″ = 10 - 35 and [Formula: see text] and newly derived spectroscopic constants reproduce the spectrum close to the experimental uncertainty. Spectral features of methyl cyanate were then searched for in Orion KL, Sgr B2(N), B1-b, and TMC-1 molecular clouds. Upper limits to the column density of methyl cyanate are provided.

Substantial reservoirs of molecular hydrogen in the debris disks around young stars.

PubMed

Thi, W F; Blake, G A; van Dishoeck, E F; van Zadelhoff, G J; Horn, J M; Becklin, E E; Mannings, V; Sargent, A I; van Den Ancker, M E; Natta, A

2001-01-04

Circumstellar accretion disks transfer matter from molecular clouds to young stars and to the sites of planet formation. The disks observed around pre-main-sequence stars have properties consistent with those expected for the pre-solar nebula from which our own Solar System formed 4.5 Gyr ago. But the 'debris' disks that encircle more than 15% of nearby main-sequence stars appear to have very small amounts of gas, based on observations of the tracer molecule carbon monoxide: these observations have yielded gas/dust ratios much less than 0.1, whereas the interstellar value is about 100 (ref. 9). Here we report observations of the lowest rotational transitions of molecular hydrogen (H2) that reveal large quantities of gas in the debris disks around the stars beta Pictoris, 49 Ceti and HD135344. The gas masses calculated from the data are several hundreds to a thousand times greater than those estimated from the CO observations, and yield gas/dust ratios of the same order as the interstellar value.

The far-infrared spectrum of the OH radical

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, J. M.; Schubert, J. E.; Evenson, K. M.; Radford, H. E.

1982-01-01

It is thought likely that the study of spectral lines in the far-infrared might provide at least as much information about the physics and chemistry of the interstellar environment as radioastronomy. However, by comparison with the microwave region, the far-infrared is largely unexplored. There is a pressing need for good laboratory data to aid searches and assignments of spectra from the interstellar clouds and nebulae. Brown et al. (1981) have conducted a study of the laser magnetic resonance (LMR) spectrum of the OH radical in its ground state at far-infrared wavelengths. The present investigation is concerned with the computation of the frequencies of individual hyperfine transitions involving all rotational levels up to J = 4 1/2. The results of the calculation are presented in a table. The results are summarized in a diagram which shows the low-lying energy levels of OH. The frequencies of transitions between levels studied directly in the LMR spectrum are quite reliable.

On the Surface Formation of NH3 and HNCO in Dark Molecular Clouds - Searching for Wöhler Synthesis in the Interstellar Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedoseev, Gleb; Lamberts, Thanja; Linnartz, Harold; Ioppolo, Sergio; Zhao, Dongfeng

Despite its potential to reveal the link between the formation of simple species and more complex molecules (e.g., amino acids), the nitrogen chemistry of the interstellar medium (ISM) is still poorly understood. Ammonia (NH _{3}) is one of the few nitrogen-bearing species that have been observed in interstellar ices toward young stellar objects (YSOs) and quiescent molecular clouds. The aim of the present work is to experimentally investigate surface formation routes of NH _{3} and HNCO through non-energetic surface reactions in interstellar ice analogues under fully controlled laboratory conditions and at astrochemically relevant cryogenic temperatures. This study focuses on the formation of NH _{3} and HNCO in CO-rich (non-polar) interstellar ices that simulate the CO freeze-out stage in interstellar dark cloud regions, well before thermal and energetic processing start to become predominant. Our work confirms the surface formation of ammonia through the sequential addition of three hydrogen/deuterium atoms to a single nitrogen atom at low temperature. The H/D fractionation of the formed ammonia is also shown. Furthermore, we show the surface formation of solid HNCO through the interaction of CO molecules with NH radicals - one of the intermediates in the formation of solid NH _{3}. Finally, we discuss the implications of HNCO in astrobiology, as a possible starting point for the formation of more complex prebiotic species.

From Interstellar PAHs and Ices to the Origin of Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allamandola, Louis J.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Tremendous strides have been made in our understanding of interstellar material over the past twenty years thanks to significant, parallel developments in observational astronomy and laboratory astrophysics. Twenty years ago the composition of interstellar dust was largely guessed at, the concept of ices in dense molecular clouds ignored, and the notion of large, abundant, gas phase, carbon rich molecules widespread throughout the interstellar medium (ISM) considered impossible. Today the composition of dust in the diffuse ISM is reasonably well constrained to micron-sized cold refractory materials comprised of amorphous and crystalline silicates mixed with an amorphous carbonaceous material containing aromatic structural units and short, branched aliphatic chains. In dense molecular clouds, the birthplace of stars and planets, these cold dust particles are coated with mixed molecular ices whose composition is very well constrained. Lastly, the signature of carbon-rich polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), shockingly large molecules by earlier interstellar chemistry standards, is widespread throughout the Universe. The first part of this lecture will describe how infrared studies of interstellar space, combined with laboratory simulations, have revealed the composition of interstellar ices (the building blocks of comets) and the high abundance and nature of interstellar PAHs. The laboratory database has now enabled us to gain insight into the identities, concentrations, and physical state of many interstellar materials. Within a dense molecular cloud, and especially in the solar nebula during the star and planet formation stage, the materials frozen into interstellar/precometary ices are photoprocessed by ultraviolet light, producing more complex molecules. The remainder of the presentation will focus on the photochemical evolution of these materials and the possible role of these compounds on the early Earth. As these materials are thought to be the building blocks of comets and related to the carbonaceous components of micrometeorites, they are likely to have been important sources of complex organic materials on the early Earth and their composition may be related to the origin of life.

I(CO)/N(H2) conversions and molecular gas abundances in spiral and irregular galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maloney, Philip; Black, John H.

1988-01-01

Observations of emission in the J = 1-0 rotational transition of interstellar CO are used to obtain column densities and masses of hydrogen. By taking into account the effects of variations in molecular cloud parameters on conversion factors between integrated CO intensity and molecular hydrogen column density, it is shown that conversion factors are very sensitive to the kinetic temperature of the emitting gas. Results indicate that the gas temperatures in systems with high star formation rates can be quite high, and it is suggested that use of a standard conversion factor will lead to systematic overestimation of the amount of molecular gas.

Application of Stochastic and Deterministic Approaches to Modeling Interstellar Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pei, Yezhe

This work is about simulations of interstellar chemistry using the deterministic rate equation (RE) method and the stochastic moment equation (ME) method. Primordial metal-poor interstellar medium (ISM) is of our interest and the socalled “Population-II” stars could have been formed in this environment during the “Epoch of Reionization” in the baby universe. We build a gas phase model using the RE scheme to describe the ionization-powered interstellar chemistry. We demonstrate that OH replaces CO as the most abundant metal-bearing molecule in such interstellar clouds of the early universe. Grain surface reactions play an important role in the studies of astrochemistry. But the lack of an accurate yet effective simulation method still presents a challenge, especially for large, practical gas-grain system. We develop a hybrid scheme of moment equations and rate equations (HMR) for large gas-grain network to model astrochemical reactions in the interstellar clouds. Specifically, we have used a large chemical gas-grain model, with stochastic moment equations to treat the surface chemistry and deterministic rate equations to treat the gas phase chemistry, to simulate astrochemical systems as of the ISM in the Milky Way, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). We compare the results to those of pure rate equations and modified rate equations and present a discussion about how moment equations improve our theoretical modeling and how the abundances of the assorted species are changed by varied metallicity. We also model the observed composition of H2O, CO and CO2 ices toward Young Stellar Objects in the LMC and show that the HMR method gives a better match to the observation than the pure RE method.

Interstellar Isotopes: Prospects with ALMA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charnley Steven B.

2010-01-01

Cold molecular clouds are natural environments for the enrichment of interstellar molecules in the heavy isotopes of H, C, N and O. Anomalously fractionated isotopic material is found in many primitive Solar System objects, such as meteorites and comets, that may trace interstellar matter that was incorporated into the Solar Nebula without undergoing significant processing. Models of the fractionation chemistry of H, C, N and O in dense molecular clouds, particularly in cores where substantial freeze-out of molecules on to dust has occurred, make several predictions that can be tested in the near future by molecular line observations. The range of fractionation ratios expected in different interstellar molecules will be discussed and the capabilities of ALMA for testing these models (e.g. in observing doubly-substituted isotopologues) will be outlined.

Observations of the interstellar gas with the Copernicus satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morton, D. C.

1975-01-01

Results are reviewed for Copernicus far-UV measurements of the absorption lines of H I, D I, H2, and heavier elements in the interstellar gas. Column densities along several lines of sight, as estimated from Ly-alpha absorption-line profiles, confirm that wide differences in the gas density are present in various directions. The measurement of interstellar D I implies an open universe unless alternate sources for this nuclide are found. Analysis of reddened stars for which the line of sight passes through one or more interstellar clouds indicates a depletion of several heavy elements in the gas. It is suggested that the depleted elements may be present in grains rather than molecules and that the intercloud medium may consist primarily of H II with a few small H I clouds.

Adolescent Interstellar Cloud Poised to Make Star-forming Debut

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-06-01

Astronomers using the National Science Foundation's (NSF) 140-foot radio telescope at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Green Bank, W.Va., have discovered a highly unusual, massive interstellar cloud that appears poised to begin a burst of star formation. The cloud may be the first ever to be detected in the transition between atomic and molecular states. NRAO scientists Felix J. Lockman and Anthony H. Minter presented their findings at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Pasadena, Calif. Radio Image of G28.17+0.05 The scientists discovered the cloud, identified as G28.17+0.05, lying along the inner plane of the Milky Way Galaxy, approximately 16,300 light-years from Earth. Observations of the cloud indicate that it is near one of the Galaxy's sweeping spiral arms, which are outlined by young stars and the massive clouds that form them. Lockman and Minter speculate that as the interstellar cloud slams into the Galactic arm, the resulting shock wave may be precipitating the conversion of the neutral hydrogen atoms into heavier molecules, which could herald the onset of star formation. "These may be the first observations of a cloud that is in the transition between the neutral atomic hydrogen and molecular phases," said Lockman. "This provides astronomers a unique opportunity to study the chemistry of very young interstellar clouds, which could give us significant insights into the early stages of star formation and the structure of the Galaxy." Interstellar clouds that contain neutral atomic hydrogen, called HI (H-one) clouds, are thought of as giant, cold blobs of gas. Researchers study these objects because they offer intriguing glimpses of the composition of our Galaxy and the cosmos, and reveal much about how stars and planets are born. Hydrogen atoms in these clouds give off natural signals (at the 21-cm wavelength), which can be detected only by radio telescopes. The scientists discovered that this HI cloud was unusual in many respects. First, it was uncharacteristically massive, about 500 light- years across and containing nearly 100,000 times the mass of the sun in atomic hydrogen. The gas in clouds this large and massive has typically undergone the transition to the molecular phase, and has begun making stars. The size and mass of this cloud indicate that it is gravitationally bound, which means that it should be collapsing and forming new stars. "When you find a cloud that is as massive as the one we detected, and one that is gravitationally bound as this structure indicates, then you would expect to see areas of star formation," said Lockman. The scientists were able to identify a few indicators of star formation, but not at the rate that one would expect. "We think we have caught something in a special state." Lockman said, "It could be one of the missing links in the cycle of star formation." The core of the cloud also gives off radio signals at 1720 MHz from the molecule OH in an unusual state of excitation. Since other astronomers have detected similar signals throughout the Galactic plane, the researchers believe that these emissions may be an indication that this previously undetected type of cloud may turn out to be fairly common. "We suspect that this cloud may be the first example of an object that may be fairly common in the inner Galactic plane," said Lockman, "but has not been recognized. That is, a cloud that is observed while entering a spiral shock and is in the transition between atomic to molecular hydrogen." The NRAO 140-Foot Telescope The scientists caution, however, that additional research is needed to confirm their speculations. "The presence of anomalous OH through the Galactic plane does suggest that other clouds of this nature can be detected," said Lockman, "and it would be particularly valuable if a similar cloud could be detected entering the 'spiral shock' on the opposite side of the Galactic center." The patterns of velocities of atomic and molecular gas should be reversed there, due to the difference in galactic rotation. Such a discovery could help to validate the possible interaction among the spiral shock, atomic hydrogen, and star formation. The NSF's 140-foot radio telescope now is decommissioned after a long and highly productive career. Research will continue on the newly commissioned Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, which is the world's largest fully steerable radio telescope. "Though the 140-foot telescope enabled us to make remarkable observations," commented Minter, "we anticipate that the new Green Bank Telescope, with its increased sensitivity and better resolution, will enable us to see more clearly the nature of this peculiar object." In addition to Minter and Lockman, other astronomers involved in this research include Glen I. Langston, NRAO; and Jennifer A. Lockman who was a student from the College of Charleston, S.C., at the time the research was conducted. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Theoretical studies in interstellar cloud chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chiu, Y. T.; Prasad, S. S.

1993-01-01

This final report represents the completion of the three tasks under the purchase order no. SCPDE5620,1,2F. Chemical composition of gravitationally contracting, but otherwise quiescent, interstellar clouds and of interstellar clouds traversed by high velocity shocks, were modeled in a comprehensive manner that represents a significant progress in modeling these objects. The evolutionary chemical modeling, done under this NASA contract, represents a notable advance over the 'classical' fixed condition equilibrium models because the evolutionary models consider not only the chemical processes but also the dynamical processes by which the dark interstellar clouds may have assumed their present state. The shock calculations, being reported here, are important because they extend the limited chemical composition derivable from dynamical calculations for the total density and temperature structures behind the shock front. In order to be tractable, the dynamical calculations must severely simplify the chemistry. The present shock calculations take the shock profiles from the dynamical calculations and derive chemical composition in a comprehensive manner. The results of the present modeling study are still to be analyzed with reference to astronomical observational data and other contemporary model predictions. As far as humanly possible, this analysis will be continued with CRE's (Creative Research Enterprises's) IR&D resources, until a sponsor is found.

Diffuse interstellar clouds as a chemical laboratory - The chemistry of diatomic carbon species

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Federman, S. R.; Huntress, W. T., Jr.

1989-01-01

The chemistry of C2, CH, and CO in diffuse interstellar clouds is analyzed and compared to absorption line measurements toward background stars. Analytical expressions in terms of column densities are derived for the rate equations. The results indicate that in clouds with 4 mag of visual extinction, the abundance of C+ has to decrease by a factor of about 15 from the value traditionally used for clouds with 1 mag of extinction. The rate coefficients for the reactions C+ + CH - C2+ + H and C+ + H2 - CH2+ + h-nu need to be reduced from previous estimates. Chemical arguments are presented for the revised rate coefficients.

Molecular diagnostics of interstellar shocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartquist, T. W.; Dalgarno, A.; Oppenheimer, M.

1980-01-01

The chemistry of molecules in shocked regions of the interstellar gas is considered and calculations are carried out for a region subjected to a shock at a velocity of 8 km/sec. Substantial enhancements are predicted in the concentrations of the molecules H2S, SO, and SiO compared to those anticipated in cold interstellar clouds.

Molecular diagnostics of interstellar shocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartquist, T. W.; Dalgarno, A.; Oppenheimer, M.

1980-02-01

The chemistry of molecules in shocked regions of the interstellar gas is considered and calculations are carried out for a region subjected to a shock at a velocity of 8 km/sec. Substantial enhancements are predicted in the concentrations of the molecules H2S, SO, and SiO compared to those anticipated in cold interstellar clouds.

Detection of interstellar ethyl cyanide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, D. R.; Lovas, F. J.; Gottlieb, C. A.; Gottlieb, E. W.; Litvak, M. M.; Thaddeus, P.; Guelin, M.

1977-01-01

Twenty-four millimeter-wave emission lines of ethyl cyanide (CH3CH2CN) have been detected in the Orion Nebula (OMC-1) and seven in Sgr B2. To derive precise radial velocities from the astronomical data, a laboratory measurement of the rotational spectrum of ethyl cyanide has been made at frequencies above 41 GHz. In OMC-1, the rotational temperature of ethyl cyanide is 90 K (in good agreement with other molecules), the local-standard-of-rest radial velocity is 4.5 + or - 1.0 km/s (versus 8.5 km/s for most molecules), and the column density is 1.8 by 10 to the 14th power per sq cm (a surprisingly high figure for a complicated molecule). The high abundance of ethyl cyanide in the Orion Nebula suggests that ethane and perhaps larger saturated hydrocarbons may be common constituents of molecular clouds and have escaped detection only because they are nonpolar or only weakly polar.

Interstellar gas in the Gum Nebula

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wallerstein, G.; Silk, J.; Jenkins, E.B.

1980-09-15

We have surveyed the interstellar gas in and around the Gum Nebula by optically observing 67 stars at Ca II, 42 stars at Na I, and 14 stars in the ultraviolet with the Copernicus satellite. Velocity dispersions for gas in the Gum Nebula, excluding the region of Vela remnant filaments, are not significantly larger than in the general interstellar medium. The ionization structure is predominantly that of an H II region with moderately high ionization, i.e., strong Si III and S III, in clouds with Vertical BarV/sub LSR/Vertical Bar> or approx. =10 km s/sup -1/. Furthermore, we find an increasemore » in fine-structure excitation with increasing component LSR velocity, suggestive of ram-pressure confinement for the intermediate-velocity clouds. These denser, more highly ionized clouds appear to be concentrated toward the inner Gum Nebula, where a somewhat higher velocity dispersion is found than in the outer regions. Clouds in the Gum Nebula do not show the anomalously high ionization seen in the Vela remnant clouds. The observational data are generally consistent with a model of the Gum Nebula as an H II region ionized by OB stars and stirred up by multiple stellar winds.« less

Summer School on Interstellar Processes: Abstracts of contributed papers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollenbach, D. J. (Editor); Thronson, H. A., Jr. (Editor)

1986-01-01

The Summer School on Interstellar Processes was held to discuss the current understanding of the interstellar medium and to analyze the basic physical processes underlying interstellar phenomena. Extended abstracts of the contributed papers given at the meeting are presented. Many of the papers concerned the local structure and kinematics of the interstellar medium and focused on such objects as star formation regions, molecular clouds, HII regions, reflection nebulae, planetary nebulae, supernova remnants, and shock waves. Other papers studied the galactic-scale structure of the interstellar medium either in the Milky Way or other galaxies. Some emphasis was given to observations of interstellar grains and

Planetary atmospheres program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Non-solar compositional models of the troposphere of Jupiter, halide cloud condensation and volatile element inventories on Venus, and shock-wave processing of interstellar cloud materials are discussed.

A Herschel [C ii] Galactic plane survey. II. CO-dark H2 in clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer, W. D.; Velusamy, T.; Pineda, J. L.; Willacy, K.; Goldsmith, P. F.

2014-01-01

Context. H i and CO large scale surveys of the Milky Way trace the diffuse atomic clouds and the dense shielded regions of molecular hydrogen clouds, respectively. However, until recently, we have not had spectrally resolved C+ surveys in sufficient lines of sight to characterize the ionized and photon dominated components of the interstellar medium, in particular, the H2 gas without CO, referred to as CO-dark H2, in a large sample of interstellar clouds. Aims: We use a sparse Galactic plane survey of the 1.9 THz (158 μm) [C ii] spectral line from the Herschel open time key programme, Galactic Observations of Terahertz C+ (GOT C+), to characterize the H2 gas without CO in a statistically significant sample of interstellar clouds. Methods: We identify individual clouds in the inner Galaxy by fitting the [C ii] and CO isotopologue spectra along each line of sight. We then combine these spectra with those of H i and use them along with excitation models and cloud models of C+ to determine the column densities and fractional mass of CO-dark H2 clouds. Results: We identify1804 narrow velocity [C ii] components corresponding to interstellar clouds in different categories and evolutionary states. About 840 are diffuse molecular clouds with no CO, ~510 are transition clouds containing [C ii] and 12CO, but no 13CO, and the remainder are dense molecular clouds containing 13CO emission. The CO-dark H2 clouds are concentrated between Galactic radii of ~3.5 to 7.5 kpc and the column density of the CO-dark H2 layer varies significantly from cloud to cloud with a global average of 9 × 1020 cm-2. These clouds contain a significant fraction by mass of CO-dark H2, that varies from ~75% for diffuse molecular clouds to ~20% for dense molecular clouds. Conclusions: We find a significant fraction of the warm molecular ISM gas is invisible in H i and CO, but is detected in [C ii]. The fraction of CO-dark H2 is greatest in the diffuse clouds and decreases with increasing total column density, and is lowest in the massive clouds. The column densities and mass fraction of CO-dark H2 are less than predicted by models of diffuse molecular clouds using solar metallicity, which is not surprising as most of our detections are in Galactic regions where the metallicity is larger and shielding more effective. There is an overall trend towards a higher fraction of CO-dark H2 in clouds with increasing Galactic radius, consistent with lower metallicity there. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.

Isotope Fractionation in the Interstellar Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charnley, Steven

2011-01-01

Anomalously fractionated isotopic material is found in many primitive Solar System objects, such as meteorites and comets. It is thought, in some cases, to trace interstellar matter that was incorporated into the Solar Nebula without undergoing significant processing. We will present the results of models of the nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon fractionation chemistry in dense molecular clouds, particularly in cores where substantial freeze-out of molecules on to dust has occurred. The range of fractionation ratios expected in different interstellar molecules will be discussed and compared to the ratios measured in molecular clouds, comets and meteoritic material. These models make several predictions that can be tested in the near future by molecular line observations, particularly with ALMA.

Iron hydrides formation in interstellar clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bar-Nun, A.; Pasternak, M.; Barrett, P. H.

1980-07-01

A recent Moessbauer study with Fe-57 in a solid hydrogen or hydrogen-argon matrix demonstrated the formation of an iron hydride molecule (FeH2) at 2.5-5 K. Following this and other studies, the possible existence of iron hydride molecules in interstellar clouds is proposed. In clouds, the iron hydrides FeH and FeH2 would be formed only on grains, by encounters of H atoms or H2 molecules with Fe atoms which are adsorbed on the grains. The other transition metals, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, N, Cd and also Cu and Ca form hydrides of the type M-H, which could be responsible, at least in part, for the depletion of these metals in clouds.

The abundance of CO in diffuse interstellar clouds - An ultraviolet survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Federman, S. R.; Glassgold, A. E.; Jenkins, E. B.; Shaya, E. J.

1980-01-01

CO was detected in 17 directions and its upper limits were estimated in 21 directions by a UV survey carried out with the Copernicus satellite in the C-X 1088 A and E-X 1076 A lines toward 48 bright stars. The CO column densities range from 10 to the 12th to 10 to the 17th/sq cm and correlate with C I and H2. The tendency of the C I/CO ratio to be about 10 follows the ratio of particular atomic and molecular cross-sections and the physical parameters of interstellar clouds. Finally, the connection between UV observations in diffuse clouds and radio observations of (C-13)O in dark clouds is discussed.

A Survey of Near-infrared Diffuse Interstellar Bands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamano, Satochi; Kobayashi, Naoto; Kawakita, Hideyo; Ikeda, Yuji; Kondo, Sohei; Sameshima, Hiroaki; Arai, Akira; Matsunaga, Noriyuki; Yasui, Chikako; Mizumoto, Misaki; Fukue, Kei; Izumi, Natsuko; Otsubo, Shogo; Takenada, Keiichi

2018-04-01

We propose a study of interstellar molecules with near-infrared (NIR) high-resolution spectroscopy as a science case for the 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT). In particular, we present the results obtained on-going survey of diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) in NIR with the newly developed NIR high-resolution spectrograph WINERED, which offers a high sensitivity in the wavelength range of 0.91-1.36 µm. Using the WINERED spectrograph attached to the 1.3-m Araki telescope in Japan, we obtained high-quality spectra of a number of early-type stars in various environments, such as diffuse interstellar clouds, dark clouds and star-forming regions, to investigate the properties of NIR DIBs and constrain their carriers. As a result, we successfully identified about 50 new NIR DIBs, where only five fairly strong DIBs had been identified previously. Also, some properties of DIBs in the NIR are discussed to constrain the carriers of DIBs.

The distribution of interstellar dust in the solar neighborhood

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaustad, John E.; Van Buren, Dave

1993-01-01

We surveyed the IRAS data base at the positions of the 1808 O6-B9.5 stars in The Bright Star Catalog for extended objects with excess emission at 60 microns, indicating the presence of interstellar dust at the location of the star. Within 400 pc the filling factor of the interstellar medium, for dust clouds with a density greater than 0.5/cu cm is 14.6 + or - 2.4%. Above a density of 1.0/cu cm, the density distribution function appears to follow a power law index - 1.25. When the dust clouds are mapped onto the galactic plane, the sun appears to be located in a low-density region of the interstellar medium of width about 60 pc extending at least 500 pc in the direction of longitudes 80 deg - 260 deg, a feature we call the 'local trough'.

On the cosmic ray diffusion in a violent interstellar medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bykov, A. M.; Toptygin, I. N.

1985-01-01

A variety of the available observational data on the cosmic ray (CR) spectrum, anisotropy and composition are in good agreement with a suggestion on the diffusion propagation of CR with energy below 10(15) eV in the interstellar medium. The magnitude of the CR diffusion coefficient and its energy dependence are determined by interstellar medium (ISM) magnetic field spectra. Direct observational data on magnetic field spectra are still absent. A theoretical model to the turbulence generation in the multiphase ISM is resented. The model is based on the multiple generation of secondary shocks and concomitant large-scale rarefactions due to supernova shock interactions with interstellar clouds. The distribution function for ISM shocks are derived to include supernova statistics, diffuse cloud distribution, and various shock wave propagation regimes. This permits calculation of the ISM magnetic field fluctuation spectrum and CR diffusion coefficient for the hot phase of ISM.

Vibrational Spectroscopy after OSU - From C2- to Interstellar Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allamandola, Louis J.

2006-01-01

The composition of interstellar ice and dust provides insight into the chemical history of the interstellar medium and early solar system. It is now possible to probe this unique and unusual chemistry and determine the composition of these microscopic interstellar particles which are hundreds to many thousands of light years away thanks to substantial progress in two areas: astronomical spectroscopic techniques in the middle-infrared, the spectral region most diagnostic of chemical composition, and laboratory simulations which realistically reproduce the critical conditions in various interstellar environments. High quality infrared spectra of many different astronomical sources, some associated with giant, dark molecular clouds -the birthplace of stars and planets- and others in more tenuous, UV radiation rich regions are now available. The fundamentals of IR spectroscopy and what comparisons of astronomical IR spectra with laboratory spectra of materials prepared under realistic simulated interstellar conditions tell us about the components of these materials is the subject of this talk. These observations have shown that mixed molecular ices comprised of H2O, CH3OH, CO, NH3 and H2CO contain most of the molecular material in molecular clouds and that gas phase, ionized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread and surprisingly abundant throughout most of the interstellar medium.

Ultraviolet observations of the gas phase abundances in the diffuse clouds toward Zeta Ophiuchi at 3.5 kilometers per second resolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Savage, Blair D.; Cardelli, Jason A.; Sofia, Ulysses J.

1992-01-01

Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph echelle mode measurements at 3.5 km/s resolution are presented for interstellar absorption produced by C II, O I, Mg I, Mg II, Al III, P II, Cr II, Mn II, Fe II, Ni II, Cu II, Zn II, Ga II, Ge II, and Kr I. The absorption line measurements are converted into representations of apparent column density per unit velocity in order to study the multicomponent nature of the absorption. The high spectral resolution of the measurements allows a comparative study of gas phase abundances for many species in the absorbing clouds near -27 and -15 km/s with a typical precision of about 0.05 dex. The matter absorbing near -27 km/s is situated in the local interstellar medium and has log N(H I) of about 19.74. This absorption provides information about the modest 'base' depletion associated with the lower density interstellar medium. The depletion results suggest that accretion processes are operating interstellar clouds that exhibit similar depletion efficiencies for some elements but much higher depletion efficiencies for others.

Electromagnetic Forces on a Relativistic Spacecraft in the Interstellar Medium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoang, Thiem; Loeb, Abraham, E-mail: thiemhoang@kasi.re.kr, E-mail: aloeb@cfa.harvard.edu

2017-10-10

A relativistic spacecraft of the type envisioned by the Breakthrough Starshot initiative will inevitably become charged through collisions with interstellar particles and UV photons. Interstellar magnetic fields would therefore deflect the trajectory of the spacecraft. We calculate the expected deflection for typical interstellar conditions. We also find that the charge distribution of the spacecraft is asymmetric, producing an electric dipole moment. The interaction between the moving electric dipole and the interstellar magnetic field is found to produce a large torque, which can result in fast oscillation of the spacecraft around the axis perpendicular to the direction of motion, with amore » period of ∼0.5 hr. We then study the spacecraft rotation arising from impulsive torques by dust bombardment. Finally, we discuss the effect of the spacecraft rotation and suggest several methods to mitigate it.« less

Electromagnetic Forces on a Relativistic Spacecraft in the Interstellar Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, Thiem; Loeb, Abraham

2017-10-01

A relativistic spacecraft of the type envisioned by the Breakthrough Starshot initiative will inevitably become charged through collisions with interstellar particles and UV photons. Interstellar magnetic fields would therefore deflect the trajectory of the spacecraft. We calculate the expected deflection for typical interstellar conditions. We also find that the charge distribution of the spacecraft is asymmetric, producing an electric dipole moment. The interaction between the moving electric dipole and the interstellar magnetic field is found to produce a large torque, which can result in fast oscillation of the spacecraft around the axis perpendicular to the direction of motion, with a period of ˜0.5 hr. We then study the spacecraft rotation arising from impulsive torques by dust bombardment. Finally, we discuss the effect of the spacecraft rotation and suggest several methods to mitigate it.

Spectroscopy and reactions of molecules important in chemical evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Becker, R. S.

1974-01-01

The research includes: (1) hot hydrogen atom reactions in terms of the nature of products produced, mechanism of the reactions and the implication and application of such reactions for molecules existing in interstellar clouds, in planetary atmospheres, and in chemical evolution; (2) photochemical reactions that can lead to molecules important in chemical evolution, interstellar clouds and as constituents in planetary atmospheres; and (3) spectroscopic and theoretical properties of biomolecules and their precursors and where possible, use these to understand their photochemical behavior.

The millimeter wave spectrum of methyl cyanate: a laboratory study and astronomical search in space ⋆,⋆⋆

PubMed Central

Kolesniková, L.; Alonso, J. L.; Bermúdez, C.; Alonso, E. R.; Tercero, B.; Cernicharo, J.; Guillemin, J.-C.

2016-01-01

Aims The recent discovery of methyl isocyanate (CH3NCO) in Sgr B2(N) and Orion KL makes methyl cyanate (CH3OCN) a potential molecule in the interstellar medium. The aim of this work is to fulfill the first requirement for its unequivocal identification in space, i.e. the availability of transition frequencies with high accuracy. Methods The room-temperature rotational spectrum of methyl cyanate was recorded in the millimeter wave domain from 130 to 350 GHz. All rotational transitions revealed A-E splitting owing to methyl internal rotation and were globally analyzed using the ERHAM program. Results The data set for the ground torsional state of methyl cyanate exceeds 700 transitions within J″ = 10 – 35 and Ka″=0−13 and newly derived spectroscopic constants reproduce the spectrum close to the experimental uncertainty. Spectral features of methyl cyanate were then searched for in Orion KL, Sgr B2(N), B1-b, and TMC-1 molecular clouds. Upper limits to the column density of methyl cyanate are provided. PMID:27721514

Isotopic Fractionation in Primitive Material: Quantifying the Contribution of Interstellar Chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charnley, Steven

2010-01-01

Anomalously fractionated isotopic material is found in many primitive Solar System objects, such as meteorites and comets. It is thought, in some cases, to trace interstellar matter that was incorporated into the Solar Nebula without undergoing significant processing. We will present the results of models of the nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon fractionation chemistry in dense molecular clouds, particularly in cores where substantial freeze-out of molecules on to dust has occurred. The range of fractionation ratios expected in different interstellar molecules will be discussed and compared to the ratios measured in molecular clouds, comets and meteoritic material. These models make several predictions that can be tested in the near future by molecular line observations, particularly with ALMA.

Insights into H2 formation in space from ab initio molecular dynamics

PubMed Central

Casolo, Simone; Tantardini, Gian Franco; Martinazzo, Rocco

2013-01-01

Hydrogen formation is a key process for the physics and the chemistry of interstellar clouds. Molecular hydrogen is believed to form on the carbonaceous surface of dust grains, and several mechanisms have been invoked to explain its abundance in different regions of space, from cold interstellar clouds to warm photon-dominated regions. Here, we investigate direct (Eley–Rideal) recombination including lattice dynamics, surface corrugation, and competing H-dimers formation by means of ab initio molecular dynamics. We find that Eley–Rideal reaction dominates at energies relevant for the interstellar medium and alone may explain observations if the possibility of facile sticking at special sites (edges, point defects, etc.) on the surface of the dust grains is taken into account. PMID:23572584

Chemistry in dynamically evolving clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarafdar, S. P.; Prasad, S. S.; Huntress, W. T., Jr.; Villere, K. R.; Black, D. C.

1985-01-01

A unified model of chemical and dynamical evolution of isolated, initially diffuse and quiescent interstellar clouds is presented. The model uses a semiempirically derived dependence of the observed cloud temperatures on the visual extinction and density. Even low-mass, low-density, diffuse clouds can collapse in this model, because the inward pressure gradient force assists gravitational contraction. In contrast, previous isothermal collapse models required the low-mass diffuse clouds to be unrealistically cold before gravitational contraction could start. Theoretically predicted dependences of the column densities of various atoms and molecules, such as C and CO, on visual extinction in diffuse clouds are in accord with observations. Similarly, the predicted dependences of the fractional abundances of various chemical species (e.g., CO, H2CO, HCN, HCO(+)) on the total hydrogen density in the core of the dense clouds also agree with observations reported to date in the literature. Compared with previous models of interstellar chemistry, the present model has the potential to explain the wide spectrum of chemical and physical properties of both diffuse and dense clouds with a common formalism employing only a few simple initial conditions.

Interstellar organic chemistry.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sagan, C.

1972-01-01

Most of the interstellar organic molecules have been found in the large radio source Sagittarius B2 toward the galactic center, and in such regions as W51 and the IR source in the Orion nebula. Questions of the reliability of molecular identifications are discussed together with aspects of organic synthesis in condensing clouds, degradational origin, synthesis on grains, UV natural selection, interstellar biology, and contributions to planetary biology.

Are comets connected to the origin of life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delsemme, A. H.

1981-01-01

Possible connections between comets and the origin of life on earth are discussed. The orbital evolution of comets and their origin are considered within a framework for the origin of the solar system, with particular attention given to the origin of the biosphere, and the origin of the Oort cloud. Evidence suggesting that cometary nuclei are undifferentiated throughout is considered, and a model of the average composition of a mean new comet is obtained from observational data which is similar to that of an interstellar frost. The chemistry of the model composition giving rise to the species observed in cometary spectra is considered, as well as the relations of cometary to cosmic abundances of oxygen, carbon and sulfur. The characteristics of possible sites for prebiotic chemistry, including interstellar clouds, the protosolar nebula, comets in the Oort cloud, periodic comets and the primitive earth, are examined, and a possible role of comets in bringing the interstellar prebiotic chemistry to earth is suggested.

Dust near luminous ultraviolet stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henry, Richard C.

1993-01-01

This report describes research activities related to the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) sky survey. About 745 luminous stars were examined for the presence of interstellar dust heated by a nearby star. The 'cirrus' discovered by IRAS is thermal radiation from interstellar dust at moderate and high galactic latitudes. The IRAS locates the dust which must (at some level) scatter ultraviolet starlight, although it was expected that thermal emission would be found around virtually every star, most stars shown no detectable emission. And the emission found is not uniform. It is not that the star is embedded in 'an interstellar medium', but rather what is found are discrete clouds that are heated by starlight. An exception is the dearth of clouds near the very hottest stars, implying that the very hottest stars play an active role with respect to destroying or substantially modifying the dust clouds over time. The other possibility is simply that the hottest stars are located in regions lacking in dust, which is counter-intuitive. A bibliography of related journal articles is attached.

Probing the galactic disk and halo. 2: Hot interstellar gas toward the inner galaxy star HD 156359

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sembach, Kenneth R.; Savage, Blair D.; Lu, Limin

1995-01-01

We present Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph intermediate-resolution measurements of the 1233-1256 A spectral region of HD 156396, a halo star at l = 328.7 deg, b = -14.5 deg in the inner Galaxy with a line-of sight distance of 11.1 kpc and a z-distance of -2.8 kpc. The data have a resolution of 18 km/s Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) and a signal-to-noise ratio of approximately 50:1. We detect interstellar lines of Mg II, S II, S II, Ge II, and N V and determine log N/(Mg II) = 15.78 +0.25, -0.27, log N(Si II) greater than 13.70, log N(S II) greater than 15.76, log N(Ge II) = 12.20 +0.09,-0.11, and log N(N v) = 14.06 +/- 0.02. Assuming solar reference abundances, the diffuse clouds containing Mg, S, and Ge along the sight line have average logarithmic depletions D(Mg) = -0.6 +/- 0.3 dex, D(S) greater than -0.2 dex, and D(Ge) = -0.2 +/- 0.2 dex. The Mg and Ge depletions are approximately 2 times smaller than is typical of diffuse clouds in the solar vicinity. Galactic rotational modeling of the N v profiles indicates that the highly ionized gas traced by this ion has a scale height of approximately 1 kpc if gas at large z-distances corotates with the underlying disk gas. Rotational modeling of the Si iv and C iv profiles measured by the IUE satellite yields similar scale height estimates. The scale height results contrast with previous studies of highly ionized gas in the outer Milky Way that reveal a more extended gas distribtion with h approximately equals 3-4 kpc. We detect a high-velocity feature in N v and Si II v(sub LSR) approximately equals + 125 km/s) that is probably created in an interface between warm and hot gas.

New Large Interstellar Molecules Detected with the GBT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollis, Jan M.

2005-01-01

At present, more than 135 different molecules have been identified in interstellar clouds. The newest instrument in the interstellar molecule search arsenal is the recently commissioned Green Bank Telescope (GBT). In 2004, the large aldehydes propenal (CH2CHCHO) and propanal (CH3CH2CHO) were the first new interstellar molecules discovered with the GBT. At the same time, the GBT was used to observe interstellar glycolaldehyde (CH2OHCHO), which is the simplest possible aldehyde sugar; interstellar ethylene glycol (HOCH2CH2OH), which is the sugar alcohol of glycolaldehyde; and interstellar methylcyanodiacetylene (CH3C5N). These new GBT observations suggest that successive atomic addition reactions are common in the formation of larger related species. The observations will be presented and discussed.

Search for the CO-dark Mass in the Central Molecular Zone by using the ASTE 10-m Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Kunihiko

2017-01-01

Atomic carbon (C0) is one of the most abundant carbon-bearing species in the interstellar molecular gas, and its submillimeter lines are good tracers of low-density molecular clouds which are often dark in CO rotational lines. We present a new map of the central 150 pc region of the Milky Way in the 500 GHz [CI] line, which has been recently obtained with the ASTE 10-m telescope. The [CI] emission is brightest toward the central 5-pc region, where massive GMCs are absent. This [CI]-bright region is approximately centered toward Sgr A*, covering the entire circum-nuclear ring (CND) and the western part of the 50-km/s cloud. The C0/CO abundance ratio is 0.5-2 there, and the highest ratio is observed toward the CND but just outside of the 2-pc ring of dense gas. This discovery may suggest that the CO-dark component occupies a significant fraction of the molecular gas in the circumnuclear region.

Galaxy and the solar system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smoluchowski, R.; Bahcall, J.M.; Matthews, M.S.

1986-01-01

The solar-Galactic neighborhood, massive interstellar clouds and other Galactic features, the Oort cloud, perturbations of the solar system, and the existence and stability of a solar companion star are examined in chapters based on contributions to a conference held in Tucson, AZ during January 1985. The individual topics addressed include: the Galactic environment of the solar system; stars within 25 pc of the sun; the path of the sun in 100 million years; the local velocity field in the last billion years; interstellar clouds near the sun; and evidence for a local recent supernova. Also considered are: dynamic influence ofmore » Galactic tides and molecular clouds on the Oort cloud; cometary evidence for a solar companion; dynamical interactions between the Oort cloud and the Galaxy; geological periodicities and the Galaxy; giant comets and the Galaxy; dynamical evidence for Planet X; evolution of the solar system in the presence of a solar companion star; mass extinctions, crater ages, and comet showers; evidence for Nemesis, a solar companion star.« less

Goulds Belt, Interstellar Clouds, and the Eocene Oligocene Helium-3 Enhancement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rubincam, David Parry

2015-01-01

Drag from hydrogen in the interstellar cloud which formed Gould's Belt may have sent interplanetary dust particle (IDPs) and small meteoroids with embedded helium to the Earth, perhaps explaining part the helium-3 flux increase seen in the sedimentary record near the Eocene-Oligocene transition. Assuming the Solar System passed through part of the cloud, IDPs in the inner Solar System may have been dragged to Earth, while dust and small meteoroids in the asteroid belt up to centimeter size may have been dragged to the resonances, where their orbital eccentricities were pumped up into Earth-crossing orbits; however, this hypotheses does not explain the Popigai and Chesapeake Bay impacts.

A search with Copernicus for interstellar N2 in diffuse clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lutz, B. L.; Snow, T. P., Jr.; Owen, T.

1979-01-01

Multiple Copernicus scans of two N2 band regions (near 958.5 and 960.2A) of Delta Sco and Epsilon Per are reported. The observations indicate upper limits for the number of N2 molecules equal to 1.0-3.8 times 10 to the -12th/sq cm and 1.2-4.4 times 10 to the -12th/sq cm, respectively; the limits depend on the cloud temperature. It is suggested that the limits are consistent with the column densities predicted by chemical models for diffuse interstellar clouds, and the predicted relative abundances are presented in terms of the ratio of N(N2)/(2N(H2) + N(Hl)).

The 15 273 Å diffuse interstellar band in the dark cloud Barnard 68

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elyajouri, Meriem; Cox, Nick L. J.; Lallement, Rosine

2017-09-01

High obscuration of background stars behind dark clouds precludes the detection of optical diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) and hence our knowledge of DIB carriers in these environments. Taking advantage of the reduced obscuration of starlight in the near-infrared (NIR) we used one of the strongest NIR DIBs at 15 273 Å to probe the presence and properties of its carrier throughout the nearby interstellar dark cloud Barnard 68. We measured equivalent widths (EW) for different ranges of visual extinction AV, using VLT/KMOS H-band (1.46-1.85 μm) moderate-resolution (R 4000) spectra of 43 stars situated behind the cloud. To do so, we fitted the data with synthetic stellar spectra from the APOGEE project and TAPAS synthetic telluric transmissions appropriate for the observing site and time period. The results show an increase of DIB EW with increasing AV. However, the rate of increase is much flatter than expected from the EW-AV quasi-proportionality established for this DIB in the Galactic diffuse interstellar medium. Based on a simplified inversion assuming sphericity, it is found that the volume density of the DIB carrier is 2.7 and 7.9 times lower than this expected average value in the external and central regions of the cloud, which have nH≃ 0.4 and 3.5 × 105 cm-3, respectively. Further measurements with multiplex NIR spectrographs should allow detailed modeling of such an edge effect of this DIB and other bands and help clarify its actual origin. Based on observations collected at the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere under ESO programme 096.C-0931(A).

Interstellar grain chemistry and organic molecules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allamandola, L. J.; Sandford, S. A.

1990-01-01

The detection of prominant infrared absorption bands at 3250, 2170, 2138, 1670 and 1470 cm(-1) (3.08, 4.61, 4.677, 5.99 and 6.80 micron m) associated with molecular clouds show that mixed molecular (icy) grain mantles are an important component of the interstellar dust in the dense interstellar medium. These ices, which contain many organic molecules, may also be the production site of the more complex organic grain mantles detected in the diffuse interstellar medium. Theoretical calculations employing gas phase as well as grain surface reactions predict that the ices should be dominated only by the simple molecules H2O, H2CO, N2, CO, O2, NH3, CH4, possibly CH3OH, and their deuterated counterparts. However, spectroscopic observations in the 2500 to 1250 cm(-1)(4 to 8 micron m) range show substantial variation from source reactions alone. By comparing these astronomical spectra with the spectra of laboratory-produced analogs of interstellar ices, one can determine the composition and abundance of the materials frozen on the grains in dense clouds. Experiments are described in which the chemical evolution of an interstellar ice analog is determined during irradiation and subsequent warm-up. Particular attention is paid to the types of moderately complex organic materials produced during these experiments which are likely to be present in interstellar grains and cometary ices.

From Interstellar Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Ice to the Origin of Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allamandola, Louis

2004-01-01

Tremendous strides have been made in our understanding of interstellar material over the past twenty years thanks to significant, parallel developments in observational astronomy and laboratory astrophysics. Twenty years ago the composition of interstellar dust was largely guessed at, the concept of ices in dense molecular clouds ignored, and the notion of large, abundant, gas phase, carbon rich molecules widespread throughout the interstellar medium (ISM) considered impossible. Today the composition of dust in the diffuse ISM is reasonably well constrained to cold refractory materials comprised of amorphous and crystalline silicates mixed with an amorphous carbonaceous material containing aromatic structural units and short, branched aliphatic chains. In the dense ISM, the birthplace of stars and planets, these cold dust particles are coated with mixed molecular ices whose composition is very well constrained. Lastly, the signature of carbon-rich polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), shockingly large molecules by early interstellar chemistry standards, is widespread throughout the Universe. The first part of this talk will describe how infrared studies of interstellar space, combined with laboratory simulations, have revealed the composition of interstellar ices (the building blocks of comets) and the high abundance and nature of interstellar PAHs. The laboratory database has now enabled us to gain insight into the identities, abundances, and physical state of many interstellar materials. Within a dense molecular cloud, and especially in the presolar nebula, the materials frozen into the interstellar/precometary ices are photoprocessed by ultraviolet light and produce more complex molecules. The remainder of the presentation will focus on the photochemical evolution of these materials and the possible role of these compounds on the to the carbonaceous components of micrometeorites, they are likely to have been important sources of complex materials on the early Earth and their composition may be related to the origin of life.

Following the Interstellar History of Carbon: From the Interiors of Stars to the Surfaces of Planets.

PubMed

Ziurys, L M; Halfen, D T; Geppert, W; Aikawa, Y

2016-12-01

The chemical history of carbon is traced from its origin in stellar nucleosynthesis to its delivery to planet surfaces. The molecular carriers of this element are examined at each stage in the cycling of interstellar organic material and their eventual incorporation into solar system bodies. The connection between the various interstellar carbon reservoirs is also examined. Carbon has two stellar sources: supernova explosions and mass loss from evolved stars. In the latter case, the carbon is dredged up from the interior and then ejected into a circumstellar envelope, where a rich and unusual C-based chemistry occurs. This molecular material is eventually released into the general interstellar medium through planetary nebulae. It is first incorporated into diffuse clouds, where carbon is found in polyatomic molecules such as H 2 CO, HCN, HNC, c-C 3 H 2 , and even C 60 + . These objects then collapse into dense clouds, the sites of star and planet formation. Such clouds foster an active organic chemistry, producing compounds with a wide range of functional groups with both gas-phase and surface mechanisms. As stars and planets form, the chemical composition is altered by increasing stellar radiation, as well as possibly by reactions in the presolar nebula. Some molecular, carbon-rich material remains pristine, however, encapsulated in comets, meteorites, and interplanetary dust particles, and is delivered to planet surfaces. Key Words: Carbon isotopes-Prebiotic evolution-Interstellar molecules-Comets-Meteorites. Astrobiology 16, 997-1012.

Simulation of optical interstellar scintillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habibi, F.; Moniez, M.; Ansari, R.; Rahvar, S.

2013-04-01

Aims: Stars twinkle because their light propagates through the atmosphere. The same phenomenon is expected on a longer time scale when the light of remote stars crosses an interstellar turbulent molecular cloud, but it has never been observed at optical wavelengths. The aim of the study described in this paper is to fully simulate the scintillation process, starting from the molecular cloud description as a fractal object, ending with the simulations of fluctuating stellar light curves. Methods: Fast Fourier transforms are first used to simulate fractal clouds. Then, the illumination pattern resulting from the crossing of background star light through these refractive clouds is calculated from a Fresnel integral that also uses fast Fourier transform techniques. Regularisation procedure and computing limitations are discussed, along with the effect of spatial and temporal coherency (source size and wavelength passband). Results: We quantify the expected modulation index of stellar light curves as a function of the turbulence strength - characterised by the diffraction radius Rdiff - and the projected source size, introduce the timing aspects, and establish connections between the light curve observables and the refractive cloud. We extend our discussion to clouds with different structure functions from Kolmogorov-type turbulence. Conclusions: Our study confirms that current telescopes of ~4 m with fast-readout, wide-field detectors have the capability of discovering the first interstellar optical scintillation effects. We also show that this effect should be unambiguously distinguished from any other type of variability through the observation of desynchronised light curves, simultaneously measured by two distant telescopes.

SH Observations In and Toward Sgr B2(N): Linking the Missing Sulfur

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCarthy, Michael

Where is the missing sulfur in the molecular reservoir of the interstellar medium (ISM)? In the warm gas phase ISM, the abundance of sulfur is nearly equivalent to its solar value, but in the cold, diffuse clouds which span the space between stars, sulfur is depleted by several orders of magnitude. Our inability to account for this depletion represents a significant gap in our understanding of the fundamental chemical and physical processes occurring in the primordial reservoirs of gas and dust in the ISM. Central to this chemistry is SH, a radical for which few observations presently exist, and for which SOFIA is uniquely capable of accessing in its ground rotational state. We propose observations of SH in the cold, shocked molecular shell surrounding Sgr B2(N), and, simultaneously, in diffuse and translucent clouds along the line of sight to Sgr B2(N). We will constrain the abundance of SH, and compare it to previous measurements of SO, CS, C_2S, HCS(+) , H_2CS, and H_2S in these sources which span the evolutionary timescale from diffuse clouds to dense, cold shocked regions.

A rigorous detection of interstellar CH3NCO: An important missing species in astrochemical networks.

PubMed

Cernicharo, J; Kisiel, Z; Tercero, B; Kolesniková, L; Medvedev, I R; López, A; Fortman, S; Winnewisser, M; de Lucia, F C; Alonso, J L; Guillemin, J-C

2016-03-01

The recent analysis of the composition of the frozen surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko has revealed a significant number of complex organic molecules. Methyl isocyanate (CH 3 NCO) is one of the more abundant species detected on the comet surface. In this work we report extensive characterization of its rotational spectrum resulting in a list of 1269 confidently assigned laboratory lines and its detection in space towards the Orion clouds where 399 lines of the molecule have been unambiguously identified. We find that the limited mm-wave laboratory data reported prior to our work require some revision. The abundance of CH 3 NCO in Orion is only a factor of ten below those of HNCO and CH 3 CN. Unlike the molecular abundances in the coma of comets, which correlate with those of warm molecular clouds, molecular abundances in the gas phase in Orion are only weakly correlated with those measured on the comet surface. We also compare our abundances with those derived recently for this molecule towards Sgr B2 (Halfen et al. 2015). A more accurate abundance of CH 3 NCO is provided for this cloud based on our extensive laboratory work.

A rigorous detection of interstellar CH3NCO: An important missing species in astrochemical networks⋆,⋆⋆

PubMed Central

Cernicharo, J.; Kisiel, Z.; Tercero, B.; Kolesniková, L.; Medvedev, I.R.; López, A.; Fortman, S.; Winnewisser, M.; de Lucia, F. C.; Alonso, J. L.; Guillemin, J.-C.

2016-01-01

The recent analysis of the composition of the frozen surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko has revealed a significant number of complex organic molecules. Methyl isocyanate (CH3NCO) is one of the more abundant species detected on the comet surface. In this work we report extensive characterization of its rotational spectrum resulting in a list of 1269 confidently assigned laboratory lines and its detection in space towards the Orion clouds where 399 lines of the molecule have been unambiguously identified. We find that the limited mm-wave laboratory data reported prior to our work require some revision. The abundance of CH3NCO in Orion is only a factor of ten below those of HNCO and CH3CN. Unlike the molecular abundances in the coma of comets, which correlate with those of warm molecular clouds, molecular abundances in the gas phase in Orion are only weakly correlated with those measured on the comet surface. We also compare our abundances with those derived recently for this molecule towards Sgr B2 (Halfen et al. 2015). A more accurate abundance of CH3NCO is provided for this cloud based on our extensive laboratory work. PMID:27274565

Observational evidence of dust evolution in galactic extinction curves

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cecchi-Pestellini, Cesare; Casu, Silvia; Mulas, Giacomo

Although structural and optical properties of hydrogenated amorphous carbons are known to respond to varying physical conditions, most conventional extinction models are basically curve fits with modest predictive power. We compare an evolutionary model of the physical properties of carbonaceous grain mantles with their determination by homogeneously fitting observationally derived Galactic extinction curves with the same physically well-defined dust model. We find that a large sample of observed Galactic extinction curves are compatible with the evolutionary scenario underlying such a model, requiring physical conditions fully consistent with standard density, temperature, radiation field intensity, and average age of diffuse interstellar clouds.more » Hence, through the study of interstellar extinction we may, in principle, understand the evolutionary history of the diffuse interstellar clouds.« less

Copernicus observations of interstellar matter toward the Orion OB1 association. I - Epsilon and Pi-5 Orionis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shull, J. M.

1979-01-01

Copernicus UV data on interstellar lines toward Epsilon Ori and Pi-5 Ori are analyzed to study abundances and physical conditions in both low- and intermediate-velocity components. Clouds at -8 and +5 km/s (LSR) toward Epsilon Ori show typical depletions of Fe, Ti, Mg, and Si in dense (H number density about 100 per cu cm) gas. Low-column-density intermediate-velocity clouds toward both stars, with low densities (hydrogen number density less than 1 per cu cm) and near-cosmic Si abundances, are consistent with a widespread pattern of high-velocity gas over a 15-deg area surrounding the Orion region. Such activity may be attributed to the repeated action of supernovae in a patchy low-density region of interstellar gas.

More on the lambda 2800 A 'interstellar extinction' feature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLachlan, A.; Nandy, K.

1985-02-01

In a response made to a recent letter by Karim et al. (1984), it is shown that the examples of interstellar absorption at 2800 A that they attribute to proteinaceous material can all be attributed to overexposure of IUE detectors. It is pointed out that stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud show pronounced absorption at 2800 A which cannot be due to interstellar protein since there is no associated absorption at 2200 A; this lack of absorption cannot be due to presence of graphite, whose absorption is weak in the Cloud. The claim by Karim et al. that the spectra of eight stars show 2800 A absorption and that these spectra are saturation-free is considered, and it is shown that data processing problems at IUE ground stations make these spectra unreliable.

An interstellar cloud density from Copernicus observations of CO in the spectrum of Zeta Ophiuchi

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, A. M.; Stecher, T. P.; Krishna Swamy, K. S.

1978-01-01

Interstellar CO absorption bands in Copernicus spectra of Zeta Oph have been studied. Absorption profiles, computed under the assumption that excitation is due to collisions with H2 molecules and interaction with the 3-K background radiation field, were fitted to the reduced data of nine bands. When a gas kinetic temperature of 56 K is assumed, the best-fit condition implies a hydrogen-nucleus density of 120 per cu cm, a CO column density of 1.2 by 10 to the 15th power per sq cm, and a radial-velocity dispersion of 0.9 km/s. The relevance of these results to existing ideas concerning the Zeta Oph interstellar clouds is discussed. It is suggested that the strongest interstellar component is not circumstellar in origin but is instead part of a supernova remnant. Simple calculations are made to establish the plausibility of the supernova-remnant identification. This suggestion is also supported by Heiles's (1976) 21-cm pictures.

Correlation properties of interstellar dust: Diffuse interstellar bands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Somerville, W. B.

1989-01-01

Results are presented from a research program in which an attempt was made to establish the physical nature of the interstellar grains, and the carriers of the diffuse interstellar bands, by comparing relations between different observed properties; the properties used include the extinction in the optical and ultraviolet (including wavelength 2200 and the far-UV rise), cloud density, atomic depletions, and strengths of the diffuse bands. Observations and also data from literature were used, selecting particularly sight-lines where some observed property was found to have anomalous behavior.

A survey of bimolecular ion-molecule reactions for use in modeling the chemistry of planetary atmospheres, cometary comae, and interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anicich, V. G.; Huntress, W. T., Jr.

1986-01-01

All bimolecular positive ion-molecule reactions reported from 1965 to 1985 for temperatures below 1000 K are included in the present survey of those ion-molecule reactions pertinent to the chemistries of planetary atmospheres, cometary comae, and interstellar clouds. This survey is intended as an update of the first, by Huntress (1977). The tabular presentation is organized according to reactant ion, with cross-references for both the ionic and the neutral reactants as well as the ionic and neutral products.

Dissociative recombination in interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Black, John H.; Van Dishoeck, Ewine F.

1989-01-01

Molecular ions play a significant role in the chemistry and evolution of interstellar molecular clouds, even though these regions are overwhelmingly neutral. The dissociative recombination (DR) process governs the abundances of many of these ions and of related neutral species. The gas-phase ion-molecule chemistry of the simplest species is summarized, with emphasis on those problems which are most sensitive to uncertain rates or product branching ratios of DR processes. Examples of the kinds of information needed about DR processes are presented. The importance of the H3(+) ion and prospects for its direct observation are discussed.

H{sub 2} MOLECULAR CLUSTERS WITH EMBEDDED MOLECULES AND ATOMS AS THE SOURCE OF THE DIFFUSE INTERSTELLAR BANDS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bernstein, L. S.; Clark, F. O.; Lynch, D. K., E-mail: larry@spectral.com, E-mail: dave@thulescientific.com

2013-05-01

We suggest that the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) arise from absorption lines of electronic transitions in molecular clusters primarily composed of a single molecule, atom, or ion ({sup s}eed{sup )}, embedded in a single-layer shell of H{sub 2} molecules. Less abundant variants of the cluster, including two seed molecules and/or a two-layer shell of H{sub 2} molecules, may also occur. The lines are broadened, blended, and wavelength-shifted by interactions between the seed and surrounding H{sub 2} shell. We refer to these clusters as contaminated H{sub 2} clusters (CHCs). We show that CHC spectroscopy matches the diversity of observed DIB spectralmore » profiles and provides good fits to several DIB profiles based on a rotational temperature of 10 K. CHCs arise from {approx}centimeter-sized, dirty H{sub 2} ice balls, called contaminated H{sub 2} ice macro-particles (CHIMPs), formed in cold, dense, giant molecular clouds (GMCs), and later released into the interstellar medium (ISM) upon GMC disruption. Attractive interactions, arising from Van der Waals and ion-induced dipole potentials, between the seeds and H{sub 2} molecules enable CHIMPs to attain centimeter-sized dimensions. When an ultraviolet (UV) photon is absorbed in the outer layer of a CHIMP, it heats the icy matrix and expels CHCs into the ISM. While CHCs are quickly destroyed by absorbing UV photons, they are replenished by the slowly eroding CHIMPs. Since CHCs require UV photons for their release, they are most abundant at, but not limited to, the edges of UV-opaque molecular clouds, consistent with the observed, preferred location of DIBs. An inherent property of CHCs, which can be characterized as nanometer size, spinning, dipolar dust grains, is that they emit in the radio-frequency region. We also show that the CHCs offer a natural explanation for the anomalous microwave emission feature in the {approx}10-100 GHz spectral region.« less

Sub-Doppler slit jet infrared spectroscopy of astrochemically relevant cations: Symmetric (ν1) and antisymmetric (ν6) NH stretching modes in ND2H2+

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Chih-Hsuan; Nesbitt, David J.

2018-01-01

Sub-Doppler infrared rovibrational transitions in the symmetric (v1) and antisymmetric (v6) NH stretch modes of the isotopomerically substituted ND2H2+ ammonium cation are reported for the first time in a slit jet discharge supersonic expansion spectrometer. The partially H/D substituted cation is generated by selective isotopic exchange of ND3 with H2O to form NHD2, followed by protonation with H3+ formed in the NHD2/H2/Ne slit-jet discharge expansion environment. Rotational assignment for ND2H2+ is confirmed rigorously by four line ground state combination differences, which agree to be within the sub-Doppler precision in the slit jet (˜9 MHz). Observation of both b-type (ν1) and c-type (ν6) bands enables high precision determination of the ground and vibrationally excited state rotational constants. From an asymmetric top Watson Hamiltonian analysis, the ground state constants are found to be A″ = 4.856 75(4) cm-1, B″ = 3.968 29(4) cm-1, and C″ = 3.446 67(6) cm-1, with band origins at 3297.5440(1) and 3337.9050(1) cm-1 for the v1 and v6 modes, respectively. This work permits prediction of precision microwave/mm-wave transitions, which should be invaluable in facilitating ongoing spectroscopic searches for partially deuterated ammonium cations in interstellar clouds and star-forming regions of the interstellar medium.

Astrophysics: Multi-Molecular Views of a Stellar Nursery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiseman, Jennifer; Sewilo, Marta

2017-01-01

New detectors for radio telescopes can map emissions from many different molecules simultaneously across interstellar clouds. One such pioneering study has probed a wide area of a star-forming cloud in the Orion constellation.

Astrophysics: Multi-molecular views of a stellar nursery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiseman, Jennifer; Sewilo, Marta

2017-06-01

New detectors for radio telescopes can map emissions from many different molecules simultaneously across interstellar clouds. One such pioneering study has probed a wide area of a star-forming cloud in the Orion constellation.

Term Projects on Interstellar Comets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mack, John E.

1975-01-01

Presents two calculations of the probability of detection of an interstellar comet, under the hypothesis that such comets would escape from comet clouds similar to that believed to surround the sun. Proposes three problems, each of which would be a reasonable term project for a motivated undergraduate. (Author/MLH)

Laboratory Experiments on Rotation and Alignment of the Analogs of Interstellar Dust Grains by Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbas, M. M.; Craven, P. D.; Spann, J. F.; Tankosic, D.; LeClair, A.; Gallagher, D. L.; West, E. A.; Weingartner, J. C.; Witherow, W. K.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.

2004-01-01

The processes and mechanisms involved in the rotation and alignment of interstellar dust grains have been of great interest in astrophysics ever since the surprising discovery of the polarization of starlight more than half a century ago. Numerous theories, detailed mathematical models, and numerical studies of grain rotation and alignment with respect to the Galactic magnetic field have been presented in the literature. In particular, the subject of grain rotation and alignment by radiative torques has been shown to be of particular interest in recent years. However, despite many investigations, a satisfactory theoretical understanding of the processes involved in subject, we have carried out some unique experiments to illuminate the processes involved in the rotation of dust grains in the interstellar medium. In this paper we present the results of some preliminary laboratory experiments on the rotation of individual micron/submicron-sized, nonspherical dust grains levitated in an electrodynamic balance evacuated to pressures of approximately 10(exp -3) to 10(exp -5) torr. The particles are illuminated by laser light at 5320 A, and the grain rotation rates are obtained by analyzing the low-frequency (approximately 0 - 100 kHz) signal of the scattered light detected by a photodiode detector. The rotation rates are compared with simple theoretical models to retrieve some basic rotational parameters. The results are examined in light of the current theories of alignment.

Interstellar and Cometary Dust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathis, John S.

1997-01-01

'Interstellar dust' forms a continuum of materials with differing properties which I divide into three classes on the basis of observations: (a) diffuse dust, in the low-density interstellar medium; (b) outer-cloud dust, observed in stars close enough to the outer edges of molecular clouds to be observed in the optical and ultraviolet regions of the spectrum, and (c) inner-cloud dust, deep within the cores of molecular clouds, and observed only in the infrared by means of absorption bands of C-H, C=O, 0-H, C(triple bond)N, etc. There is a surprising regularity of the extinction laws between diffuse- and outer-cloud dust. The entire mean extinction law from infrared through the observable ultraviolet spectrum can be characterized by a single parameter. There are real deviations from this mean law, larger than observational uncertainties, but they are much smaller than differences of the mean laws in diffuse- and outer-cloud dust. This fact shows that there are processes which operate over the entire distribution of grain sizes, and which change size distributions extremely efficiently. There is no evidence for mantles on grains in local diffuse and outer-cloud dust. The only published spectra of the star VI Cyg 12, the best candidate for showing mantles, does not show the 3.4 micro-m band which appreciable mantles would produce. Grains are larger in outer-cloud dust than diffuse dust because of coagulation, not accretion of extensive mantles. Core-mantle grains favored by J. M. Greenberg and collaborators, and composite grains of Mathis and Whiffen (1989), are discussed more extensively (naturally, I prefer the latter). The composite grains are fluffy and consist of silicates, amorphous carbon, and some graphite in the same grain. Grains deep within molecular clouds but before any processing within the solar system are presumably formed from the accretion of icy mantles on and within the coagulated outer-cloud grains. They should contain a mineral/carbonaceous matrix, without organic refractory mantles, in between the ices. Unfortunately, they may be significantly processed by chemical processes accompanying the warming (over the 10 K of the dark cloud cores) which occurs in the outer solar system. Evidence of this processing is the chemical anomalies present in interplanetary dust particles collected in the stratosphere, which may be the most primitive materials we have obtained to date. The comet return mission would greatly clarify the situation, and probably provide samples of genuine interstellar grains.

Low-temperature surface formation of NH3 and HNCO: hydrogenation of nitrogen atoms in CO-rich interstellar ice analogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedoseev, G.; Ioppolo, S.; Zhao, D.; Lamberts, T.; Linnartz, H.

2015-01-01

Solid-state astrochemical reaction pathways have the potential to link the formation of small nitrogen-bearing species, like NH3 and HNCO, and prebiotic molecules, specifically amino acids. To date, the chemical origin of such small nitrogen-containing species is still not well understood, despite the fact that ammonia is an abundant constituent of interstellar ices towards young stellar objects and quiescent molecular clouds. This is mainly because of the lack of dedicated laboratory studies. The aim of this work is to experimentally investigate the formation routes of NH3 and HNCO through non-energetic surface reactions in interstellar ice analogues under fully controlled laboratory conditions and at astrochemically relevant temperatures. This study focuses on the formation of NH3 and HNCO in CO-rich (non-polar) interstellar ices that simulate the CO freeze-out stage in dark interstellar cloud regions, well before thermal and energetic processing start to become relevant. We demonstrate and discuss the surface formation of solid HNCO through the interaction of CO molecules with NH radicals - one of the intermediates in the formation of solid NH3 upon sequential hydrogenation of N atoms. The importance of HNCO for astrobiology is discussed.

The efficiency of photodissociation for molecules in interstellar ices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalvāns, J.

2018-05-01

Processing by interstellar photons affects the composition of the icy mantles on interstellar grains. The rate of photodissociation in solids differs from that of molecules in the gas phase. The aim of this work was to determine an average, general ratio between photodissociation coefficients for molecules in ice and gas. A 1D astrochemical model was utilized to simulate the chemical composition for a line of sight through a collapsing interstellar cloud core, whose interstellar extinction changes with time. At different extinctions, the calculated column densities of icy carbon oxides and ammonia (relative to water ice) were compared to observations. The latter were taken from literature data of background stars sampling ices in molecular clouds. The best-fit value for the solid/gas photodissociation coefficient ratio was found to be ≈0.3. In other words, gas-phase photodissociation rate coefficients have to be reduced by a factor of 0.3 before applying them to icy species. A crucial part of the model is a proper inclusion of cosmic-ray induced desorption. Observations sampling gas with total extinctions in excess of ≈22 mag were found to be uncorrelated to modelling results, possibly because of grains being covered with non-polar molecules.

Recent observations of interstellar molecules - Detection of CCO and a limit on H2C3O

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, R. D.; Cragg, D. M.; Godfrey, P. D.; Irvine, W. M.; Mcgonagle, D.; Ohishi, M.

1992-01-01

In order to test gas-phase reaction schemes for the production of small oxides of carbon in cold, dense interstellar clouds, we have searched for the radical CCO and for propadienone (H2C3O) in Taurus Molecular Cloud 1, a nearby cloud which exhibits a rich organic chemistry. The radical CCO has been detected with a fractional abundance some two orders of magnitude less than that of CCS, about one order of magnitude less than that of H2CCO, and slightly less than that of C3O. An upper limit has been obtained on the abundance of propadienone which is slightly less than that of its isomer propynal (HC2CHO).

Morphological diagnostics of star formation in molecular clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaumont, Christopher Norris

Molecular clouds are the birth sites of all star formation in the present-day universe. They represent the initial conditions of star formation, and are the primary medium by which stars transfer energy and momentum back to parsec scales. Yet, the physical evolution of molecular clouds remains poorly understood. This is not due to a lack of observational data, nor is it due to an inability to simulate the conditions inside molecular clouds. Instead, the physics and structure of the interstellar medium are sufficiently complex that interpreting molecular cloud data is very difficult. This dissertation mitigates this problem, by developing more sophisticated ways to interpret morphological information in molecular cloud observations and simulations. In particular, I have focused on leveraging machine learning techniques to identify physically meaningful substructures in the interstellar medium, as well as techniques to inter-compare molecular cloud simulations to observations. These contributions make it easier to understand the interplay between molecular clouds and star formation. Specific contributions include: new insight about the sheet-like geometry of molecular clouds based on observations of stellar bubbles; a new algorithm to disambiguate overlapping yet morphologically distinct cloud structures; a new perspective on the relationship between molecular cloud column density distributions and the sizes of cloud substructures; a quantitative analysis of how projection effects affect measurements of cloud properties; and an automatically generated, statistically-calibrated catalog of bubbles identified from their infrared morphologies.

Kinetic temperature in the interior of the zeta Ophiuchi cloud from Copernicus observations of interstellar C/sub 2/

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snow, T.P. Jr.

1978-03-15

The Copernicus ultraviolet telescope-spectrometer has been used to carry out sensitive scans of the D/sup 1/..sigma../sub u//sup +/-X/sup 1/..sigma../sup +/ (0-0) transition of C/sub 2/ at 2312 A in the spectrum of zeta Ophiuchi. An absorption feature was detected at the 4sigma level of significance at the position of the R(0) line, implying a column density of 1.22 x 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -2/ for the J=0 level. An upper limit on the R(2) line of 2.6 mA, yielding N(J=2) < or =1.66 x 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -2/ implies a rotational temperature of at most 22 K, with a high probabilitymore » that T/sub rot/< or =16 K. This represents the limit on the kinetic temperature of the ambient gas because radiative transitions between the rotational levels of this homonuclear molecule are forbidden. The total column density of C/sub 2/ is estimated to be at most 3.2 x 10/sup 12/, a factor of approx.4 below the abundance expected from a recent model calculation for the zeta Oph cloud. The discrepancy may be due to an incorrect branching ratio for the reaction CH)..-->..CH/sub 2/+H ..-->..+H/sub 2/, to the presence of greater depletion of carbon in the cloud core than assumed, to an underestimate of the photodissociation rate for C/sub 2/, or to an incorrect oscillator strength.« less

SEDIGISM: Structure, excitation, and dynamics of the inner Galactic interstellar medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuller, F.; Csengeri, T.; Urquhart, J. S.; Duarte-Cabral, A.; Barnes, P. J.; Giannetti, A.; Hernandez, A. K.; Leurini, S.; Mattern, M.; Medina, S.-N. X.; Agurto, C.; Azagra, F.; Anderson, L. D.; Beltrán, M. T.; Beuther, H.; Bontemps, S.; Bronfman, L.; Dobbs, C. L.; Dumke, M.; Finger, R.; Ginsburg, A.; Gonzalez, E.; Henning, T.; Kauffmann, J.; Mac-Auliffe, F.; Menten, K. M.; Montenegro-Montes, F. M.; Moore, T. J. T.; Muller, E.; Parra, R.; Perez-Beaupuits, J.-P.; Pettitt, A.; Russeil, D.; Sánchez-Monge, Á.; Schilke, P.; Schisano, E.; Suri, S.; Testi, L.; Torstensson, K.; Venegas, P.; Wang, K.; Wienen, M.; Wyrowski, F.; Zavagno, A.

2017-05-01

Context. The origin and life-cycle of molecular clouds are still poorly constrained, despite their importance for understanding the evolution of the interstellar medium. Many large-scale surveys of the Galactic plane have been conducted recently, allowing for rapid progress in this field. Nevertheless, a sub-arcminute resolution global view of the large-scale distribution of molecular gas, from the diffuse medium to dense clouds and clumps, and of their relationshipto the spiral structure, is still missing. Aims: We have carried out a systematic, homogeneous, spectroscopic survey of the inner Galactic plane, in order to complement the many continuum Galactic surveys available with crucial distance and gas-kinematic information. Our aim is to combine this data set with recent infrared to sub-millimetre surveys at similar angular resolutions. Methods: The SEDIGISM survey covers 78 deg2 of the inner Galaxy (-60°≤ℓ≤ 18°, |b|≤ 0.5°) in the J = 2-1 rotational transition of 13CO. This isotopologue of CO is less abundant than 12CO by factors up to 100. Therefore, its emission has low to moderate optical depths, and higher critical density, making it an ideal tracer of the cold, dense interstellar medium. The data have been observed with the SHFI single-pixel instrument at APEX. The observational setup covers the 13CO(2-1) and C18O(2-1) lines, plus several transitions from other molecules. Results: The observations have been completed. Data reduction is in progress, and the final data products will be made available in the near future. Here we give a detailed description of the survey and the dedicated data reduction pipeline. To illustrate the scientific potential of this survey, preliminary results based on a science demonstration field covering -20°≤ℓ ≤ -18.5° are presented. Analysis of the 13CO(2-1) data in this field reveals compact clumps, diffuse clouds, and filamentary structures at a range of heliocentric distances. By combining our data with data in the (1-0) transition of CO isotopologues from the ThrUMMS survey, we are able to compute a 3D realization of the excitation temperature and optical depth in the interstellar medium. Ultimately, this survey will provide a detailed, global view of the inner Galactic interstellar medium at an unprecedented angular resolution of 30''. This publication is based on data acquired with the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) under programmes 092.F-9315(A) and 193.C-0584(A). APEX is a collaboration between the Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, the European Southern Observatory, and the Onsala Space Observatory.Full Table 5 and Table A.1 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/601/A124

Hot interstellar gas and ionization of embedded clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, K.-P.; Bruhweiler, F.

1990-01-01

Researchers present detailed photoionization calculations for the instellar cloud in which the Sun is embedded. They consider the EUV radiation field with contribution from discrete stellar sources and from a thermal bremsstrahlung-radiative recombination spectrum emitted from the surrounding 10 to the 6th power k coronal substrate. They establish lower limits to the fractional ionization of hydrogen and helium of 0.17 and 0.29 respectively. The high He ionization fraction results primarily from very strong line emission below 500 A originating in the surrounding coronal substrate while the H ionization is dominated by the EUV radiation from the discrete stellar sources. The dual effects of thermal conduction and the EUV spectrum of the 10 to the 6th k plasma on ionization in the cloud skin are explored. The EUV radiation field and Auger ionization have insignificant effects on the resulting ionic column densities of Si IV, C IV, N V and O VI through the cloud skin. Calculations show that the abundances of these species are dominated by collisional ionization in the thermal conduction front. Because of a low charge exchange rate with hydrogen, the ionic column density ratios of N (CIII)/N (CII) and N (NII)/N (NI) are dominated by the EUV radiation field in the local interstellar medium. These ratios should be important diagnostics for the EUV radiation field and serve as surrogate indicators of the interstellar He and H ionization fraction respectively. Spacecraft such as Lyman which is designed to obtain high resolution spectral data down to the Lyman limit at 912 A could sample interstellar lines of these ions.

Faraday rotation measure variations in the Cygnus region and the spectrum of interstellar plasma turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lazio, T. Joseph; Spangler, Steven R.; Cordes, James M.

1990-01-01

Linear polarization observations were made of eight double-lobed radio galaxies viewed through the galactic plane in the Cygnus region. These observations have been used to determine intra- and intersource rotation measure differences; in some cases, unambiguous rotation measures have been extracted. The rotation measures are dominated by foreground magnetoionic material. The differences in rotation measure between pairs of sources correlate with angular separation for separations from 10 arcsec to 1.5 deg. These rotation measure fluctuations are consistent with a model in which the electron density varies on roughly 0.1-200 pc scales. The amplitudes of these variations are, in turn, consistent with those electron density variations that cause diffractive interstellar scattering on scales less than 10 to the 11th cm.

Distribution of hot stars and hydrogen in the Large Magellanic Cloud

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Page, T.; Carruthers, G. R.

1981-01-01

Imagery of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), in the wavelength ranges 1050 to 1600 A and 1250 to 1600 A, was obtained by the S201 far ultraviolet camera during the Apollo 16 mission. These images were reduced to absolute far-UV intensity distributions over the area of the LMC, with 3 to 5 arc min angular resolution. Comparison of these far-UV measurements in the LMC with H sub alpha and 21 cm surveys reveals that interstellar hydrogen in the LMC is often concentrated in 100 pc clouds within 500 pc clouds. Furthermore, at least 25 associations of O-B stars in the LMC are outside the interstellar hydrogen clouds; four of them appear to be on the far side. Far-UV and mid-UV spectra were obtained of stars in 12 of these associations, using the International Ultraviolet Explorer. Equivalent widths of L alpha and six other lines, and relative intensities of the continuum at seven wavelength from 1300 A to 2900 A, were measured. These spectra are also discussed.

A flux-limited treatment for the conductive evaporation of spherical interstellar gas clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dalton, William W.; Balbus, Steven A.

1993-01-01

In this work, we present and analyze a new analytic solution for the saturated (flux-limited) thermal evaporation of a spherical cloud. This work is distinguished from earlier analytic studies by allowing the thermal conductivity to change continuously from a diffusive to a saturated form, in a manner usually employed only in numerical calculations. This closed form solution will be of interest as a computational benchmark. Using our calculated temperature profiles and mass-loss rates, we model the thermal evaporation of such a cloud under typical interstellar medium (ISM) conditions, with some restrictions. We examine the ionization structure of the cloud-ISM interface and evaluate column densities of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, neon, and silicon ions toward the cloud. In accord with other investigations, we find that ionization equilibrium is far from satisfied under the assumed conditions. Since the inclusion of saturation effects in the heat flux narrows the thermal interface relative to its classical structure, we also find that saturation effects tend to lower predicted column densities.

The interstellar D1 line at high resolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hobbs, L. M.; Welty, D. E.

1990-01-01

Observations at a resolving power or a velocity resolution are reported of the interstellar D(sub 1) line of Na I in the spectra of gamma Cas, delta Ori, epsilon Ori, pi Sco, delta Cyg, and alpha Cyg. An echelle grating was used in a double-pass configuration with a CCD detector in the coude spectrograph of the 2.7 m reflector at McDonald Observatory. At least 42 kinematically distinct clouds are detected along the light paths to the five more distant stars, in addition to a single cloud seen toward delta Cyg. The absorption lines arising in 13 of the clouds are sufficiently narrow and unblended to reveal clearly resolved hyperfine structure components split by 1.05 km/s. An additional 13 clouds apparently show comparably narrow, but more strongly blended, lines. For each individual cloud, upper limits T(sub max) and (v sub t)(sub max) on the temperature and the turbulent velocity, respectively, are derived by fitting the observed lines with theoretical absorption profiles.

ON THE INTERACTION OF ADENINE WITH IONIZING RADIATION: MECHANISTICAL STUDIES AND ASTROBIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Evans, Nicholas L.; Ullrich, Susanne; Bennett, Chris J.

2011-04-01

The molecular inventory available on the prebiotic Earth was likely derived from both terrestrial and extraterrestrial sources. A complete description of which extraterrestrial molecules may have seeded early Earth is therefore necessary to fully understand the prebiotic evolution which led to life. Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) are expected to cause both the formation and destruction of important biomolecules-including nucleic acid bases such as adenine-in the interstellar medium within the ices condensed on interstellar grains. The interstellar ultraviolet (UV) component is expected to photochemically degrade gas-phase adenine on a short timescale of only several years. However, the destruction rate is expectedmore » to be significantly reduced when adenine is shielded in dense molecular clouds or even within the ices of interstellar grains. Here, biomolecule destruction by the energetic charged particle component of the GCR becomes important as it is not fully attenuated. Presented here are results on the destruction rate of the nucleobase adenine in the solid state at 10 K by energetic electrons, as generated in the track of cosmic ray particles as they penetrate ices. When both UV and energetic charged particle destructive processes are taken into account, the half-life of adenine within dense interstellar clouds is found to be {approx}6 Myr, which is on the order of a star-forming molecular cloud. We also discuss chemical reaction pathways within the ices to explain the production of observed species, including the formation of nitriles (R-C{identical_to}N), epoxides (C-O-C), and carbonyl functions (R-C=O).« less

Non-equilibrium ionization around clouds evaporating in the interstellar medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballet, J.; Luciani, J. F.; Mora, P.

1986-01-01

It is of prime importance for global models of the interstellar medium to know whether dense clouds do or do not evaporate in the hot coronal gas. The rate of mass exchanges between phases depends very much on that. McKee and Ostriker's model, for instance, assumes that evaporation is important enough to control the expansion of supernova remnants, and that mass loss obeys the law derived by Cowie and McKee. In fact, the geometry of the magnetic field is nearly unknown, and it might totally inhibit evaporation, if the clouds are not regularly connected to the hot gas. Up to now, the only test of the theory is the U.V. observation (by the Copernicus and IUE satellites) of absorption lines of ions such as OVI or NV, that exist at temperatures of a few 100,000 K typical of transition layers around evaporating clouds. Other means of testing the theory are discussed.

Spitzer Observations of Dust Destruction in the Puppis A Supernova Remnant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arendt, Richard G.; Dweek, Eli; Blair, William P.; Ghavamian, Parviz; Hwang, Una; Long, Knox X.; Petre, Robert; Rho, Jeonghee; Winkler, P. Frank

2010-01-01

The interaction of the Puppis A supernova remnant (SNR) with a neighboring molecular cloud provides a unique opportunity to measure the amount of grain destruction in an SNR shock. Spitzer Space Telescope MIPS imaging of the entire SNR at 24, 70, and 160 micrometers shows an extremely good correlation with X-ray emission, indicating that the SNR's IR radiation is dominated by the thermal emission of swept-up interstellar dust, collisionally heated by the hot shocked gas. Spitzer IRS spectral observations targeted both the Bright Eastern Knot (BEK) of the SNR where a small cloud has been engulfed by the supernova blast wave and outlying portions of the associated molecular cloud that are yet to be hit by the shock front. Modeling the spectra from both regions reveals the composition and the grain size distribution of the interstellar dust, both in front of and behind the SNR shock front. The comparison shows that the ubiquitous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of the interstellar medium are destroyed within the BEK, along with nearly 25% of the mass of graphite and silicate dust grains.

The Properties of Single Interstellar Clouds: Cycle 1, SIDE-2 Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobbs, Lewis

1990-12-01

WE PROPOSE TO USE THE ECHELLE GRATING OF THE HIGH RESOLUTION SPECTROGRAPH OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD TO OBSERVE THE PROFILES OF INTERSTELLAR ABSORPTION LINES. THE COLUMN DENSITES OF 18 NEUTRAL OR IONIZED FORMS OF THE ELEMENTS C,N,O,Mg,Si,P,S,Fe, AND Zn WILL BE MEASURED IN THE APPROXIMATELY 100 INDIVIDUAL INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS ALONG THE LIGHT PATHS TO 18 BRIGHT, BROAD-LINED STARS OF EARLY SPECTRAL TYPE WITHIN 1 KPC OF THE SUN. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE OBSERVATIONS IS TO DETERMINE MORE ACCURATELY THAN WAS HITHERTO POSSIBLE THE FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE RESOLVED CLOUDS, INCLUDING LINEAR SIZE, TEMPERATURE, TOTAL DENSITY, FRACTIONAL IONIZATION AND THE RELATIVE ABUNDANCES OF THE 9 SELECTED ELEMENTS. THE REST OF THIS OBSERVING PROGRAM IS CONTAINED IN APPROVED PROPOSAL ID = 2251; THE PROGRAM EUNUMERATED HERE CONSISTS OF THAT PART OF OUR ORIGINAL PROGRAM WHICH CAN BE CARRIED OUT USING ONLY SIDE 2 OF THE GHRS. THIS PROGRAM THEREFORE CONSISTS OF ECH-B OBSERVATIONS OF EACH OF 4 STARS AT 7 WAVELENGTHS. PROGRAM 2251 SHOULD BE CONSULTED FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

The Properties of Single Interstellar Clouds: Hopr Repeat Cycle 1, SIDE-2 Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobbs, Lewis

1990-12-01

WE PROPOSE TO USE THE ECHELLE GRATING OF THE HIGH RESOLUTION SPECTROGRAPH OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD TO OBSERVE THE PROFILES OF INTERSTELLAR ABSORPTION LINES. THE COLUMN DENSITES OF 18 NEUTRAL OR IONIZED FORMS OF THE ELEMENTS C,N,O,Mg,Si,P,S,Fe, AND Zn WILL BE MEASURED IN THE APPROXIMATELY 100 INDIVIDUAL INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS ALONG THE LIGHT PATHS TO 18 BRIGHT, BROAD-LINED STARS OF EARLY SPECTRAL TYPE WITHIN 1 KPC OF THE SUN. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE OBSERVATIONS IS TO DETERMINE MORE ACCURATELY THAN WAS HITHERTO POSSIBLE THE FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE RESOLVED CLOUDS, INCLUDING LINEAR SIZE, TEMPERATURE, TOTAL DENSITY, FRACTIONAL IONIZATION AND THE RELATIVE ABUNDANCES OF THE 9 SELECTED ELEMENTS. THE REST OF THIS OBSERVING PROGRAM IS CONTAINED IN APPROVED PROPOSAL ID = 2251; THE PROGRAM EUNUMERATED HERE CONSISTS OF THAT PART OF OUR ORIGINAL PROGRAM WHICH CAN BE CARRIED OUT USING ONLY SIDE 2 OF THE GHRS. THIS PROGRAM THEREFORE CONSISTS OF ECH-B OBSERVATIONS OF EACH OF 4 STARS AT 7 WAVELENGTHS. PROGRAM 2251 SHOULD BE CONSULTED FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

The Properties of Single Interstellar Clouds Cycle 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobbs, Lewis

1991-07-01

IN THIS CONTINUATION PROPOSAL, WE PROPOSE TO USE THE ECHELLEAND 160M GRATINGS OF THE HIGH RESOLUTION SPECTROGRAPH TO OBSERVE THE PZROFILES OF INTERSTELLAR ABSORPTION LINES, DURING THE SECOND YEAR OF A TWO-YEAR PROGRAM. IN THE TWO CYCLES TOGETHER, THE COLUMN DENSITES OF 17 NEUTRAL OR IONIZED FORMS OF THE ELEMENTS C,N,O,Mg,Si,P,S,Fe, AND Zn WILL BE MEASURED IN THE APPROXIMATELY 100 INDIVIDUAL INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS ALONG THE LIGHT PATHS TO 12 BRIGHT, BROAD-LINED STARS OF EARLY SPECTRAL TYPE WITHIN 1 KPC OF THE SUN. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE OBSERVATIONS IS TO DETERMINE MORE ACCURATELY THAN WAS HITHERTO POSSIBLE THE FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE RESOLVED CLOUDS, INCLUDING LINEAR SIZE, TEMPERATURE, TOTAL DENSITY, FRACTIONAL IONIZATION AND THE RELATIVE ABUNDANCES OF THE 9 SELECTED ELEMENTS. THIS SECOND-YEAR PROGRAM CONSISTS OF ECH-B AND G160M OBSERVATIONS OF EACH OF 4 STARS AT 21 OR MORE WAVELENGTHS, AND OF A SUBSET OF THESE OBSERVATIONS FOR A FIFTH STAR, PI SCO. PROGRAMS 2251 AND 3993 SHOULD BE CONSULTED FOR DETAILS OF THE PREVIOUS OBSERVATIONS OBTAINED DURING CYCLE 1.

The violent interstellar medium in Milky-Way like disk galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karoline Walch, Stefanie

2015-08-01

Molecular clouds are cold, dense, and turbulent filamentary structures that condense out of the multi-phase interstellar medium. They are also the sites of star formation. The minority of new-born stars is massive, but these stars are particularly important for the fate of their parental molecular clouds as their feedback drives turbulence and regulates star formation.I will present results from the SILCC project (SImulating the Life Cycle of molecular Clouds), in which we study the formation and dispersal of molecular clouds within the multi-phase ISM using high-performance, three-dimensional simulations of representative pieces of disk galaxies. Apart from stellar feedback, self-gravity, an external stellar potential, and magnetic fields, we employ an accurate description of gas heating and cooling as well as a small chemical network including molecule formation and (self-)shielding from the interstellar radiation field. We study the impact of the supernova rate and the positioning of the supernova explosions with respect to the molecular gas in a well defined set of simulations. This allows us to draw conclusions on structure of the multi-phase ISM, the amount of molecular gas formed, and the onset of galactic outflows. Furthermore, we show how important stellar wind feedback is for regulating star formation in these disks.

Laboratory Experiments on Rotation and Alignment of the Analogs of Interstellar Dust Grains by Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbas, M. M.; Craven, P. D.; Spann, J. F.; Tankosic, D.; LeClair, A.; Gallagher, D. L.; West, E. A.; Weingartner, J. C.; Witherow, W. K.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.

2004-01-01

The processes and mechanisms involved in the rotation and alignment of interstellar dust grains have been of great interest in astrophysics ever since the surprising discovery of the polarization of starlight more than half a century ago. Numerous theories, detailed mathematical models and numerical studies of grain rotation and alignment with respect to the Galactic magnetic field have been presented in the literature. In particular, the subject of grain rotation and alignment by radiative torques has been shown to be of particular interest in recent years. However, despite many investigations, a satisfactory theoretical understanding of the processes involved in grain rotation and alignment has not been achieved. As there appears to be no experimental data available on this subject, we have carried out some unique experiments to illuminate the processes involved in rotation of dust grains in the interstellar medium. In this paper we present the results of some preliminary laboratory experiments on the rotation of individual micron/submicron size nonspherical dust grains levitated in an electrodynamic balance evacuated to pressures of approximately 10(exp -3) to 10(exp -5) torr. The particles are illuminated by laser light at 5320 Angstroms, and the grain rotation rates are obtained by analyzing the low frequency (approximately 0-100 kHz) signal of the scattered light detected by a photodiode detector. The rotation rates are compared with simple theoretical models to retrieve some basic rotational parameters. The results are examined in the light of the current theories of alignment.

Modeling the chemistry of the dense interstellar clouds. I - Observational constraints for the chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Federman, S. R.; Huntress, W. T., Jr.; Prasad, S. S.

1990-01-01

A search for correlations arising from molecular line data is made in order to place constraints on the chemical models of interstellar clouds. At 10 to the 21st H2/sq cm, N(CO) for dark clouds is a factor of six greater than the value for diffuse clouds. This implies that the strength of the UV radiation field where CO shields itself from dissociation is about one-half the strength of the average Galactic field. The dark cloud data indicate that the abundance of CO continues to increase with A(V) for directions with A(V) of 4 mag or less, although less steeply with N(H2) than for diffuse clouds. For H2CO, a quadratic relationship is obtained in plots versus H2 column density. The data suggest a possible turnover at the highest values for A(V). NH3 shows no correlation with H2, C(O-18), HC3N, or HC5N; a strong correlation is found between HC5N and HC3N, indicating a chemical link between the cyanopolyynes.

Cosmic ray processing of N2-containing interstellar ice analogues at dark cloud conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedoseev, G.; Scirè, C.; Baratta, G. A.; Palumbo, M. E.

2018-04-01

N2 is believed to lock considerable part of nitrogen elemental budget and, therefore, to be one of the most abundant ice constituent in cold dark clouds. This laboratory-based research utilizes high energetic processing of N2 containing interstellar ice analogues using 200 keV H+ and He+ ions that mimics cosmic ray processing of the interstellar icy grains. It aims to investigate the formation of (iso)cyanates and cyanides in the ice mantles at the conditions typical for cold dark clouds and prestellar cores. Investigation of cosmic ray processing as a chemical trigger mechanism is explained by the high stability of N2 molecules that are chemically inert in most of the atom- and radical-addition reactions and cannot be efficiently dissociated by cosmic ray induced UV-field. Two sets of experiments are performed to closer address solid-state chemistry occurring in two distinct layers of the ice formed at different stages of dark cloud evolution, i.e. `H2O-rich' and `CO-rich' ice layers. Formation of HNCO and OCN- is discussed in all of the performed experiments. Corresponding kinetic curves for HNCO and OCN- are obtained. Furthermore, a feature around 2092 cm-1 assigned to the contributions of 13CO, CN-, and HCN is analysed. The kinetic curves for the combined HCN/CN- abundance are derived. In turn, normalized formation yields are evaluated by interpolation of the obtained results to the low irradiation doses relevant to dark cloud stage. The obtained values can be used to interpret future observations towards cold dark clouds using James Webb Space Telescope.

THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM IN THE KEPLER SEARCH VOLUME

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Marshall C.; Redfield, Seth; Jensen, Adam G., E-mail: mjohnson@astro.as.utexas.edu

2015-07-10

The properties of the interstellar medium (ISM) surrounding a planetary system can impact planetary climate through a number of mechanisms, including changing the size of the astrosphere (one of the major shields for cosmic rays) as well as direct deposition of material into planetary atmospheres. In order to constrain the ambient ISM conditions for exoplanetary systems, we present observations of interstellar Na i and K i absorption toward seventeen early type stars in the Kepler prime mission field of view (FOV). We identify 39 Na i and 8 K i velocity components, and attribute these to 11 ISM clouds. Sixmore » of these are detected toward more than one star, and for these clouds we put limits on the cloud properties, including distance and hydrogen number density. We identify one cloud with significant (≳1.5 cm{sup −3}) hydrogen number density located within the nominal ∼100 pc boundary of the Local Bubble. We identify systems with confirmed planets within the Kepler FOV that could lie within these ISM clouds, and estimate upper limits on the astrosphere sizes of these systems under the assumption that they do lie within these clouds. Under this condition, the Kepler-20, 42, and 445 multiplanet systems could have compressed astrospheres much smaller than the present-day heliosphere. Among the known habitable zone planet hosts, Kepler-186 could have an astrosphere somewhat smaller than the heliosphere, while Kepler-437 and KOI-4427 could have astrospheres much larger than the heliosphere. The thick disk star Kepler-444 may have an astrosphere just a few AU in radius.« less

A survey of bimolecular ion-molecule reactions for use in modeling the chemistry of planetary atmospheres, cometary comae, and interstellar clouds - 1993 supplement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anicich, V. G.

1993-01-01

This is a supplement to a previous paper (Anicich & Huntress 1986). It is a survey of bimolecular positive ion-molecule reactions with potential importance to the chemistry of planetary atmospheres, cometary comae, and interstellar clouds. This supplement covers the literature from 1986 through 1991, with some additional citations missed in the original survey. Over 200 new citations are included. A table of reactions is listed by reactant ion, and cross-references are provided for both ionic and neutral reactants and also for both ionic and neutral products.

Molecular clouds in galaxies with different Z - Fragmentation of diffuse clouds driven by opacity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Franco, Jose; Cox, Donald P.

1986-01-01

Molecular clouds are formed from diffuse interstellar clouds when the external ultraviolet radiation field is prevented from penetrating into the cloud. The opacity is provided mainly by dust grains and the required column density to the cloud center is larger than about 5 x 10 to the 20th (solar Z/Z)/sq cm. This high-opacity criterion could have a significant impact on the radial trends observed in spiral galaxies, and on the distinctions between spiral and dwarf irregular galaxies.

VARIATIONS BETWEEN DUST AND GAS IN THE DIFFUSE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM. II. SEARCH FOR COLD GAS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reach, William T.; Heiles, Carl; Bernard, Jean-Philippe, E-mail: wreach@sofia.usra.edu

2017-01-01

The content of interstellar clouds, in particular the inventory of diffuse molecular gas, remains uncertain. We identified a sample of isolated clouds, approximately 100 M {sub ⊙} in size, and used the dust content to estimate the total amount of gas. In Paper I, the total inferred gas content was found significantly larger than that seen in 21 cm emission measurements of H i. In this paper we test the hypothesis that the apparent excess “dark” gas is cold H i, which would be evident in absorption but not in emission due to line saturation. The results show that theremore » is not enough 21 cm absorption toward the clouds to explain the total amount of “dark” gas.« less

Ion-molecule calculation of the abundance ratio of CCD to CCH in dense interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herbst, Eric; Adams, Nigel G.; Smith, David; Defrees, D. J.

1987-01-01

Laboratory measurements and calculations have been performed to determine the abundance ratio of the deuterated ethynyl radical (CCD) to the normal radical (CCH) which can be achieved in dense interstellar clouds via isotopic fractionation in the C2H2(+) (HD)=C2HD(+)(H2) system of reactions. According to this limited treatment, the CCD/CCH abundance ratio which can be attained is in the range 0.02-0.03 for the Orion molecular cloud and 0.0l-0.02 for TMC-1. These ranges of numbers are in reasonable agreement with the observed values in Orion and TMC-1. However, the analysis of the CCD/CCH abundance ratio is complicated via the presence of competing fractionation mechanisms, especially in the low-temperature source TMC-1.

Observational analysis of the well-correlated diffuse bands: 6196 and 6614 Å

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krełowski, J.; Galazutdinov, G. A.; Bondar, A.; Beletsky, Y.

2016-08-01

We confirm, using spectra from seven observatories, that the diffuse bands 6196 and 6614 are very tightly correlated. However, their strength ratio is not constant as well as profile shapes. Apparently, the two interstellar features do not react in unison to the varying physical conditions of different interstellar clouds.

CNO isotopes in red giant stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wannier, P. G.

1985-01-01

The production and distribution of the CNO nuclides is discussed in light of observed abundance ratios in red giants and in the interstellar medium. Isotope abundances have been measured in the atmospheres and in the recent ejecta of cool giants, including carbon stars, S-type stars and red supergiants as well as in oxygen-rich giants making their first ascent of the giant branch. Several of the observations suggest revision of currently accepted nuclear cross-sections and of the mixing processes operating in giant envelopes. By comparing red giant abundances with high-quality observations of the interstellar medium, conclusions are reached about the contribution of intermediate-mass stars to galactic nuclear evolution. The three oxygen isotopes, O-16, -17 and -18, are particularly valuable for such comparison because they reflect three different stages of stellar nucleosynthesis. One remarkable result comes from observations of O-17/O-18 in several classes of red giant stars. The observed range of values for red giants excludes the entire range of values seen in interstellar molecular clouds. Furthermore, both the observations of stars and interstellar clouds exclude the isotopic ratio found in the solar system.

Low-energy electron-induced chemistry of condensed methanol: implications for the interstellar synthesis of prebiotic molecules.

PubMed

Boamah, Mavis D; Sullivan, Kristal K; Shulenberger, Katie E; Soe, ChanMyae M; Jacob, Lisa M; Yhee, Farrah C; Atkinson, Karen E; Boyer, Michael C; Haines, David R; Arumainayagam, Christopher R

2014-01-01

In the interstellar medium, UV photolysis of condensed methanol (CH3OH), contained in ice mantles surrounding dust grains, is thought to be the mechanism that drives the formation of "complex" molecules, such as methyl formate (HCOOCH3), dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3), acetic acid (CH3COOH), and glycolaldehyde (HOCH2CHO). The source of this reaction-initiating UV light is assumed to be local because externally sourced UV radiation cannot penetrate the ice-containing dark, dense molecular clouds. Specifically, exceedingly penetrative high-energy cosmic rays generate secondary electrons within the clouds through molecular ionizations. Hydrogen molecules, present within these dense molecular clouds, are excited in collisions with these secondary electrons. It is the UV light, emitted by these electronically excited hydrogen molecules, that is generally thought to photoprocess interstellar icy grain mantles to generate "complex" molecules. In addition to producing UV light, the large numbers of low-energy (< 20 eV) secondary electrons, produced by cosmic rays, can also directly initiate radiolysis reactions in the condensed phase. The goal of our studies is to understand the low-energy, electron-induced processes that occur when high-energy cosmic rays interact with interstellar ices, in which methanol, a precursor of several prebiotic species, is the most abundant organic species. Using post-irradiation temperature-programmed desorption, we have investigated the radiolysis initiated by low-energy (7 eV and 20 eV) electrons in condensed methanol at - 85 K under ultrahigh vacuum (5 x 10(-10) Torr) conditions. We have identified eleven electron-induced methanol radiolysis products, which include many that have been previously identified as being formed by methanol UV photolysis in the interstellar medium. These experimental results suggest that low-energy, electron-induced condensed phase reactions may contribute to the interstellar synthesis of "complex" molecules previously thought to form exclusively via UV photons.

Laboratory absorption spectra of molecules at interstellar cloud temperatures - First measurements on CO at about 97 nm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, P. L.; Yoshino, K.; Stark, G.; Ito, K.; Stevens, M. H.

1991-01-01

In the 91-100 nm spectral region, where absorption of photons by interstellar CO usually leads to dissociation, laboratory spectra obtained at 295 K show that most CO bands are both overlapped and perturbed. Reliable band oscillator strengths cannot be extracted from such spectra. As a consequence, synthetic extreme-ultraviolet absorption spectra for CO at the low temperatures that prevail in interstellar clouds are uncertain. A supersonic expansion technique has been used to cool CO to 30 K and three bands in the 97-nm region have been studied with high spectral resolution. The measured spectrum at 30 K is in reasonable agreement with some published modeled spectra, but the ratios of integrated cross sections are somewhat different from those determined from low resolution spectra obtained at 295 K, in which the bands are blended.

Metastability of isoformyl ions in collisions with helium and hydrogen. [in interstellar molecular clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, S.

1984-01-01

The stability of HOC(+) ions under conditions in interstellar molecular clouds is considered. In particular, the possibility that collisions with helium or hydrogen will induce isomerization to the stable HCO(+) form is examined theoretically. Portions of the electronic potential energy surfaces for interaction with He and H atoms are obtained from standard quantum mechanical calculations. Collisions with He atoms are found to be totally ineffective for inducing isomerization. Collisions with H atoms are found to be ineffective at low interstellar temperatures owing to a small (about 500 K) barrier in the entrance channel; at higher temperatures where this barrier can be overcome, however, collisions with hydrogen atoms do result in conversion to the stable HCO(+) form. Although detailed calculations are not presented, it is argued that low-energy collisions with H2 molecules are also ineffective in destroying the metastable ion.

The Origin of Filamentary Star Forming Clouds in Magnetised Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Körtgen, Bastian; Banerjee, Robi; Pudritz, Ralph E.; Schmidt, Wolfram

2018-05-01

Observations show that galaxies and their interstellar media are pervaded by strong magnetic fields with energies in the diffuse component being at least comparable to the thermal and even as large or larger than the turbulent energy. Such strong magnetic fields prevent the formation of stars because patches of the interstellar medium are magnetically subcritical. Here we present the results from global numerical simulations of strongly magnetised and self-gravitating galactic discs, which show that the buoyancy of the magnetic field due to the Parker instability leads at first to the formation of giant filamentary regions. These filamentary structures become gravitationally unstable and fragment into ˜105M⊙ clouds that attract kpc long, coherent filamentary flows that build them into GMCs. Our results thus provide a solution to the long-standing problem of how the transition from sub- to supercritical regions in the interstellar medium proceeds.

Organic Synthesis in Simulated Interstellar Ice Analogs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dworkin, Jason P.; Bernstein, Max P.; Sandford, Scott A.; Allamandola, Louis J.; Deamer, David W.; Elsila, Jamie; Zare, Richard N.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Comets and carbonaceous micrometeorites may have been significant sources of organic compounds on the early Earth. Ices on grains in interstellar dense molecular clouds contain a variety of simple molecules as well as aromatic molecules of various sizes. While in these clouds the icy grains are processed by ultraviolet light and cosmic radiation which produces more complex organic molecules. ID We have run laboratory simulations to identify the types of molecules which could have been generated photolytically in pre-cometary ices. Experiments were conducted by forming various realistic interstellar mixed-molecular ices with and without polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at approx. 10 K under high vacuum irradiated with LTV light from a hydrogen plasma lamp: The residue that remained after warming to room temperature was analyzed by HPLC, and by laser desorption mass spectrometry. The residue contains several classes of compounds which may be of prebiotic significance.

Organic Synthesis in Simulated Interstellar Ice Analogs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dworkin, Jason P.; Bernstein, Max P.; Sandford, Scott A.; Allamandola, Louis J.; Deamer, David W.; Elsila, Jamie; Zare, Richard N.

2001-01-01

Comets and carbonaceous micrometeorites may have been significant sources of organic compounds on the early Earth. Ices on grains in interstellar dense molecular clouds contain a variety of simple molecules as well as aromatic molecules of various sizes. While in these clouds the icy grains are processed by ultraviolet light and cosmic radiation which produces more complex organic molecules. We have run laboratory simulations to identify the types of molecules which could have been generated photolytically in pre-cometary ices. Experiments were conducted by forming various realistic interstellar mixed-molecular ices with and without polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at approx. 10 K under high vacuum irradiated with UV light from a hydrogen plasma lamp. The residue that remained after warming to room temperature was analyzed by HPLC, and by laser desorption mass spectrometry. The residue contains several classes of compounds which may be of prebiotic significance.

Chemistry in Magnetohydrodynamic Shock Waves in Diffuse Molecular Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peimbert, Antonio

1998-09-01

Absorption observations of the CH+ molecule with column densities of up to 1014 cm-2 in diffuse molecular clouds in many lines of sight are reviewed, and compared to the reddening and to abundances and velocity shifts of molecules like CH. Special attention is placed on the observations of the line of sight towards ς Ophiuchi where high quality observations of many chemical species are available. The problem of the required CH+ is described, and many formation mechanisms from the literature are reviewed, finding that none of them is particularly apt at describing the observations towards ς-Oph. Two fluid J-type shock models are studied as an alternative. The necessary conditions for their formation are discussed, and it is shown how they are expected to be present widely in the interstellar medium. Plane parallel numerical integrations, for the particular case in which the magnetic field is perpendicular to the shock velocity, are employed to study the region of phase-space of initial conditions that will produce 2 fluid shocks. A chemical network is developed and formation of key molecules like CH+, CH and OH, along with the excited roto-vibrational levels of H2, are studied under the shock dynamics. These models are then compared to the observations of the different lines of sight, showing they are capable of reproducing the features of the observations towards most of those clouds. An attempt to model the line of sight towards ς-Oph is done, finding that a shock with a shock speed vs = 9.0km/s going through a cloud with a density of nH = 14cm-3 with a magnetic field of B = 4.7μG does a reasonable job at satisfying most of the observations with the exception of the highest rotational excited states of molecular hydrogen for which observations are available. There is a small family of solutions capable of explaining the observed results which make specific predictions for the velocity profiles of the H2 lines of various excited levels. New observations with the Interstellar Medium Absorption Profile Spectrograph (IMAPS) camera would be useful in confirming or rejecting these models.

Silicon chemistry in interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langer, William D.; Glassgold, A. E.

1989-01-01

Interstellar SiO was discovered shortly after CO but it has been detected mainly in high density and high temperature regions associated with outflow sources. A new model of interstellar silicon chemistry that explains the lack of SiO detections in cold clouds is presented which contains an exponential temperature dependence for the SiO abundance. A key aspect of the model is the sensitivity of SiO production by neutral silicon reactions to density and temperature, which arises from the dependence of the rate coefficients on the population of the excited fine structure levels of the silicon atom. This effect was originally pointed out in the context of neutral reactions of carbon and oxygen by Graff, who noted that the leading term in neutral atom-molecule interactions involves the quadrupole moment of the atom. Similar to the case of carbon, the requirement that Si has a quadrupole moment requires population of the J = 1 level, which lies 111K above the J = 0 ground state and has a critical density n(cr) equal to or greater than 10(6)/cu cm. The SiO abundance then has a temperature dependence proportional to exp(-111/T) and a quadratic density dependence for n less than n(cr). As part of the explanation of the lack of SiO detections at low temperatures and densities, this model also emphasizes the small efficiencies of the production routes and the correspondingly long times needed to reach equilibrium. Measurements of the abundance of SiO, in conjunction with theory, can provide information on the physical properties of interstellar clouds such as the abundances of oxygen bearing molecules and the depletion of interstellar silicon.

Photochemistry of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cosmic water ice. II. Near UV/VIS spectroscopy and ionization rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouwman, J.; Cuppen, H. M.; Steglich, M.; Allamandola, L. J.; Linnartz, H.

2011-05-01

Context. Mid-infrared emission features originating from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are observed towards photon dominated regions in space. Towards dense clouds, however, these emission features are quenched. Observations of dense clouds show that many simple volatile molecules are frozen out on interstellar grains, forming thin layers of ice. Recently, observations have shown that more complex non-volatile species, presumably including PAHs, also freeze out and contribute to the ongoing solid-state chemistry. Aims: The study presented here aims at obtaining reaction rate data that characterize PAH photochemistry upon vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) irradiation in an interstellar H2O ice analogue to explore the potential impact of PAH:H2O ice reactions on overall interstellar ice chemistry. To this end, the experimental results are implemented in a chemical model under simple interstellar cloud conditions. Methods: Time-dependent near-UV/VIS spectroscopy on the VUV photochemistry of anthracene, pyrene, benzo[ghi]perylene and coronene containing interstellar H2O ice analogs is performed at 25 and 125 K, using an optical absorption setup. Results: Near-UV/VIS absorption spectra are presented for these four PAHs and their photoproducts including cationic species trapped in H2O ice. Oscillator strengths of the cation absorption bands are derived relative to the oscillator strength of the neutral parent PAH. The loss of the parent and growth of PAH photoproducts are measured as a function of VUV dose, yielding solid state reaction constants. The rate constants are used in an exploratory astrochemical model, to assess the importance of PAH:H2O ice photoprocessing in UV exposed interstellar environments, compared with the timescales in which PAH molecules are incorporated in interstellar ices. Conclusions: All four PAHs studied here are found to be readily ionized upon VUV photolysis when trapped in H2O ice and exhibit similar rates for ionization at astronomically relevant temperatures. Depending on the relative efficiency of H2O photodesorption and PAH photoionization in H2O ice, the latter may trigger a charge induced aromatic solid state chemistry, in which PAH cations play a central role.

Interstellar Ice and Dust: The Feedstock of the Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allamandola, L. J.; Morrison, David (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Studying the chemical and isotopic composition of interstellar ice and dust provides insight into the composition and chemical history of the solid bodies in the solar nebula and the nature of the material subsequently brought into the inner part of the solar system by comets and meteorites. It is now possible to probe the composition of these microscopic interstellar particles (some hundreds of light years away), thanks to substantial progress in two areas: astronomical spectroscopic techniques in the middle-infrared, the spectral region most diagnostic of composition; and laboratory simulations which realistically reproduce the critical conditions in various interstellar environments. High quality infrared spectra of many different astronomical sources, some associated with dark molecular clouds, and others in the diffuse interstellar medium (DISM) are now available. What comparisons of these spectra with laboratory spectra tell us about the complex organic components of these materials is the subject of this talk. Most interstellar material is concentrated in large molecular clouds where simple molecules are formed by gas phase and dust grain surface reactions. Gaseous species (except H2) striking the cold (10K) dust will stick, forming an icy grain mantle. This accretion, coupled with energetic particle bombardment and UV photolysis, will produce a complex chemical mixture containing volatile, non-volatile, and isotopically fractionated species. One can compare spectra of the diffuse and dense interstellar medium with the spectra of analogs produced in the laboratory under conditions which mimic those in these different environments. In this way one can determine the composition and abundances of the major constituents present and place general constraints on the types and relative abundances of organics coating the grains. Ices in dense clouds contain H2O, CH3OH, CO, perhaps some NH3 and H2CO, as well as nitriles and ketones or esters. There is some evidence that the later, more complex species, are also present on the grains in the DISM. The evidence for these materials, in addition to carbon rich materials such as amorphous carbon, microdiamonds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons will be reviewed and the possible connection with meteoritic organics will be discussed.

Interstellar absorption along the line of sight to Theta Carinae using Copernicus observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, M. M.; Jenkins, E. B.; Snow, T. P.

1992-01-01

A profile fitting technique is employed to identify the velocities and Doppler b values for H I and H II clouds along the line of sight to Theta Car. Total abundances and depletions for 12 elements, plus column densities for the J = 0 to J = 5 rotational levels of H2 are obtained. Electron densities for both clouds are calculated from the ratios of the fine-structure levels of C II and N II, obtaining 0.08/cu cm and 1.2/cu cm. The fine-structure levels of C I, which led to 120/cu cm, are used to calculate the neutral hydrogen density for the H I region. D I is also present in the data from the Theta Car line of sight, yielding a D/H ratio of 5 x 10 exp -6. Elemental depletions are calculated for the H I region as well. Comparison of the results for Theta Car and those for Zeta Oph and Alpha Vir shows that the absolute depletions are different; however, the relative depletions are remarkably stable for different physical conditions.

Molecular Line Studies of Ballistic Stellar Interlopers Burrowing through Dense Interstellar Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosen, Anna; Sahai, R.; Claussen, M.; Morris, M.

2010-01-01

When an intermediate-mass star speeds through a dense interstellar cloud at a high velocity, it can produce a cometary or bow shock structure due to the cloud being impacted by the intense stellar wind. This class of objects, recently discovered in an HST imaging survey, has been dubbed "ballistic stellar interlopers" (Sahai et al. 2009). Using the ARO's 12m and SMT 10m millimeter-wave dishes, we have obtained molecular line emission data towards 10 stellar interloper sources, in order to identify and characterize the dense clouds with which the interlopers are interacting. We have made small "on-the-fly" maps in the 12CO (J=2-1) and 13CO (J=2-1) lines for each cloud, and obtained spectra of high-density tracers such as N2H+ (J=3-2), HCO+ (J=3-2), CN(N=2-1), and SO(J=5-4), which probe a range of physical conditions in the interstellar clouds being impacted by the interlopers. The data have been reduced and analyzed, and preliminary estimates of the cloud temperatures (9-22 K) and 13CO optical depths (0.18-0.37) have been made. The maps, which show the emission as a function of radial velocity and spatial offset from the location of the interlopers, have helped us distinguish between the clouds interacting with the interlopers, and those which are unrelated but happen to lie along the line of sight. These data will now enable us to carry out high-resolution mm-wave interferometric observations of the interlopers in the future. This research was performed at JPL under the Minority Education Initiatives program. RS and MM were funded by a Long Term Space Astrophysics award from NASA for this work. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. Special thanks goes to John Bieging and Bill Peters of the Arizona Radio Observatory.

Is interstellar archeology possible?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrigan, Richard A.

2012-09-01

Searching for signatures of cosmic-scale archeological artifacts such as Dyson spheres is an interesting alternative to conventional radio SETI. Uncovering such an artifact does not require the intentional transmission of a signal on the part of the original civilization. This type of search is called interstellar archeology or sometimes cosmic archeology. A variety of interstellar archeology signatures is discussed including non-natural planetary atmospheric constituents, stellar doping, Dyson spheres, as well as signatures of stellar, and galactic-scale engineering. The concept of a Fermi bubble due to interstellar migration is reviewed in the discussion of galactic signatures. These potential interstellar archeological signatures are classified using the Kardashev scale. A modified Drake equation is introduced. With few exceptions interstellar archeological signatures are clouded and beyond current technological capabilities. However SETI for so-called cultural transmissions and planetary atmosphere signatures are within reach.

Chemistry in interstellar space. [environment characteristics influencing reaction dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donn, B.

1973-01-01

The particular characteristics of chemistry in interstellar space are determined by the unique environmental conditions involved. Interstellar matter is present at extremely low densities. Large deviations from thermodynamic equilibrium are, therefore, to be expected. A relatively intense ultraviolet radiation is present in many regions. The temperatures are in the range from 5 to 200 K. Data concerning the inhibiting effect of small activation energies in interstellar clouds are presented in a table. A summary of measured activation energies or barrier heights for exothermic exchange reactions is also provided. Problems of molecule formation are discussed, taking into account gas phase reactions and surface catalyzed processes.

Habitable zones exposed: astrosphere collapse frequency as a function of stellar mass.

PubMed

Smith, David S; Scalo, John M

2009-09-01

Stellar astrospheres--the plasma cocoons carved out of the interstellar medium by stellar winds--are one of several buffers that partially screen planetary atmospheres and surfaces from high-energy radiation. Screening by astrospheres is continually influenced by the passage of stars through the fluctuating density field of the interstellar medium (ISM). The most extreme events occur inside dense interstellar clouds, where the increased pressure may compress an astrosphere to a size smaller than the liquid-water habitable-zone distance. Habitable planets then enjoy no astrospheric buffering from exposure to the full flux of galactic cosmic rays and interstellar dust and gas, a situation we call "descreening" or "astrospheric collapse." Under such conditions the ionization fraction in the atmosphere and contribution to radiation damage of putative coding organisms at the surface would increase significantly, and a series of papers have suggested a variety of global responses to descreening. These possibilities motivate a more careful calculation of the frequency of descreening events. Using a ram-pressure balance model, we compute the size of the astrosphere in the apex direction as a function of parent-star mass and velocity and ambient interstellar density, emphasizing the importance of gravitational focusing of the interstellar flow. The interstellar densities required to descreen planets in the habitable zone of solar- and subsolar-mass stars are found to be about 600(M/M[middle dot in circle])(-2) cm(-3) for the Sun's velocity relative to the local ISM. Such clouds are rare and small, indicating that descreening encounters are rare. We use statistics from two independent catalogues of dense interstellar clouds to derive a dependence of descreening frequency on the parent-star mass that decreases strongly with decreasing stellar mass, due to the weaker gravitational focusing and smaller habitable-zone distances for lower-mass stars. We estimate an uncertain upper limit to the absolute frequency of descreening encounters as 1-10 Gyr(-1) for solar-type stars and 10(2) to 10(9) times smaller for stars between 0.5 and 0.1 M[middle dot in circle]. Habitable-zone planets orbiting late-K to M stars are virtually never exposed to the severe consequences that have been proposed for astrospheric descreening events, but descreening events at a moderate rate may occur for stars with the Sun's mass or larger.

The chemistry of dense interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, W. M.

1991-01-01

The basic theme of this program is the study of molecular complexity and evolution in interstellar and circumstellar clouds incorporating the biogenic elements. Recent results include the identification of a new astronomical carbon-chain molecule, C4Si. This species was detected in the envelope expelled from the evolved star IRC+10216 in observations at the Nobeyama Radio Observatory in Japan. C4Si is the carrier of six unidentified lines which had previously been observed. This detection reveals the existence of a new series of carbon-chain molecules, C sub n Si (n equals 1, 2, 4). Such molecules may well be formed from the reaction of Si(+) with acetylene and acetylene derivatives. Other recent research has concentrated on the chemical composition of the cold, dark interstellar clouds, the nearest dense molecular clouds to the solar system. Such regions have very low kinetic temperatures, on the order of 10 K, and are known to be formation sites for solar-type stars. We have recently identified for the first time in such regions the species of H2S, NO, HCOOH (formic acid). The H2S abundance appears to exceed that predicted by gas-phase models of ion-molecule chemistry, perhaps suggesting the importance of synthesis on grain surfaces. Additional observations in dark clouds have studied the ratio of ortho- to para-thioformaldehyde. Since this ratio is expected to be unaffected by both radiative and ordinary collisional processes in the cloud, it may well reflect the formation conditions for this molecule. The ratio is observed to depart from that expected under conditions of chemical equilibrium at formation, perhaps reflecting efficient interchange between cold dust grains in the gas phase.

Interstellar C2, CH, and CN in translucent molecular clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Black, John H.; Van Dishoeck, Ewine F.

1989-01-01

Optical absorption-line techniques have been applied to the study of a number of translucent molecular clouds in which the total column densities are large enough that substantial molecular abundances can be maintained. Results are presented for a survey of absorption lines of interstellar C2, CH, and CN. Detections of CN through the A 2Pi-X 2Sigma(+) (1,O) and (2,O) bands of the red system are reported and compared with observations of the violet system for one line of sight. The population distributions in C2 provide diagnostic information on temperature and density. The measured column densities of the three species can be used to test details of the theory of molecule formation in clouds where photoprocesses still play a significant role. The C2 and CH column densities are strongly correlated with each other and probably also with the H2 column density. In contrast, the CN column densities are found to vary greatly from cloud to cloud. The observations are discussed with reference to detailed theoretical models.

Polarization of seven MBM clouds at high Galactic latitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neha, S.; Maheswar, G.; Soam, A.; Lee, C. W.

2018-06-01

We made R-band polarization measurements of 234 stars towards the direction of the MBM 33-39 cloud complex. The distance of the MBM 33-39 complex was determined as 120 ± 10 pc using polarization results and near-infrared photometry from the 2MASS survey. The magnetic field geometry of the individual clouds inferred from our polarimetric results reveals that the field lines are in general consistent with the global magnetic field geometry of the region obtained from previous studies. This implies that the clouds in the complex are permeated by the interstellar magnetic field. Multi-wavelength polarization measurements of a few stars projected on to the complex suggest that the size of the dust grains in these clouds is similar to those found in the normal interstellar medium of the Milky Way. We studied a possible formation scenario of the MBM 33-39 complex by combining the polarization results from our study with those from the literature and by identifying the distribution of ionized, atomic and molecular (dust) components of material in the region.

The astrochemistry of H+3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbst, E.

2000-09-01

The reactions of the molecular ion H3+ are pivotal to the chemistry of dense interstellar clouds. Produced by the cosmic-ray ionizati on of molecular hydrogen, H3+ reacts with a variety of a toms and molecules to produce species that are precursors to many of the detect ed molecules in dense clouds. For example, the reaction of H3+ with atomic O leads, eventually, to the production of water, while the re action with HD leads to the production of a wide variety of deuterated isotopom ers. In this article, the chemistry of H3+ and the produc ts derived from it are discussed in the larger context of interstellar chemistr y.

The Properties of Single Interstellar Clouds: Modified Cycle 1 Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobbs, Lewis

1990-12-01

WE PROPOSE TO USE THE ECHELLE AND 160M GRATINGS OF THE HIGH RESOLUTION SPECTROGRAPH OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD TO OBSERVE THE PROFILES OF INTERSTELLAR ABSORPTION LINES. THE COLUMN DENSITES OF 18 NEUTRAL OR IONIZED FORMS OF THE ELEMENTS C,N,O,Mg,Si,P,S,Fe, AND Zn WILL BE MEASURED IN THE APPROXIMATELY 100 INDIVIDUAL INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS ALONG THE LIGHT PATHS TO 18 BRIGHT, BROAD-LINED STARS OF EARLY SPECTRAL TYPE WITHIN 1 KPC OF THE SUN. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE OBSERVATIONS IS TO DETERMINE MORE ACCURATELY THAN WAS HITHERTO POSSIBLE THE FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE RESOLVED CLOUDS, INCLUDING LINEAR SIZE, TEMPERATURE, TOTAL DENSITY, FRACTIONAL IONIZATION AND THE RELATIVE ABUNDANCES OF THE 9 SELECTED ELEMENTS. THE REST OF THIS OBSERVING PROGRAM IS CONTAINED IN APPROVED PROPOSAL ID = 3993; THE PROGRAM ENUMERATED HERE CONSISTS OF THAT PART OF OUR ORIGINAL PROGRAM, ID = 2251, WHICH REQUIRED MODIFICATION IN ORDER TO BE CARRIED OUT USING ONLY SIDE 2 OF THE GHRS. THIS PROGRAM THEREFORE CONSISTS OF ECH-B AND G160M OBSERVATIONS OF EACH OF 8 STARS AT 14 OR MORE WAVELENGTHS. PROGRAMS 2251 AND 3993 SHOULD BE CONSULTED FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

A search for the 13175 A infrared diffuse band in dense environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adamson, A. J.; Kerr, Tom H.; Whittet, D. C. B.; Duley, Walter W.

1994-01-01

Models of ionized interstellar C60 predict a strong transition in the 1.2 micrometer region, and two candidate bands have recently been detected in reddened stars. We have searched for the stronger of these bands (at 13175 A) in the Taurus dark cloud complex, to determine its response to the dark-cloud environment. None of the three lines of sight studied (two near the cloud surface, one reaching A(sub V) greater than 20(sup m)) give rise to a detectable band; in one case the equivalent width is a factor of order three below that predicted. Since such behaviour is also shown by the optical Diffuse Interstellar Bands, we suggest that the 13175 A band is a genuine DIB, but we caution against an automatic interpretation in terms of an ionic carrier.

H2CS abundances and ortho-to-para ratios in interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minh, Y. C.; Irvine, W. M.; Brewer, M. K.

1991-01-01

Several H2CS ortho and para transitions have been observed toward interstellar molecular clouds, including cold, dark clouds and star-forming regions. H2CS fractional abundances f(H2CS) about 1-2 10 to the -9th relative to molecular hydrogen toward TMC-1, Orion A, and NGC 7538, and about 5 10 to the -10th for L134N are derived. The H2CS ortho-to-para ratios in TMC-1 are about 1.8 toward the cyanopolyyne peak and the ammonia peak, which may indicate the thermalization of H2CS on 10 K grains. A ratio of about 3, the statistical value, for Orion (3N, 1E) and NGC 7538 is derived, while a value of about 2 for Orion (KL) is found.

Discovery of pulsed OH maser emission stimulated by a pulsar.

PubMed

Weisberg, Joel M; Johnston, Simon; Koribalski, Bärbel; Stanimirovic, Snezana

2005-07-01

Stimulated emission of radiation has not been directly observed in astrophysical situations up to this time. Here we demonstrate that photons from pulsar B1641-45 stimulate pulses of excess 1720-megahertz line emission in an interstellar hydroxyl (OH) cloud. As this stimulated emission is driven by the pulsar, it varies on a few-millisecond time scale, which is orders of magnitude shorter than the quickest OH maser variations previously detected. Our 1612-megahertz spectra are inverted copies of the 1720-megahertz spectra. This "conjugate line" phenomenon enables us to constrain the properties of the interstellar OH line-producing gas. We also show that pulsar signals undergo significantly deeper OH absorption than do other background sources, which confirms earlier tentative findings that OH clouds are clumpier on small scales than are neutral hydrogen clouds.

Shedding light on the Type Ia supernova extinction puzzle: dust location found

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulla, M.; Goobar, A.; Dhawan, S.

2018-06-01

The colour evolution of reddened Type Ia supernovae can place strong constraints on the location of dust and help address the question of whether the observed extinction stems from the interstellar medium or from circumstellar material surrounding the progenitor. Here we analyse BV photometry of 48 reddened Type Ia supernovae from the literature and estimate the dust location from their B - V colour evolution. We find a time-variable colour excess E(B - V) for 15 supernovae in our sample and constrain dust to distances between 0.013 and 45 pc (4 × 1016 - 1020 cm). For the remaining supernovae, we obtain a constant E(B - V) evolution and place lower limits on the dust distance from the explosion. In all the 48 supernovae, the inferred dust location is compatible with an interstellar origin for the extinction. This is corroborated by the observation that supernovae with relatively nearby dust (≲ 1 pc) are located close to the center of their host galaxy, in high-density dusty regions where interactions between the supernova radiation and interstellar clouds close by are likely to occur. For supernovae showing time-variable E(B - V), we identify a potential preference for low RV values, unusually strong sodium absorption and blue-shifted and time-variable absorption features. Within the interstellar framework, this brings evidence to a proposed scenario where cloud-cloud collisions induced by the supernova radiation pressure can shift the grain size distribution to smaller values and enhance the abundance of sodium in the gaseous phase.

High-Resolution Imaging of the Multiphase Interstellar Thick Disk in Two Edge-On Spiral Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howk, J. Christopher; Rueff, K.

2009-01-01

We present broadband and narrow-band images, acquired from Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 and WIYN 3.5 m telescope respectively, of two edge-on spiral galaxies, NGC 4302 and NGC 4013. These high-resolution images (BVI + H-alpha) provide a detailed view of the thick disk interstellar medium (ISM) in these galaxies. Both galaxies show prominent extraplanar dust-bearing clouds viewed in absorption against the background stellar light. Individual clouds are found to z 2 kpc in each galaxy. These clouds each contain >10^4 to >10^5 solar masses of gas. Both galaxies have extraplanar diffuse ionized gas (DIG), as seen in our H-alpha images and earlier work. In addition to the DIG, discrete H II regions are found at heights up to 1 kpc from both galaxies. We compare the morphologies of the dusty clouds with the DIG in these galaxies and discuss the relationship between these components of the thick disk ISM.

Detection of interstellar HCS and its metastable isomer HSC: new pieces in the puzzle of sulfur chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agúndez, M.; Marcelino, N.; Cernicharo, J.; Tafalla, M.

2018-03-01

We present the first identification in interstellar space of the thioformyl radical (HCS) and its metastable isomer HSC. These species were detected toward the molecular cloud L483 through observations carried out with the IRAM 30 m telescope in the λ3 mm band. We derive beam-averaged column densities of 7 × 1012 cm-2 for HCS and 1.8 × 1011 cm-2 for HSC, which translate into fractional abundances relative to H2 of 2 × 10-10 and 6 × 10-12, respectively. Although the amount of sulfur locked by these radicals is low, their detection allows placing interesting constraints on the chemistry of sulfur in dark clouds. Interestingly, the H2CS/HCS abundance ratio is found to be quite low, 1, in contrast with the oxygen analog case, in which the H2CO/HCO abundance ratio is around 10 in dark clouds. Moreover, the radical HCS is found to be more abundant than its oxygen analog, HCO. The metastable species HOC, the oxygen analog of HSC, has not yet been observed in space. These observational constraints are compared with the outcome of a recent model of the chemistry of sulfur in dark clouds. The model underestimates the fractional abundance of HCS by at least one order of magnitude, overestimates the H2CS/HCS abundance ratio, and does not provide an abundance prediction for the metastable isomer HSC. These observations should prompt a revision of the chemistry of sulfur in interstellar clouds.

Radioastronomical Searches for Instellar Biomolecules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuan, Y.-J.; Huang, H.-C.; Charnley, S. B.; Markwick, A.; Botta, O.; Ehrenfreund, P.; Kisiel, Z.; Butner, H. M.

2003-01-01

Impacts of comets and asteroids could have delivered large amounts of organic matter to the early Earth. to retain a significant interstellar signature; observations of recent bright comets indicate that they have a molecular inventory consistent with their ices being largely unmodified interstellar material. Many simple organic molecules with biochemical significance observed in circumstellar envelopes and in molecular clouds, similar to that from which the Solar System formed, may have acted as the precursors of the more complex organics found in meteorites. Therefore, there is potentially a strong link between interstellar organics and prebiotic chemical evolution. Radioastronomical observations, particularly at millimeter wavelengths, allow us to determine the chemical composition and characteristics of the molecular inventory in interstellar space. Here we report some of our recent results from extensive astronomical searches for astrobiologically-important interstellar organics.

The Laboratory Production of Complex Organic Molecules in Simulated Interstellar Ices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dworkin, J. P.; Sandford, S. A.; Bernstein, M. P.; Allamandola, L. J.

2002-01-01

Much of the volatiles in interstellar dense clouds exist in ices surrounding dust grains. Their low temperatures preclude most chemical reactions, but ionizing radiation can drive reactions that produce a suite of new species, many of which are complex organics. The Astrochemistry Lab at NASA Ames studies the UV radiation processing of interstellar ice analogs to better identify the resulting products and establish links between interstellar chemistry, the organics in meteorites, and the origin of life on Earth. Once identified, the spectral properties of the products can be quantified to assist with the search for these species in space. Of particular interest are findings that UV irradiation of interstellar ice analogs produces molecules of importance in current living organisms, including quinones, amphiphiles, and amino acids.

Experimental interstellar organic chemistry: Preliminary findings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khare, B. N.; Sagan, C.

1971-01-01

In a simulation of interstellar organic chemistry in dense interstellar clouds or on grain surfaces, formaldehyde, water vapor, ammonia and ethane are deposited on a quartz cold finger and ultraviolet-irradiated in high vacuum at 77K. The HCHO photolytic pathway which produces an aldehyde radical and a superthermal hydrogen atom initiates solid phase chain reactions leading to a range of new compounds, including methanol, ethanol, acetaldehyde, acetonitrile, acetone, methyl formate, and possibly formic acid. Higher nitriles are anticipated. Genetic relations among these interstellar organic molecules (e.g., the Cannizzaro and Tischenko reactions) must exist. Some of them, rather than being synthesized from smaller molecules, may be degradation products of larger organic molecules, such as hexamethylene tetramine, which are candidate consitituents of the interstellar grains. The experiments reported here may also be relevant to cometary chemistry.

Ultraviolet observations of cool stars. VII - Local interstellar hydrogen and deuterium Lyman-alpha

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcclintock, W.; Henry, R. C.; Linsky, J. L.; Moos, H. W.

1978-01-01

High-resolution Copernicus spectra of Epsilon Eri and Epsilon Ind containing interstellar hydrogen and deuterium L-alpha absorption lines are presented, reduced, and analyzed. Parameters of the interstellar hydrogen and deuterium toward these two stars are derived independently, without any assumptions concerning the D/H ratio. Copernicus spectra of Alpha Aur and Alpha Cen A are reanalyzed, and limits on the D/H number-density ratio consistent with the data for all four stars are considered. A comparison of the present estimates for the parameters of the local interstellar medium with those obtained by other techniques shows that there is no compelling evidence for significant variations in the hydrogen density and D/H ratio in the local interstellar medium. On this basis the hypothesis of an approaching local interstellar cloud proposed by Vidal-Madjar et al. (1978) is rejected

Far-infrared Spectroscopic Characterization of Anti-vinyl Alcohol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunn, Hayley; Soliday, Rebekah M.; Sumner, Isaiah; Raston, Paul L.

2017-09-01

We report a detailed analysis of the high-resolution far-infrared spectrum of anti-vinyl alcohol, which has been previously identified toward Sagittarius B2(N). The ν 15 OH torsional fundamental investigated here is more than 200 cm-1 removed from the next nearest vibration, making it practically unperturbed and ideal to help refine the ground state rotational constants that were previously determined from 25 microwave lines. We assigned 1335 lines within the ν 15 fundamental centered at 261.5512 cm-1, with J and K a ranges of 1-59 and 0-16, respectively. The microwave and far-infrared line positions were fit with Watson-type A- and S-reduced Hamiltonians, with the inclusion of quartic and select sextic distortion terms. This resulted in a significant refinement of the ground state constants, in addition to the determination of the {ν }15=1 state constants for the first time. The spectroscopic parameters are in good agreement with the results from anharmonic coupled-cluster calculations, and should be useful in searches for rotationally and/or vibrationally warm anti-vinyl alcohol in interstellar molecular clouds.

Internal kinematics and dynamics of galaxies; Proceedings of the Symposium, Universitede Franche-Comte, Besancon, France, August 9-13, 1982

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Athanassoula, E.

Various aspects of the internal kinematics and dynamics of galaxies are considered. The kinematics of the gas and the underlying mass distribution are discussed, including the systematics of H II rotation curves, H I velocity fields and rotation curves, the distribution of molecular clouds in spiral galaxies, gas at large radii, the implications for galactic mass models of vertical motion and the thickness of H I disks, and mass distribution and dark halos. The theory of spiral structure is addressed, along with conflicts and directions in spiral structure studies. Theories of warps are covered. Barred galaxies are treated, including their morphology, stellar kinematics, and dynamics, the stability of their disks, theoretical studies of their gas flows, and the formation of rings and lenses. Spheroidal systems are considered, including dynamics of early type galaxies, models of ellipticals and bulges, and interstellar matter in elliptical galaxies. Simulations and observational evidence for mergers are addressed, and the formation of galaxies and dynamics of globular cluster systems are examined. For individual items see A83-49202 to A83-49267

Diffuse interstellar bands in reflection nebulae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fischer, O.; Henning, Thomas; Pfau, Werner; Stognienko, R.

1994-01-01

A Monte Carlo code for radiation transport calculations is used to compare the profiles of the lambda lambda 5780 and 6613 Angstrom diffuse interstellar bands in the transmitted and the reflected light of a star embedded within an optically thin dust cloud. In addition, the behavior of polarization across the bands were calculated. The wavelength dependent complex indices of refraction across the bands were derived from the embedded cavity model. In view of the existence of different families of diffuse interstellar bands the question of other parameters of influence is addressed in short.

Indirect observation of unobservable interstellar molecules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herbst, E.; Green, S.; Thaddeus, P.; Klemperer, W.

1977-01-01

It is suggested that the abundances of neutral non-polar interstellar molecules unobservable by radio astronomy can be systematically determined by radio observation of the protonated ions. As an example, observed N2H(+) column densities are analyzed to infer molecular nitrogen abundances in dense interstellar clouds. The chemistries and expected densities of the protonated ions of O2, C2, CO2, C2H2 and CH4 are then discussed. Microwave transition frequencies fo HCO2(+) and C2H3(+) are estimated, and a preliminary astronomical search for HCO2(+) is described.

Radio Emission from a Young Supernova Remnant Interacting with an Interstellar Cloud: Magnetohydrodynamic Simulation with Relativistic Electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jun, Byung-Il; Jones, T. W.

1999-02-01

We present two-dimensional MHD simulations of the evolution of a young Type Ia supernova remnant (SNR) during its interaction with an interstellar cloud of comparable size at impact. We include for the first time in such simulations explicit relativistic electron transport. This was done using a simplified treatment of the diffusion-advection equation, thus allowing us to model injection and acceleration of cosmic-ray electrons at shocks and their subsequent transport. From this information we also model radio synchrotron emission, including spectral information. The simulations were carried out in spherical coordinates with azimuthal symmetry and compare three different situations, each incorporating an initially uniform interstellar magnetic field oriented in the polar direction on the grid. In particular, we modeled the SNR-cloud interactions for a spherical cloud on the polar axis, a toroidal cloud whose axis is aligned with the polar axis, and, for comparison, a uniform medium with no cloud. We find that the evolution of the overrun cloud qualitatively resembles that seen in simulations of simpler but analogous situations: that is, the cloud is crushed and begins to be disrupted by Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. However, we demonstrate here that, in addition, the internal structure of the SNR is severely distorted as such clouds are engulfed. This has important dynamical and observational implications. The principal new conclusions we draw from these experiments are the following. (1) Independent of the cloud interaction, the SNR reverse shock can be an efficient site for particle acceleration in a young SNR. (2) The internal flows of the SNR become highly turbulent once it encounters a large cloud. (3) An initially uniform magnetic field is preferentially amplified along the magnetic equator of the SNR, primarily because of biased amplification in that region by Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. A similar bias produces much greater enhancement to the magnetic energy in the SNR during an encounter with a cloud when the interstellar magnetic field is partially transverse to the expansion of the SNR. The enhanced magnetic fields have a significant radial component, independent of the field orientation external to the SNR. This leads to a strong equatorial bias in synchrotron brightness that could easily mask any enhancements to electron-acceleration efficiency near the magnetic equator of the SNR. Thus, to establish the latter effect, it will be essential to establish that the magnetic field in the brightest regions are actually tangential to the blast wave. (4) The filamentary radio structures correlate well with ``turbulence-enhanced'' magnetic structures, while the diffuse radio emission more closely follows the gas-density distribution within the SNR. (5) At these early times, the synchrotron spectral index due to electrons accelerated at the primary shocks should be close to 0.5 unless those shocks are modified by cosmic-ray proton pressures. While that result is predictable, we find that this simple result can be significantly complicated in practice by SNR interactions with clouds. Those events can produce regions with significantly steeper spectra. Especially if there are multiple cloud encounters, this interaction can lead to nonuniform spatial spectral distributions or, through turbulent mixing, produce a spectrum that is difficult to relate to the actual strength of the blast wave. (6) Interaction with the cloud enhances the nonthermal electron population in the SNR in our simulations because of additional electron injection taking place in the shocks associated with the cloud. Together with point 3, this means that SNR-cloud encounters can significantly increase the radio emission from the SNR.

Physical state of interstellar atoms. [from Copernicus satellite UV data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

York, D. G.

1974-01-01

Brief survey of the physical conditions along the lines of sight to reddened and unreddened stars, as determined from Copernicus observation of interstellar lines between 95 and 300 nm. Differences in ionization structure and density between clouds and the local intercloud medium are discussed. Some new data for beta Centauri is used to supplement the previously available data.

Interstellar Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savage, B.; Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

The enormous volume of space between the stars in the Milky Way Galaxy is filled with interstellar matter (ISM). The ISM plays a central role in the processes of STAR FORMATION and GALAXY EVOLUTION. Stars form from the ISM in dense molecular clouds. The radiant and mechanical energy produced by stars heats, ionizes, and produces structures in the ISM. Gradual or catastrophic mass loss from stars ...

The Production of Complex Organics from Interstellar Ices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandford, Scott A.; Allamandola, Louis; Bernstein, Max; Deamer, David; Dworkin, Jason; Zare, Richard

2001-01-01

Infrared spectroscopy of ices in interstellar dense molecular clouds has shown that they contain a variety of simple molecules, as well as aromatic hydrocarbons. While in these clouds, these ices are processed by ultraviolet light and cosmic rays. High vacuum, UV irradiation laboratory simulations conducted using various realistic approx. 10 K interstellar mixed-molecular ice analogs, both with and without polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), have been carried out in NASA-Ames' Astrochemistry Laboratory. Upon warming, these irradiated ices are found to produce refractory organic residues. These residues have been analyzed using a variety of techniques, including HPLC and laser desorption mass spectrometry, and they have been shown to contain a variety of complex organic compounds. Several of these compounds may be of prebiotic significance. In particular, we will discuss the detection of quinones (substituted PAHs that are used by living systems for electron transport) and amphiphiles (molecules that self-assemble to form membranes). Laboratory simulations have also demonstrated that the organic products can show isotopic enrichments in D that provide clues for the mechanisms of their formation. Similar compounds and D enrichments are seen in the organics found in primitive meteorites, suggesting a direct link between interstellar chemistry and the delivery of organics to newly formed planets.

Properties of Cold HI Emission Clouds in the Inner-Galaxy ALFA Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, James Marcus; Gibson, Steven J.; Noriega-Crespo, Alberto; Newton, Jonathan; Koo, Bon-Chul; Douglas, Kevin A.; Peek, Joshua Eli Goldston; Park, Geumsook; Kang, Ji-hyun; Korpela, Eric J.; Heiles, Carl E.; Dame, Thomas M.

2017-01-01

Star formation, a critical process within galaxies, occurs in the coldest, densest interstellar clouds, whose gas and dust content are observed primarily at radio and infrared wavelengths. The formation of molecular hydrogen (H2) from neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) is an essential early step in the condensation of these clouds from the ambient interstellar medium, but it is not yet completely understood, e.g., what is the predominant trigger? Even more troubling, the abundance of H2 may be severely underestimated by standard tracers like CO, implying significant "dark" H2, and the quantity of HI may also be in error if opacity effects are neglected. We have developed an automated method to account for both HI and H2 in cold, diffuse clouds traced by narrow-line HI 21-cm emission in the Arecibo Inner-Galaxy ALFA (I-GALFA) survey. Our algorithm fits narrow (2-5 km/s), isolated HI line profiles to determine their spin temperature, optical depth, and true column density. We then estimate the "visible" H2 column in the same clouds with CfA and Planck CO data and the total gas column from dust emission measured by Planck, IRAS, and other surveys. Together, these provide constraints on the dark H2 abundance, which we examine in relation to other cloud properties and stages of development. Our aim is to build a database of H2-forming regions with significant dark gas to aid future analyses of coalescing interstellar clouds. We acknowledge support from NSF, NASA, Western Kentucky University, and Williams College. I-GALFA is a GALFA-HI survey observed with the 7-beam ALFA receiver on the 305-meter William E. Gordon Telescope. The Arecibo Observatory is a U.S. National Science Foundation facility operated under sequential cooperative agreements with Cornell University and SRI International, the latter in alliance with the Ana G. Mendez-Universidad Metropolitana and the Universities Space Research Association.

Laboratory Rotational Spectroscopy of the Interstellar Diatomic Hydride Ion SH+ (X 3Σ-)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halfen, DeWayne; Ziurys, Lucy M.

2016-06-01

Diatomic hydride are among the most common molecular species in the interstellar medium (ISM). The low molecular mass and thus moments of inertia cause their rotational spectra to lie principally in the submillimeter and far-infrared regions. Diatomic hydrides, both neutral (MH) and ionic (MH+) forms, are also basic building blocks of interstellar chemistry. In ionic form, they may be the “hidden” carriers of refractory elements in dense gas. They are therefore extremely good targets for space-borne and airborne platforms such as Herschel, SOFIA, and SAFIR. However, in order to detect these species in the ISM, their rotational spectra must first be measured in the laboratory. To date, there is very little high resolution data available for many hydride species, in particular the ionic form. Using submillimeter/THz direct absorption methods in the Ziurys laboratory, spectra of the interstellar diatomic hydride SH+ (X 3Σ-) have been recorded. Recent work has concerned measurement of all three fine structure components of the fundamental rotational transition N = 1 ← 0 in the range 345 - 683 GHz. SH+ was generated from H2S and argon in an AC discharge. The data have been analyzed, and spectroscopic constants for this species have been refined. SH+ is found in Photon Dominated Regions (PDRs) and X-ray Dominated Regions (XDRs) and is thought to trace energetic processes in the ISM. These current measurements confirm recent observations of this species at submillimeter/THz wavelengths with ALMA and other ground-based telescopes.

SILCC-Zoom: the dynamic and chemical evolution of molecular clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seifried, D.; Walch, S.; Girichidis, P.; Naab, T.; Wünsch, R.; Klessen, R. S.; Glover, S. C. O.; Peters, T.; Clark, P.

2017-12-01

We present 3D 'zoom-in' simulations of the formation of two molecular clouds out of the galactic interstellar medium. We model the clouds - identified from the SILCC simulations - with a resolution of up to 0.06 pc using adaptive mesh refinement in combination with a chemical network to follow heating, cooling and the formation of H2 and CO including (self-) shielding. The two clouds are assembled within a few million years with mass growth rates of up to ∼10-2 M⊙ yr-1 and final masses of ∼50 000 M⊙. A spatial resolution of ≲0.1 pc is required for convergence with respect to the mass, velocity dispersion and chemical abundances of the clouds, although these properties also depend on the cloud definition such as based on density thresholds, H2 or CO mass fraction. To avoid grid artefacts, the progressive increase of resolution has to occur within the free-fall time of the densest structures (1-1.5 Myr) and ≳200 time-steps should be spent on each refinement level before the resolution is progressively increased further. This avoids the formation of spurious, large-scale, rotating clumps from unresolved turbulent flows. While CO is a good tracer for the evolution of dense gas with number densities n ≥ 300 cm-3, H2 is also found for n ≲ 30 cm-3 due to turbulent mixing and becomes dominant at column densities around 30-50 M⊙ pc-2. The CO-to-H2 ratio steadily increases within the first 2 Myr, whereas XCO ≃ 1-4 × 1020 cm-2 (K km s-1)-1 is approximately constant since the CO(1-0) line quickly becomes optically thick.

Laboratory and modeling studies of chemistry in dense molecular clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huntress, W. T., Jr.; Prasad, S. S.; Mitchell, G. F.

1980-01-01

A chemical evolutionary model with a large number of species and a large chemical library is used to examine the principal chemical processes in interstellar clouds. Simple chemical equilibrium arguments show the potential for synthesis of very complex organic species by ion-molecule radiative association reactions.

Time scales for molecule formation by ion-molecule reactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langer, W. D.; Glassgold, A. E.

1976-01-01

Analytical solutions are obtained for nonlinear differential equations governing the time-dependence of molecular abundances in interstellar clouds. Three gas-phase reaction schemes are considered separately for the regions where each dominates. The particular case of CO, and closely related members of the Oh and CH families of molecules, is studied for given values of temperature, density, and the radiation field. Nonlinear effects and couplings with particular ions are found to be important. The time scales for CO formation range from 100,000 to a few million years, depending on the chemistry and regime. The time required for essentially complete conversion of C(+) to CO in the region where the H3(+) chemistry dominates is several million years. Because this time is longer than or comparable to dynamical time scales for dense interstellar clouds, steady-state abundances may not be observed in such clouds.

The formation of molecules in interstellar clouds from singly and multiply ionized atoms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langer, W. D.

1978-01-01

The suggestion is considered that multiply ionized atoms produced by K- and L-shell X-ray ionization and cosmic-ray ionization can undergo ion-molecule reactions and also initiate molecule production. The role of X-rays in molecule production in general is discussed, and the contribution to molecule production of the C(+) radiative association with hydrogen is examined. Such gas-phase reactions of singly and multiply ionized atoms are used to calculate molecular abundances of carbon-, nitrogen-, and oxygen-bearing species. The column densities of the molecules are evaluated on the basis of a modified version of previously developed isobaric cloud models. It is found that reactions of multiply ionized carbon with H2 can contribute a significant fraction of the observed CH in diffuse interstellar clouds in the presence of diffuse X-ray structures or discrete X-ray sources and that substantial amounts of CH(+) can be produced under certain conditions.

The sensitivity of gas-phase models of dense interstellar clouds to changes in dissociative recombination branching ratios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Millar, T. J.; Defrees, D. J.; Mclean, A. D.; Herbst, E.

1988-01-01

The approach of Bates to the determination of neutral product branching ratios in ion-electron dissociative recombination reactions has been utilized in conjunction with quantum chemical techniques to redetermine branching ratios for a wide variety of important reactions of this class in dense interstellar clouds. The branching ratios have then been used in a pseudo time-dependent model calculation of the gas phase chemistry of a dark cloud resembling TMC-1 and the results compared with an analogous model containing previously used branching ratios. In general, the changes in branching ratios lead to stronger effects on calculated molecular abundances at steady state than at earlier times and often lead to reductions in the calculated abundances of complex molecules. However, at the so-called 'early time' when complex molecule synthesis is most efficient, the abundances of complex molecules are hardly affected by the newly used branching ratios.

Molecules in celestial objects. III - Study of CO in interstellar diffuse clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarafdar, S. P.; Krishna Swamy, K. S.

1982-01-01

The absorption lines corresponding to the A-X transition of CO have been looked for in the IUE spectra of 14 stars with varying values of the colour excess, E(B-V) and found to be present in the spectra of nine stars with E(B-V) at least 0.28. The column density of CO has been determined towards these nine stars and its upper limit towards the rest of the stars. The curve of growth analysis has been found to show that the contribution to CO absorption is possibly from a single interstellar cloud for stars with E(B-V) less than 0.4 and from more than one cloud for stars with E(B-V) greater than 0.4. The observed column density of CO as a function of E(B-V) has been found to be in good agreement with that expected from the theory of ion-molecular chemistry.

Excitation of interstellar hydrogen chloride

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neufild, David A.; Green, Sheldon

1994-01-01

We have computed new rate coefficients for the collisional excitation of HCl by He, in the close-coupled formalism and using an interaction potential determined recently by Willey, Choong, & DeLucia. Results have been obtained for temperatures between 10 K and 300 K. With the use of the infinite order sudden approximation, we have derived approximate expressions of general applicability which may be used to estimate how the rate constant for a transition (J to J prime) is apportioned among the various hyperfine states F prime of the final state J prime. Using these new rate coefficients, we have obtained predictions for the HCl rotational line strengths expected from a dense clump of interstellar gas, as a function of the HCl fractional abundance. Over a wide range of HCl abundances, we have found that the line luminosities are proportional to abundance(exp 2/3), a general result which can be explained using a simple analytical approximation. Our model for the excitation of HCl within a dense molecular cloud core indicates that the J = 1 goes to 0 line strengths measured by Blake, Keene, & Phillips toward the Orion Molecular Cloud (OMC-1) imply a fractional abundance n(HCl)/n(H2) approximately 2 x 10(exp -9), a value which amounts to only approximately 0.3% of the cosmic abundance of chlorine nuclei. Given a fractional abundance of 2 x 10(exp -9), the contribution of HCl emission to the total radiative cooling of a dense clump is small. For Orion, we predict a flux approximately 10(exp -19) W/sq cm for the HCl J = 3 goes to 2 line near 159.8 micrometers, suggesting that the strength of this line could be measured using the Infrared Space Observatory.

The Rotation Temperature of Methanol in Comet 103P/Hartley 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chuang, Yo-Ling; Kuan, Yi-Jehng; Milam, Stefanie; Charnley, Steven B.; Coulson, Iain M.

2012-01-01

Considered to be relics from Solar System formation, comets may provide the vital information connecting Solar Nebula and its parent molecular cloud. Study of chemical and physical properties of comets is thus important for our better understanding of the formation of Solar System. In addition, observing organic molecules in comets may provide clues fundamental to our knowledge on the formation of prebiotically important organic molecules in interstellar space, hence, may shed light on the origin of life on the early Earth. Comet 103PIHartley 2 was fIrst discovered in 1986 and had gone through apparitions in 1991, 1997, and 2004 with an orbital period of about 6 years, before its latest return in 2010. 2010 was also a special year for Comet 103PIHartley 2 because of the NASA EPOXI comet-flyby mission.

Grain Surface Chemistry and the Composition of Interstellar Ices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tielens, A. G. G. M.

2006-01-01

Submicron sized dust grains are an important component of the interstellar medium. In particular they provide surface where active chemistry can take place. At the low temperatures (-10 K) of the interstellar medium, colliding gas phase species will stick, diffuse, react, and form an icy mantle on these dust grains. This talk will review the principles of grain surface chemistry and delineate important grain surface routes, focusing on reactions involving H, D, and O among each other and with molecules such as CO. Interstellar ice mantles can be studied through the fundamental vibrations of molecular species in the mid-infrared spectra of sources embedded in or located behind dense molecular clouds. Analysis of this type of data has provided a complex view of the composition of these ices and the processes involved. Specifically, besides grain surface chemistry, the composition of interstellar ices is also affected by thermal processing due to nearby newly formed stars. This leads to segregation between different ice components as well as outgassing. The latter results in the formation of a so-called Hot Core region with a gas phase composition dominated by evaporated mantle species. Studies of such regions provide thus a different view on the ice composition and the chemical processes involved. Interstellar ices can also be processed by FUV photons and high energy cosmic ray ions. Cosmic ray processing likely dominates the return of accreted species to the gas phase where further gas phase reactions can take place. These different chemical routes towards molecular complexity in molecular clouds and particularly regions of star formation will be discussed.

Galactic gamma-ray observations and galactic structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecker, F. W.

1975-01-01

Recent observations of gamma-rays originating in the galactic disk together with radio observations, support an emerging picture of the overall structure of our galaxy with higher interstellar gas densities and star formation rates in a region which corresponds to that of the inner arms. The emerging picture is one where molecular clouds make up the dominant constituent of the interstellar gas in the inner galaxy and play a key role in accounting for the gamma-rays and phenomena associated with the production of young stars and other population 1 objects. In this picture, cosmic rays are associated with supernovae and are primarily of galactic origin. These newly observed phenomena can be understood as consequences of the density wave theories of spiral structure. Based on these new developments, the suggestion is made that a new galactic population class, Population O, be added to the standard Populations 1 and 2 in order to recognize important differences in dynamics and distribution between diffuse galactic H1 and interstellar molecular clouds.

Molecular and mass spectroscopic analysis of isotopically labeled organic residues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mendoza-Gomez, Celia X.; Greenberg, J. Mayo; Mccain, P.; Ferris, J. P.; Briggs, R.; Degroot, M. S.; Schutte, Willem A.

1989-01-01

Experimental studies aimed at understanding the evolution of complex organic molecules on interstellar grains were performed. The photolysis of frozen gas mixtures of various compositions containing H2O, CO, NH3, and CH4 was studied. These species were chosen because of their astrophysical importance as deducted from observational as well as theoretical studies of ice mantles on interstellar grains. These ultraviolet photolyzed ices were warmed up in order to produce refractory organic molecules like the ones formed in molecular clouds when the icy mantles are being irradiated and warmed up either by a nearby stellar source or impulsive heating. The laboratory studies give estimates of the efficiency of production of such organic material under interstellar conditions. It is shown that the gradual carbonization of organic mantles in the diffuse cloud phase leads to higher and higher visual absorptivity - yellow residues become brown in the laboratory. The obtained results can be applied to explaining the organic components of comets and their relevance to the origin of life.

Formation of cyanoallene (buta-2, 3-dienenitrile) in the interstellar medium: a quantum chemical and spectroscopic study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Amresh; Shivani; Misra, Alka; Tandon, Poonam

2014-03-01

The interstellar medium, filling the vast space between stars, is a rich reservoir of molecular material ranging from simple diatomic molecules to more complex, astrobiologically important molecules such as vinylcyanide, methylcyanodiaccetylene, cyanoallene, etc. Interstellar molecular cyanoallene is one of the most stable isomers of methylcynoacetylene. An attempt has been made to explore the possibility of forming cyanoallene in interstellar space by radical-radical and radical-molecule interaction schemes in the gaseous phase. The formation of cyanoallene starting from some simple, neutral interstellar molecules and radicals has been studied using density functional theory. The reaction energies and structures of the reactants and products show that the formation of cyanoallene is possible in the gaseous phase. Both of the considered reaction paths are totally exothermic and barrierless, thus giving rise to a high probability of occurrence. Rate constants for each step in the formation process of cyanoallene in both the reaction paths are estimated. A full vibrational analysis has been attempted for cyanoallene in the harmonic and anharmonic approximations. Anharmonic spectroscopic parameters such as rotational constants, rotation-vibration coupling constants and centrifugal distortion constants have been calculated.

Theoretical Modeling of Interstellar Chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charnley, Steven

2009-01-01

The chemistry of complex interstellar organic molecules will be described. Gas phase processes that may build large carbon-chain species in cold molecular clouds will be summarized. Catalytic reactions on grain surfaces can lead to a large variety of organic species, and models of molecule formation by atom additions to multiply-bonded molecules will be presented. The subsequent desorption of these mixed molecular ices can initiate a distinctive organic chemistry in hot molecular cores. The general ion-molecule pathways leading to even larger organics will be outlined. The predictions of this theory will be compared with observations to show how possible organic formation pathways in the interstellar medium may be constrained. In particular, the success of the theory in explaining trends in the known interstellar organics, in predicting recently-detected interstellar molecules, and, just as importantly, non-detections, will be discussed.

Laboratory rotational spectroscopy of cyano substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNaughton, Don; Jahn, Michaela K.; Travers, Michael J.; Wachsmuth, Dennis; Godfrey, Peter D.; Grabow, Jens-Uwe

2018-06-01

The rotational spectra of the four cyano substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules 1-cyanonaphthalene, 2-cyanonaphthalene, 9-cyanoanthracene, and 9-cyanophenanthrene have been recorded in molecular expansions using a Stark-modulated millimetre-wave spectrometer and a Fourier transform microwave spectrometer in the centimetre-wave region. The spectra have been assigned and fitted to provide molecular constants and quadrupole hyperfine constants of sufficient accuracy to enable complete hyperfine structure line predictions for interstellar searches. The data may provide a route into detection of small PAHs in the interstellar medium.

Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of water ice porosity: extrapolations of deposition parameters from the laboratory to interstellar space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clements, Aspen R.; Berk, Brandon; Cooke, Ilsa R.; Garrod, Robin T.

2018-02-01

Using an off-lattice kinetic Monte Carlo model we reproduce experimental laboratory trends in the density of amorphous solid water (ASW) for varied deposition angle, rate and surface temperature. Extrapolation of the model to conditions appropriate to protoplanetary disks and interstellar dark clouds indicate that these ices may be less porous than laboratory ices.

Neutral gas and diffuse interstellar bands in the LMC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danks, Anthony C.; Penprase, Brian

1994-01-01

Tracing the dynamics of the neutral gas and observing diffuse interstellar bands in the LMC (Large Magellanic Cloud) was the focus of this study. The S/N values, a Quartz lamp exposure, a T horium Argon Comparision lamp exposure, and spectral plots for each star observed were taken. The stars observed were selected to sample the 30 Dor vicinty. NaI absorption profiles are included.

Enhancement of Feedback Efficiency by Active Galactic Nucleus Outflows via the Magnetic Tension Force in the Inhomogeneous Interstellar Medium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Asahina, Yuta; Ohsuga, Ken; Nomura, Mariko, E-mail: asahina@cfca.jp

By performing three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics simulations of subrelativistic jets and disk winds propagating into the magnetized inhomogeneous interstellar medium (ISM), we investigate the magnetic effects on the active galactic nucleus feedback. Our simulations reveal that the magnetic tension force promotes the acceleration of the dense gas clouds, since the magnetic field lines, which are initially straight, bend around the gas clouds. In the jet models, the velocity dispersion of the clouds increases with an increase in the initial magnetic fields. The increment of the kinetic energy of the clouds is proportional to the initial magnetic fields, implying that the magnetic tensionmore » force increases the energy conversion efficiency from the jet to the gas clouds. Through simulations of the mildly collimated disk wind and the funnel-shaped disk wind, we confirm that such an enhancement of the energy conversion efficiency via the magnetic fields appears even if the energy is injected via the disk winds. The enhancement of the acceleration of the dense part of the magnetized ISM via the magnetic tension force will occur wherever the magnetized inhomogeneous matter is blown away.« less

Interactions of stars and interstellar matter in Scorpio Centaurus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

De Geus, E. J.

1992-01-01

The interaction of the stars in the Scorpio-Centaurus OB association with the ambient interstellar medium is investigated. Large H I loops in the fourth galactic quadrant are parts of expanding shells surrounding the subgroups of the association. The energy output of the original stellar population of the subgroups is calculated. Comparison with the kinetic energy of the shells shows that the energy output of the stars in the subgroups is sufficient to form the shells. The masses of the shells are consistent with those of giant molecular clouds GMCs, suggesting that the shells consist of swept-up, original GMC material. The influence of the expanding shell around the young Upper-Scorpius subgroup on the morphology of the Ophiuchus molecular clouds is investigated. The interaction of the shell with the Ophiuchus clouds accounts for the presence of a slow shock and for the shape of the elongated dark clouds connected to the Rho Oph dense cloud. The close passage of the trajectory of the runaway star Zeta Oph by the center of the Upper-Scorpius shell, combined with the time scale of formation of the shell, strongly suggests that the star has originated in the Upper-Scorpius subgroup.

Discovery of Molecular and Atomic Clouds Associated with the Magellanic Superbubble 30 Doradus C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sano, H.; Yamane, Y.; Voisin, F.; Fujii, K.; Yoshiike, S.; Inaba, T.; Tsuge, K.; Babazaki, Y.; Mitsuishi, I.; Yang, R.; Aharonian, F.; Rowell, G.; Filipović, M. D.; Mizuno, N.; Tachihara, K.; Kawamura, A.; Onishi, T.; Fukui, Y.

2017-07-01

We analyzed the 2.6 mm CO and 21 cm H I lines toward the Magellanic superbubble 30 Doradus C, in order to reveal the associated molecular and atomic gas. We uncovered five molecular clouds in a velocity range from 251 to 276 km s-1 toward the western shell. The non-thermal X-rays are clearly enhanced around the molecular clouds on a parsec scale, suggesting possible evidence for magnetic field amplification via shock-cloud interaction. The thermal X-rays are brighter in the eastern shell, where there are no dense molecular or atomic clouds, opposite to the western shell. The TeV γ-ray distribution may spatially match the total interstellar proton column density as well as the non-thermal X-rays. If the hadronic γ-ray is dominant, the total energy of the cosmic-ray protons is at least ˜ 1.2× {10}50 erg with the estimated mean interstellar proton density ˜60 cm-3. In addition, the γ-ray flux associated with the molecular cloud (e.g., MC3) could be detected and resolved by the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). This should permit CTA to probe the diffusion of cosmic-rays into the associated dense ISM.

Why is Interstellar Object 1I/2017 U1 (`Oumuamua) Rocky, Tumbling and Possibly Very Prolate?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katz, J. I.

2018-05-01

The recently discovered first interstellar object 1I/2017 U1 (`Oumuamua) has brightness that varies by a factor of 10, a range greater than that of any Solar System asteroid, a spectrum characteristic of Type D asteroids, and no evidence of evaporating volatiles, contrary to expectation for exo-Oort clouds. `Oumuamua is possibly the first example of the proposed "Jurads", objects depleted in volatiles and ejected from planetary systems during the post-main sequence evolution of their parent stars. I suggest that heating by the star's giant stage fluidized a precursor object as well as driving off any volatiles, causing it to assume the Jacobi ellipsoidal shape of a self-gravitating incompressible liquid. The collision that produced the inferred tumbling motion may have occurred thousands of years after the formation of 1I/2017 U1 `Oumuamua. Jacobi ellipsoids have a unique relation among rotation rate, density and axial ratio. The inferred axial ratio ⪆ 5 suggests a lower bound on the density of 1.6 g/cm3, apparently excluding an icy interior unless it is almost entirely frozen CO2. `Oumuamua may be related to accreting objects that pollute white dwarf atmospheres and that may make Soft Gamma Repeaters.

Diamond, aromatic, aliphatic components of interstellar dust grains: Random covalent networks in carbonaceous grains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duley, W. W.

1995-05-01

A formalism based on the theory of random covalent networks (RCNs) in amorphous solids is developed for carbonaceous dust grains. RCN solutions provide optimized structures and relative compositions for amorphous materials. By inclusion of aliphatic, aromatic, and diamond clusters, solutions specific to interstellar materials can be obtained and compared with infrared spectral data. It is found that distinct RCN solutions corresponding to diffuse cloud and molecular cloud materials are possible. Specific solutions are derived for three representative objects: VI Cyg No. 12, NGC 7538 (IRS 9), and GC IRS 7. While diffuse cloud conditions with a preponderance of sp2 and sp3 bonded aliphatic CH species can be reproduced under a variety of RCN conditions, the presence of an abundant tertiary CH or diamond component is highly constrained. These solutions are related quantitatively to carbon depletions and can be used to provide a quantitative estimate of carbon in these various dust components. Despite the abundance of C6 aromatic rings in many RCN solutions, the infrared absorption due to the aromatic stretch at approximately 3.3 micrometers is weak under all conditions. The RCN formalism is shown to provide a useful method for tracing the evolutionary properties of interstellar carbonaceous grains.

A survey of interstellar neutral potassium. I - Abundances and physical conditions in clouds toward 188 early-type stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chaffee, F. H., Jr.; White, R. E.

1982-01-01

Observations of interstellar absorption in the resonance doublet 7664, 7698 A of neutral potassium toward 188 early-type stars at a spectral resolution of 8 km/s are reported. The 7664 A line is successfully separated from nearly coincident telluric O2 absorption for all but a few of the 165 stars for which K I absorption is detected, making possible an abundance analysis by the doublet ratio method. The relationships between the potassium abundances and other atomic abundances, the abundance of molecular hydrogen, and interstellar reddening are investigated.

Astrophysical dust grains in stars, the interstellar medium, and the solar system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gehrz, Robert D.

1991-01-01

Studies of astrophysical dust grains in circumstellar shells, the interstellar medium, and the solar system may provide information about stellar evolution and about physical conditions in the primitive solar nebula. The following subject areas are covered: (1) the cycling of dust in stellar evolution and the formation of planetary systems; (2) astrophysical dust grains in circumstellar environments; (3) circumstellar grain formation and mass loss; (4) interstellar dust grains; (5) comet dust and the zodiacal cloud; (6) the survival of dust grains during stellar evolution; and (7) establishing connections between stardust and dust in the solar system.

Massive stars: privileged sources of cosmic-rays for interstellar astrochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Becker, M.

2015-01-01

Massive stars can be considered as crucial engines for interstellar physics. They are indeed the main providers of UV radiation field, and constitute a substantial source of chemical enrichment. On their evolution time-scale (at most about 10 Myr), they typically stay close to their formation site, i.e. close to molecular clouds very rich in interstellar molecules. These stellar objects have also the property to be involved in particle acceleration processes leading to the production of high energy charged particles (cosmic-rays). After rejection in the interstellar medium, these particles will play a substantial role in processes such as those simulated in various facilities dedicated to experimental astrochemistry. This short contribution intends to put these particles, crucial for astrochemistry, in their adequate astrophysical context.

Investigating nearby exoplanets via interstellar radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheffer, Louis K.

2014-01-01

Interstellar radar is a potential intermediate step between passive observation of exoplanets and interstellar exploratory missions. Compared with passive observation, it has the traditional advantages of radar astronomy. It can measure surface characteristics, determine spin rates and axes, provide extremely accurate ranges, construct maps of planets, distinguish liquid from solid surfaces, find rings and moons, and penetrate clouds. It can do this even for planets close to the parent star. Compared with interstellar travel or probes, it also offers significant advantages. The technology required to build such a radar already exists, radar can return results within a human lifetime, and a single facility can investigate thousands of planetary systems. The cost, although too high for current implementation, is within the reach of Earth's economy.

The South African Astronomical Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

Topics discussed in the Overview of Year 1988 include the following: Supernova in the Large Magellanic Cloud; Galaxies; Ground based observations of celestial x ray sources; the Magellanic Clouds; Pulsating variables; Galactic structure; Binary star phenomena; The provision of photometric standards; Nebulae and interstellar matter; Stellar astrophysics; Astrometry; Solar system studies; Visitors programs; Publications; and General matters.

Astrophysical radiation environments of habitable worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, David Samuel

Numerous astrophysical sources of radiation affect the environment of planets orbiting within the liquid-water habitable zone of main-sequence stars. This dissertation reaches a number of conclusions about the ionizing radiation environment of the habitable zone with respect to X-rays and gamma-rays from stellar flares and background Galactic cosmic rays. Gamma-rays and X-rays incident on terrestrial-like exoplanet atmospheres can be efficiently reprocessed into diffuse UV emission that, depending on the presence of atmospheric UV absorbers, can reach the surface. Extreme solar X-ray flares over the last 4.6 Gyr could have delivered large enough radiation doses to the Martian surface to sterilize any unprotected organisms, depending on the largest energy releases possible. These flares also pose a significant hazard to manned space missions, since a large flare can occur with little or no warning during an extravehicular activity. A flare as large as the largest observed could deliver radiation doses exceeding safety limits to an astronaut protected by only a spacesuit. With respect to particle radiation, the nature of Galactic cosmic-ray modulation by astrospheres means that habitable-zone cosmic-ray fluxes change by much larger magnitudes when passing through low- densities regions of the interstellar medium. In contrast to the popular idea that passages through dense molecular clouds are required to significantly enhance Galactic cosmic-ray fluxes and affect planets' electrical circuits, background mutation rates, and climates, we find that densities of only 0.1-10 cm -3 , the densities of most interstellar clouds, are sufficient to bring fluxes close to the full, interstellar level. Finally, passages through dense molecular clouds are necessary to shrink astrospheres to within the habitable zone, but such events produce even higher interstellar hydrogen and dust accretion rates than have been estimated because of the combination of enhanced charge-exchange rates between stellar-wind ions and interstellar neutrals and the growing importance of the central star's gravity on particle trajectories as the astrosphere shrinks.

Carbon Chemistry in Transitional Clouds from the GOT C+ Survey of CII 158 micron Emission in the Galactic Plane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer, W. D.; Velusamy, T.; Pineda, J.; Willacy, K.; Goldsmith, P. F.

2011-05-01

In understanding the lifecycle and chemistry of the interstellar gas, the transition from diffuse atomic to molecular gas clouds is a very important stage. The evolution of carbon from C+ to C0 and CO is a fundamental part of this transition, and C+ along with its carbon chemistry is a key diagnostic. Until now our knowledge of interstellar gas has been limited primarily to the diffuse atomic phase traced by HI and the dense molecular H2 phase traced by CO. However, we have generally been missing an important layer in diffuse and transition clouds, which is denoted by the warm "dark gas'', that is mostly H2 and little HI and CO, and is best traced with C+. Here, we discuss the chemistry in the transition from C+ to C0 and CO in these clouds as understood by a survey of the CII 1.9 THz (158 micron) line from a sparse survey of the inner galaxy over about 40 degrees in longitude as part of the Galactic Observations of Terahertz C+ (GOT C+) program, a Herschel Space Observatory Open Time Key Program to study interstellar clouds by sampling ionized carbon. Using the first results from GOT C+ along 11 LOSs, in a sample of 53 transition clouds, Velusamy, Langer et al. (A&A 521, L18, 2010) detected an excess of CII intensities indicative of a thick H2 layer (a significant warm H2, "dark gas'' component) around the 12CO core. Here we present a much larger, statistically significant sample of a few hundred diffuse and transition clouds traced by CII, along with auxiliary HI and CO data in the inner Galaxy between l=-30° and +30°. Our new and more extensive sample of transition clouds is used to elucidate the time dependent physical and carbon chemical evolution of diffuse to transition clouds, and transition layers. We consider the C+ to CO conversion pathways such as H++ O and C+ + H2 chemistry for CO production to constrain the physical parameters such as the FUV intensity and cosmic ray ionization rate that drive the CO chemistry in the diffuse transition clouds.

Analysis of interstellar cloud structure based on IRAS images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scalo, John M.

1992-01-01

The goal of this project was to develop new tools for the analysis of the structure of densely sampled maps of interstellar star-forming regions. A particular emphasis was on the recognition and characterization of nested hierarchical structure and fractal irregularity, and their relation to the level of star formation activity. The panoramic IRAS images provided data with the required range in spatial scale, greater than a factor of 100, and in column density, greater than a factor of 50. In order to construct densely sampled column density maps of star-forming clouds, column density images of four nearby cloud complexes were constructed from IRAS data. The regions have various degrees of star formation activity, and most of them have probably not been affected much by the disruptive effects of young massive stars. The largest region, the Scorpius-Ophiuchus cloud complex, covers about 1000 square degrees (it was subdivided into a few smaller regions for analysis). Much of the work during the early part of the project focused on an 80 square degree region in the core of the Taurus complex, a well-studied region of low-mass star formation.

Properties and rotation of molecular clouds in M 33

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braine, J.; Rosolowsky, E.; Gratier, P.; Corbelli, E.; Schuster, K.-F.

2018-04-01

The sample of 566 molecular clouds identified in the CO(2-1) IRAM survey covering the disk of M 33 is explored in detail. The clouds were found using CPROPS and were subsequently catalogued in terms of their star-forming properties as non-star-forming (A), with embedded star formation (B), or with exposed star formation (C, e.g., presence of Hα emission). We find that the size-linewidth relation among the M 33 clouds is quite weak but, when comparing with clouds in other nearby galaxies, the linewidth scales with average metallicity. The linewidth and particularly the line brightness decrease with galactocentric distance. The large number of clouds makes it possible to calculate well-sampled cloud mass spectra and mass spectra of subsamples. As noted earlier, but considerably better defined here, the mass spectrum steepens (i.e., higher fraction of small clouds) with galactocentric distance. A new finding is that the mass spectrum of A clouds is much steeper than that of the star-forming clouds. Further dividing the sample, this difference is strong at both large and small galactocentric distances and the A vs. C difference is a stronger effect than the inner vs. outer disk difference in mass spectra. Velocity gradients are identified in the clouds using standard techniques. The gradients are weak and are dominated by prograde rotation; the effect is stronger for the high signal-to-noise clouds. A discussion of the uncertainties is presented. The angular momenta are low but compatible with at least some simulations. Finally, the cloud velocity gradients are compared with the gradient of disk rotation. The cloud and galactic gradients are similar; the cloud rotation periods are much longer than cloud lifetimes and comparable to the galactic rotation period. The rotational kinetic energy is 1-2% of the gravitational potential energy and the cloud edge velocity is well below the escape velocity, such that cloud-scale rotation probably has little influence on the evolution of molecular clouds.

The Diffuse Interstellar Bands: Solving a Century Old Problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salama, Farid

2017-01-01

The Diffuse Interstellar Bands (DIBs) are a set of apporoximately 500 absorption bands that are seen in the spectra of reddened stars (i.e., stars obscured by the presence of interstellar clouds in their line of sight). The first DIBs were detected in the visible over a century ago. Diffuse Interstellar Bands are now detected from the near ultraviolet to the near infrared in the spectra of reddened stars spanning a variety of interstellar environments in our local, and in other galaxies. Although DIB carriers are a significant part of the interstellar chemical inventory as they account for a noticeable fraction of the interstellar extinction, the nature of their carriers is still unknown over a century after the detection of the first bands. DIB carriers are stable and ubiquitous in a broad variety of interstellar environments and play a unique role in interstellar physics and chemistry. It has long been realized that the solving of the DIB problem requires a strong synergy between astronomical observations, laboratory astrophysics and astrochemistry, quantum chemistry calculations and astrophysical modeling of line-of-sights. In this review, we'll present and discuss the current state of this perplexing problem. We'll review the progress and the failures that have been encountered in the long quest for the identification of the carriers of these ubiquitous interstellar bands.

The nitrogen isotopic ratio of HC3N towards the L1544 prestellar core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hily-Blant, P.; Faure, A.; Vastel, C.; Magalhaes, V.; Lefloch, B.; Bachiller, R.

2018-06-01

The origin of the heavily fractionated reservoir of nitrogen in comets remains an issue in the theory of their formation and hence of the solar system. Whether the fractionated reservoir traced by comets is inherited from the interstellar cloud or is the product of processes taking place in the protostar, or in the protoplanetary disk, remains unclear. So far, observations of nitrogen isotopic ratios in protostars or prestellar cores have not securely identified such a fractionated reservoir owing to the intrinsic difficulty of direct isotopic ratios measurements. In this article, we report the detection of 5 rotational lines of HC3N, including the weaker components of the hyperfine multiplets, and two rotational lines of its 15N isotopologue, towards the L1544 prestellar core. Based on a MCMC/non-LTE multi-line analysis at the hyperfine level, we derive the column densities of HC3N (8.0 ± 0.4 × 1013cm-2) and HC_3^{15}N (2.0 ± 0.4 × 1011cm-2) and derive an isotopic ratio of 400±20(1σ). This value suggests that HC3N is slightly depleted in 15N in L1544 with respect to the elemental 14N/15N ratio of ≈330 in the present-day local interstellar medium. Our study also stresses the need for radiative calculations at the hyperfine level. Finally, the comparison of the derived ratio with those obtained in CN and HCN in the same core seems to favor CN+C2H2 as the dominant formation route to HC3N. However, uncertainties in the isotopic ratios preclude definitive conclusions.

Observing Organic Molecules in Interstellar Gases: Non Equilibrium Excitation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiesenfeld, Laurent; Faure, Alexandre; Remijan, Anthony; Szalewicz, Krzysztof

2014-06-01

In order to observe quantitatively organic molecules in interstellar gas, it is necessary to understand the relative importance of photonic and collisional excitations. In order to do so, collisional excitation transfer rates have to be computed. We undertook several such studies, in particular for H_2CO and HCOOCH_3. Both species are observed in many astrochemical environments, including star-forming regions. We found that those two molecules behave in their low-lying rotational levels in an opposite way. For cis methyl-formate, a non-equilibrium radiative transfer treatment of rotational lines is performed, using a new set of theoretical collisional rate coefficients. These coefficients have been computed in the temperature range 5 to 30 K by combining coupled-channel scattering calculations with a high accuracy potential energy surface for HCOOCH_3 -- He. The results are compared to observations toward the Sagittarius B2(N) molecular cloud. A total of 2080 low-lying transitions of methyl formate, with upper levels below 25 K, were treated. These lines are found to probe a cold (30 K), moderately dense (n ˜ 104 cm-3) interstellar gas. In addition, our calculations indicate that all detected emission lines with a frequency below 30 GHz are collisionally pumped weak masers amplifying the background of Sgr B2(N). This result demonstrates the generality of the inversion mechanism for the low-lying transitions of methyl formate. For formaldehyde, we performed a similar non-equilibrium treatment, with H_2 as the collisional partner, thanks to the accurate H_2CO - H_2 potential energy surface . We found very different energy transfer rates for collisions with para-H_2 (J=0) and ortho-H_2 (J=1). The well-known absorption against the cosmological background of the 111→ 101 line is shown to depend critically on the difference of behaviour between para and ortho-H_2, for a wide range of H_2 density. We thank the CNRS-PCMI French national program for continuous support and the CHESS Herschel KP program for travel supports. Discussions with C. Ceccarelli, P. Hily-Blant and S. Maret are acknowledged.

Interstellar Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds and Astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodgins, Douglas M.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), a class of organic molecules whose structures are characterized by the presence of two or more fused aromatic rings, have been the subject of astrophysical interest for nearly two decades. Large by interstellar standards (from as few as 20 to perhaps as many as several hundred atoms), it has been suggested that these species are among the most abundant interstellar molecules impacting a wide range of astrophysical phenomena including: the ubiquitous family of infrared emission bands observed in an ever-increasing assortment of astronomical objects; the subtle but rich array of discrete visible/near-infrared interstellar molecular absorption features known as the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs); the broad near-infrared quasi-continuum observed in a number of nebulae known as excess red emission (ERE); the interstellar ultraviolet extinction curve and broad '2200 Angstrom bump'; the heating/cooling mechanisms of interstellar clouds. Nevertheless, until recently a lack of good-quality laboratory spectroscopic data on PACs under astrophysically relevant conditions (i.e. isolated, ionized molecules; ionized molecular clusters, etc.) has hindered critical evaluation and extension of this model

Collisional excitation of interstellar methyl cyanide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, Sheldon

1986-01-01

Theoretical calculations are used to determine the collisional excitation rates of methyl cyanide under interstellar molecular cloud conditions. The required Q(L,M) as a function of kinetic temperature were determined by averaging fixed energy IOS (infinite order sudden) results over appropriate Boltzmann distributions of collision energies. At a kinetic temperature of 40 K, rates within a K ladder were found to be accurate to generally better than about 30 percent.

Interstellar matter near the Pleiades. IV - The wake of the Pleiades through the interstellar medium in Taurus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Richard E.; Bally, John

1993-01-01

A large emission 'cavity' whose bright rims extend about 5 deg eastward from the Pleiades, and is pressurized by the soft-UV radiation of the cluster, has been revealed by a mosaic of IRAS images; the emission cavity delineates the wake of the Pleiades as it moves supersonically through the ISM. Photoelectric heating is identified as the most likely agent of the cluster-cloud interaction generating a shock wave, and prompts the hypothesis that transverse expansion of heated gas near the cluster plays a crucial role in driving the shock. The cloud trajectory can be traced back to an origin in Gould's Belt some 15 Myr ago, in a blowout of gas into the Galactic halo.

Element abundances at high redshift

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, David M.; Welty, D. E.; York, D. G.

1989-01-01

Abundances of Si(+), S(+), Cr(+), Mn(+), Fe(_), and Zn(+) are considered for two absorption-line systems in the spectrum of the QSO PKS 0528 - 250. Zinc and sulfur are underabundant, relative to H, by a factor of 10 compared to their solar and Galactic interstellar abundances. The silicon-, chromium-, iron-, and nickel-to-hydrogen ratios are less than the solar values and comparable to the local interstellar ratios. A straightforward interpretation is that nucleosynthesis in these high-redshift systems has led to only about one-tenth as much heavy production as in the gas clouds around the sun, and that the amount of the observed underabundances attributable to grain depletion is small. The dust-to-gas ratio in these clouds is less than 8 percent of the Galactic value.

Decoding IR Spectra of Cosmic Ices and Organics in the Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allamandola, Louis J.

2006-01-01

Tremendous strides have been made in our understanding of interstellar material over the past twenty-five years thanks to significant developments in observational IR astronomy and dedicated laboratory experiments. Twenty-five years ago the composition of interstellar dust was largely guessed at. Today the composition of interstellar dust is reasonably well understood. In the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) the dust population is mainly comprised of small grains of silicates and amorphous carbon. In dark molecular clouds, the birthplace of stars and planets, these cold refractory dust particles are coated with mixed molecular ices whose composition is reasonably well constrained. Lastly, the signature of carbon-rich polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), shockingly large molecules by early interstellar chemistry standards, is widespread throughout the Universe. This extraordinary progress has been made possible by the close collaboration of laboratory experimentalists and theoreticians with IR astronomers using groundbased, air-borne, and orbiting telescopes.

Interferometric observations of large biologically interesting interstellar and cometary molecules

PubMed Central

Snyder, Lewis E.

2006-01-01

Interferometric observations of high-mass regions in interstellar molecular clouds have revealed hot molecular cores that have substantial column densities of large, partly hydrogen-saturated molecules. Many of these molecules are of interest to biology and thus are labeled “biomolecules.” Because the clouds containing these molecules provide the material for star formation, they may provide insight into presolar nebular chemistry, and the biomolecules may provide information about the potential of the associated interstellar chemistry for seeding newly formed planets with prebiotic organic chemistry. In this overview, events are outlined that led to the current interferometric array observations. Clues that connect this interstellar hot core chemistry to the solar system can be found in the cometary detection of methyl formate and the interferometric maps of cometary methanol. Major obstacles to understanding hot core chemistry remain because chemical models are not well developed and interferometric observations have not been very sensitive. Differentiation in the molecular isomers glycolaldehdye, methyl formate, and acetic acid has been observed, but not explained. The extended source structure for certain sugars, aldehydes, and alcohols may require nonthermal formation mechanisms such as shock heating of grains. Major advances in understanding the formation chemistry of hot core species can come from observations with the next generation of sensitive, high-resolution arrays. PMID:16894168

The peculiar behaviour of the 5780 and 5797 DIBs in HD25137

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porceddu, Ignazio; Benvenuti, P.

1994-01-01

The interstellar environment close to the high latitude molecular cloud Lynds 1569 (L1569, Lynds 1962), also known as MBM 18 (Magnani, Blitz and Mundy, 1985), has been analyzed by Penrase et al. (1990) and Penrase (1993). Their observations of the CH, CH(sup+), and CN molecular features, are consistent with a region having a high molecular and reduced dust content. They also observed the background star HD 24263- located 8 degrees far from the center of L1569 - reporting a CH rich line of sight and the presence of two intervening clouds from a sodium lines spectra. The infrared excess which has been revealed by the IRAS survey at 12 microns might suggest the presence of PAH's molecules, the well know candidate for the Unidentified Infrared Bands and Diffuse Interstellar Bands. This interesting scenario led to the investigation of the behavior of the diffuse interstellar bands toward HD 25137, which is supposed to be a background object for L1569 (Penrase et al., 1990); as well as the field star HD 24263. As part of a wider observational program devoted to study the HLC's special environments, the observations of the diffuse interstellar bands (DIB's) at 5780 and 5797 lambda lambda in the direction of the two above mentioned stars, HD 24263 and HD 25137 are presented here.

Synthesis and chirality of amino acids under interstellar conditions.

PubMed

Giri, Chaitanya; Goesmann, Fred; Meinert, Cornelia; Evans, Amanda C; Meierhenrich, Uwe J

2013-01-01

Amino acids are the fundamental building blocks of proteins, the biomolecules that provide cellular structure and function in all living organisms. A majority of amino acids utilized within living systems possess pre-specified orientation geometry (chirality); however the original source for this specific orientation remains uncertain. In order to trace the chemical evolution of life, an appreciation of the synthetic and evolutional origins of the first chiral amino acids must first be gained. Given that the amino acids in our universe are likely to have been synthesized in molecular clouds in interstellar space, it is necessary to understand where and how the first synthesis might have occurred. The asymmetry of the original amino acid synthesis was probably the result of exposure to chiral photons in the form of circularly polarized light (CPL), which has been detected in interstellar molecular clouds. This chirality transfer event, from photons to amino acids, has been successfully recreated experimentally and is likely a combination of both asymmetric synthesis and enantioselective photolysis. A series of innovative studies have reported successful simulation of these environments and afforded production of chiral amino acids under realistic circumstellar and interstellar conditions: irradiation of interstellar ice analogues (CO, CO2, NH3, CH3OH, and H2O) with circularly polarized ultraviolet photons at low temperatures does result in enantiomer enriched amino acid structures (up to 1.3% ee). This topical review summarizes current knowledge and recent discoveries about the simulated interstellar environments within which amino acids were probably formed. A synopsis of the COSAC experiment onboard the ESA cometary mission ROSETTA concludes this review: the ROSETTA mission will soft-land on the nucleus of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in November 2014, anticipating the first in situ detection of asymmetric organic molecules in cometary ices.

A survey of dusty plasma physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukla, P. K.

2001-05-01

Two omnipresent ingredients of the Universe are plasmas and charged dust. The interplay between these two has opened up a new and fascinating research area, that of dusty plasmas, which are ubiquitous in different parts of our solar system, namely planetary rings, circumsolar dust rings, the interplanetary medium, cometary comae and tails, as well as in interstellar molecular clouds, etc. Dusty plasmas also occur in noctilucent clouds in the arctic troposphere and mesosphere, cloud-to-ground lightening in thunderstorms containing smoke-contaminated air over the United States, in the flame of a humble candle, as well as in microelectronic processing devices, in low-temperature laboratory discharges, and in tokamaks. Dusty plasma physics has appeared as one of the most rapidly growing fields of science, besides the field of the Bose-Einstein condensate, as demonstrated by the number of published papers in scientific journals and conference proceedings. In fact, it is a truly interdisciplinary science because it has many potential applications in astrophysics (viz. in understanding the formation of dust clusters and structures, instabilities of interstellar molecular clouds and star formation, decoupling of magnetic fields from plasmas, etc.) as well as in the planetary magnetospheres of our solar system [viz. Saturn (particularly, the physics of spokes and braids in the B and F rings), Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and Mars] and in strongly coupled laboratory dusty plasmas. Since a dusty plasma system involves the charging and dynamics of massive charged dust grains, it can be characterized as a complex plasma system providing new physics insights. In this paper, the basic physics of dusty plasmas as well as numerous collective processes are discussed. The focus will be on theoretical and experimental observations of charging processes, waves and instabilities, associated forces, the dynamics of rotating and elongated dust grains, and some nonlinear structures (such as dust ion-acoustic shocks, Mach cones, dust voids, vortices, etc). The latter are typical in astrophysical settings and in several laboratory experiments. It appears that collective processes in a complex dusty plasma would have excellent future perspectives in the twenty-first century, because they have not only potential applications in interplanetary space environments, or in understanding the physics of our universe, but also in advancing our scientific knowledge in multidisciplinary areas of science.

Gas-Grain Chemical Models: Inclusion of a Grain Size Distribution and a Study Of Young Stellar Objects in the Magellanic Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pauly, Tyler Andrew

2017-06-01

Computational models of interstellar gas-grain chemistry have aided in our understanding of star-forming regions. Chemical kinetics models rely on a network of chemical reactions and a set of physical conditions in which atomic and molecular species are allowed to form and react. We replace the canonical single grain-size in our chemical model MAGICKAL with a grain size distribution and analyze the effects on the chemical composition of the gas and grain surface in quiescent and collapsing dark cloud models. We find that a grain size distribution coupled with a temperature distribution across grain sizes can significantly affect the bulk ice composition when dust temperatures fall near critical values related to the surface binding energies of common interstellar chemical species. We then apply the updated model to a study of ice formation in the cold envelopes surrounding massive young stellar objects in the Magellanic Clouds. The Magellanic Clouds are local satellite galaxies of the Milky Way, and they provide nearby environments to study star formation at low metallicity. We expand the model calculation of dust temperature to include a treatment for increased interstellar radiation field intensity; we vary the radiation field to model the elevated dust temperatures observed in the Magellanic Clouds. We also adjust the initial elemental abundances used in the model, guided by observations of Magellanic Cloud HII regions. We are able to reproduce the relative ice fractions observed, indicating that metal depletion and elevated grain temperature are important drivers of the envelope ice composition. The observed shortfall in CO in Small Magellanic Cloud sources can be explained by a combination of reduced carbon abundance and increased grain temperatures. The models indicate that a large variation in radiation field strength is required to match the range of observed LMC abundances. CH 3OH abundance is found to be enhanced (relative to total carbon abundance) in low-metallicity models, providing seed material for complex organic molecule formation. We conclude with a preliminary study of the recently discovered hot core in the Large Magellanic Cloud; we create a grid of models to simulate hot core formation in Magellanic Cloud environments, comparing them to models and observations of well-characterized galactic counterparts.

C+/CO Transitions in the Diffuse ISM: Transitional Cloud Sample from the GOT C+ Survey of [CII] in the inner Galaxy at l = -30deg to 30deg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velusamy, T.; Pineda, J. L.; Langer, W. D.; Willacy, K.; Goldsmith, P. F.

2011-05-01

Our knowledge of interstellar gas has been limited primarily to the diffuse atomic phase traced by HI and the well-shielded molecular phase traced by CO. Recently, using the first results of the Herschel Key Project GOT C+, a HIFI C+ survey of the Galactic plane, Velusamy, Langer, Pineda et al. (A&A 521, L18, 2010) have shown that in the diffuse interstellar transition clouds a significant fraction of the carbon exists primarily as C^+ with little C^0 and CO in a warm 'dark gas' layer in which hydrogen is mostly H_2 with little atomic H, surrounding a modest 12CO-emitting core. The [CII] fine structure transition, at 1.9 THz (158 μm) is the best tracer of this component of the interstellar medium, which is critical to our understanding of the atomic to molecular cloud transitions. The Herschel Key Project GOT C+ is designed to study such clouds by observing with HIFI the [CII] line emission along 500 lines of sight (LOSs) throughout the Galactic disk. Here we present the identification and chemical status of a few hundred diffuse and transition clouds traced by [CII], along with auxiliary HI and CO data covering ~100 LOSs in the inner Galaxy between l= -30° and 30°. We identify transition clouds as [CII] components that are characterized by the presence of both HI and 12CO, but no 13CO emission. The intensities, I(CII) and I(HI), are used as measures of the visual extinction, AV, in the cloud up to the C^+/C^0/CO transition layer and a comparison with I(12CO) yields a more complete H_2 molecular inventory. Our results show that [CII] emission is an excellent tool to study transition clouds and their carbon chemistry in the ISM, in particular as a unique tracer of molecular H_2, which is not easily observed by other means. The large sample presented here will serve as a resource to study the chemical and physical status of diffuse transition clouds in a wide range of Galactic environments and constrain the physical parameters such as the FUV intensity and cosmic ray ionization rate that drive the CO chemistry in the diffuse ISM.

Multiple generations of grain aggregation in different environments preceded solar system body formation.

PubMed

Ishii, Hope A; Bradley, John P; Bechtel, Hans A; Brownlee, Donald E; Bustillo, Karen C; Ciston, James; Cuzzi, Jeffrey N; Floss, Christine; Joswiak, David J

2018-06-26

The solar system formed from interstellar dust and gas in a molecular cloud. Astronomical observations show that typical interstellar dust consists of amorphous ( a -) silicate and organic carbon. Bona fide physical samples for laboratory studies would yield unprecedented insight about solar system formation, but they were largely destroyed. The most likely repositories of surviving presolar dust are the least altered extraterrestrial materials, interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) with probable cometary origins. Cometary IDPs contain abundant submicron a- silicate grains called GEMS (glass with embedded metal and sulfides), believed to be carbon-free. Some have detectable isotopically anomalous a- silicate components from other stars, proving they are preserved dust inherited from the interstellar medium. However, it is debated whether the majority of GEMS predate the solar system or formed in the solar nebula by condensation of high-temperature (>1,300 K) gas. Here, we map IDP compositions with single nanometer-scale resolution and find that GEMS contain organic carbon. Mapping reveals two generations of grain aggregation, the key process in growth from dust grains to planetesimals, mediated by carbon. GEMS grains, some with a- silicate subgrains mantled by organic carbon, comprise the earliest generation of aggregates. These aggregates (and other grains) are encapsulated in lower-density organic carbon matrix, indicating a second generation of aggregation. Since this organic carbon thermally decomposes above ∼450 K, GEMS cannot have accreted in the hot solar nebula, and formed, instead, in the cold presolar molecular cloud and/or outer protoplanetary disk. We suggest that GEMS are consistent with surviving interstellar dust, condensed in situ, and cycled through multiple molecular clouds. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

The Inventory of Interstellar Materials Available for the Formation of the Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandford, Scott A.; Witteborn, Fred C. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

Dr. Derek Sears, the editor of the journal Meteoritics and Planetary Science, has established a policy of having each issue of the journal contain an invited review of an area that he deems to be of special cur-rent importance. Typically 20 to 25 pages of the beginning of the journal are devoted to each review. He has asked me to prepare such a review summarizing what we know about the composition and structure of interstellar materials. The attached paper is the result. This is a good time for such a review since tremendous progress has been made in the field of interstellar dust in recent years through the use of telescopic observations, theoretical studies, laboratory studies of analogs, and the study of actual interstellar samples found in meteorites. It is increasing clear that the interstellar medium (ISM) contains an enormous diversity of materials created by a wide range of chemical and physical processes. This understanding is a far cry from the picture of interstellar materials held as recently as two decades ago, a picture which incorporated only a few generic types of grains and few molecules. In the paper I review our current knowledge of the more abundant materials thought to exist in the ISM. The review concentrates on matter in interstellar dense molecular clouds since it is the materials in these environments from which new stars and planetary systems are formed, although materials in circumstellar environments and in the diffuse ISM are also discussed. The paper focuses largely on solid materials since they contain a major fraction of the heavier elements in clouds and because solids are most likely to survive incorporation into new planetary systems in identifiable form. The paper concludes with discussion of some of the implications resulting from the identification of these interstellar materials. I also present some new thoughts, the most intriguing being that meteoritic 'microdiamonds' may be the same material that modelers of the interstellar extinction call graphite! If my suggestion is correct it will help resolve the dilemma associated with the current over-subscription of cosmic C and should lead to some new approaches to both extinction models and the study of meteoritic interstellar microdiamonds.

Millimeter Wave Spectrum and Astronomical Search for Vinyl Formate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alonso, E. R.; Kolesniková, L.; Tercero, B.; Cabezas, C.; Alonso, J. L.; Cernicharo, J.; Guillemin, J.-C.

2016-11-01

Previous detections of methyl and ethyl formate make other small substituted formates potential candidates for observation in the interstellar medium. Among them, vinyl formate is one of the simplest unsaturated carboxylic ester. The aim of this work is to provide direct experimental frequencies of the ground vibrational state of vinyl formate in a large spectral range for astrophysical use. The room-temperature rotational spectrum of vinyl formate has been measured from 80 to 360 GHz and analyzed in terms of Watson’s semirigid rotor Hamiltonian. Two thousand six hundred transitions within J = 3-88 and K a = 0-28 were assigned to the most stable conformer of vinyl formate and a new set of spectroscopic constants was accurately determined. Spectral features of vinyl formate were then searched for in Orion KL, Sgr B2(N), B1-b, and TMC-1 molecular clouds. Upper limits to the column density of vinyl formate are provided.

Anatomy of the Photodissociation Region in the Orion Bar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tielens, A. G. G. M.; Meixner, M. M.; vanderWerf, P. P.; Bregman, J.; Tauber, J. A.; Stutzki, J.; Rank, D.

1993-01-01

Much of the interstellar gas resides in photodissociation regions whose chemistry and energy balance is controlled by the flux of far-ultraviolet radiation upon them. These photons can ionize and dissociate molecules and heat the gas through the photoelectric effect working on dust grains. These regions have been extensively modeled theoretically, but detailed observational studies are few. Mapping of the prominent Orion Bar photo-dissociation region at wavelengths corresponding to the carbon-hydrogen stretching mode of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the 1-0 S(l) line of molecular hydrogen, and the J = 1-0 rotational line of carbon monoxide allows the penetration of the far-ultraviolet radiation into the cloud to be traced. The results strongly support the theoretical models and show conclusively that the incident far-ultraviolet radiation field, not shocks as has sometimes been proposed, is responsible for the emission in the Orion Bar.

Reactions of N(+) (3P) ions with normal, para, and deuterated hydrogens at low temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marquette, J. B.; Rebrion, C.; Rowe, B. R.

1988-08-01

The method of reaction kinetics in uniform supersonic flow (French designation CRESU; Dupeyrat et al., 1985) is used to study the reactions of N(+) (3P) with n-H2, p-H2, HD, and D2 at temperatures 8, 20, 27, 45, 68, 163, and 300 K. Results obtained using either He or N2 as the buffer gas are presented in tables and graphs and discussed in detail. The reaction with p-H2 is shown to be significantly slower than that with n-H2, a finding attributed to rotational-energy and spin-orbit-energy driving of these processes. It is pointed out that these results are in agreement with those of Barlow et al. (1986) and Herbst et al. (1987), apparently ruling out these reactions as the source of the NH3 observed in dense interstellar cloud cores.

Scientists Toast the Discovery of Vinyl Alcohol in Interstellar Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-10-01

Astronomers using the National Science Foundation's 12 Meter Telescope at Kitt Peak, AZ, have discovered the complex organic molecule vinyl alcohol in an interstellar cloud of dust and gas near the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. The discovery of this long-sought compound could reveal tantalizing clues to the mysterious origin of complex organic molecules in space. Vinyl Alcohol and its fellow isomers "The discovery of vinyl alcohol is significant," said Barry Turner, a scientist at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Charlottesville, Va., "because it gives us an important tool for understanding the formation of complex organic compounds in interstellar space. It may also help us better understand how life might arise elsewhere in the Cosmos." Vinyl alcohol is an important intermediary in many organic chemistry reactions on Earth, and the last of the three stable members of the C2H4O group of isomers (molecules with the same atoms, but in different arrangements) to be discovered in interstellar space. Turner and his colleague A. J. Apponi of the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory in Tucson detected the vinyl alcohol in Sagittarius B -- a massive molecular cloud located some 26,000 light-years from Earth near the center of our Galaxy. The astronomers were able to detect the specific radio signature of vinyl alcohol during the observational period of May and June of 2001. Their results have been accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. Of the approximately 125 molecules detected in interstellar space, scientists believe that most are formed by gas-phase chemistry, in which smaller molecules (and occasionally atoms) manage to "lock horns" when they collide in space. This process, though efficient at creating simple molecules, cannot explain how vinyl alcohol and other complex chemicals are formed in detectable amounts. For many years now, scientists have been searching for the right mechanism to explain how the building blocks for vinyl alcohol and other chemicals are able to form the necessary chemical bonds to make larger molecules - those containing as many as six or more atoms. "It has been an ongoing quest to understand exactly how these more complex molecules form and become distributed throughout the interstellar medium," said Turner. Since the 1970s, scientists have speculated that molecules could form on the microscopic dust grains in interstellar clouds. These dust grains are thought to trap the fast-moving molecules. The surface of these grains would then act as a catalyst, similar to a car's catalytic converter, and enable the chemical reactions that form vinyl alcohol and the other complex molecules. The problem with this theory, however, is that the newly formed molecules would remain trapped on the dust grains at the low temperature characteristic of most of interstellar space, and the energy necessary to "knock them off" would also be strong enough to break the chemical bonds that formed them. "This last process has not been well understood," explained Turner. "The current theory explains well how molecules like vinyl alcohol could form, but it doesn't address how these new molecules are liberated from the grains where they are born." To better understand how this might be accomplished, the scientists considered the volatile and highly energetic region of space where these molecules were detected. Turner and others speculate that since this cloud lies near an area of young, energetic star formation, the energy from these stars could evaporate the icy surface layers of the grains. This would liberate the molecules from their chilly nurseries, depositing them into interstellar space where they can be detected by sensitive radio antennas on Earth. Astronomers are able to detect the faint radio signals that these molecules emit as they jump between quantum energy states in the act of rotating or vibrating. Turner cautions, however, that even though this discovery has shed new light on how certain highly complex species form in space, the final answer is still not in hand. "Although vinyl alcohol and its isomeric partners may well have formed on grains," said Turner "another important possibility has been found. The grain evaporative processes near star formation appear to release copious amounts of somewhat simpler molecules such as formaldehyde (H2CO) and methanol (CH3OH), which may be reacting in the gas phase to produce detectable amounts of vinyl alcohol and its isomers." A program to search for other families of isomers is planned, which the astronomers believe could distinguish between these two possibilities. The astronomers used 2- and 3-mm band radio frequencies to make their observations with the 12 Meter Telescope. This telescope was taken off-line by the NRAO to make way for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, and is now operated by the Steward Observatory of the University of Arizona. Built in 1967, the telescope has had a long and productive history in detecting molecules in space. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Cosmic Carbon Chemistry: From the Interstellar Medium to the Early Earth

PubMed Central

Ehrenfreund, Pascale; Cami, Jan

2010-01-01

Astronomical observations have shown that carbonaceous compounds in the gas and solid state, refractory and icy are ubiquitous in our and distant galaxies. Interstellar molecular clouds and circumstellar envelopes are factories of complex molecular synthesis. A surprisingly large number of molecules that are used in contemporary biochemistry on Earth are found in the interstellar medium, planetary atmospheres and surfaces, comets, asteroids and meteorites, and interplanetary dust particles. In this article we review the current knowledge of abundant organic material in different space environments and investigate the connection between presolar and solar system material, based on observations of interstellar dust and gas, cometary volatiles, simulation experiments, and the analysis of extraterrestrial matter. Current challenges in astrochemistry are discussed and future research directions are proposed. PMID:20554702

Sulfur chemistry in dense interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, S. S.; Huntress, W. T., Jr.

1982-01-01

A model is presented for the gas phase chemistry of molecules containing sulfur in dense interstellar clouds. The sulfur chemistry is different from that used in previous models as a result of an extensive search of the recent literature and the availability of new laboratory data. The changes have a significant effect on the calculated abundance of sulfur compounds. The linked chemistry of sulfur and oxygen in the present model requires a severe depletion of sulfur and low fractional abundances of both O and O2 in the dense clouds. In contrast, the high abundance of SO and the low abundance of CS relative to SO in the HVS in the KL may indicate an oxygen-rich, high temperature environment compared to OMC-1. The formation of S-H bonds is slow because of the absence of radiative association between S(+) and H2. The present model underestimates the abundance of H2S unless a radiative association reaction between HS(+) and H2 is postulated.

The molecular composition of dense interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, M.; Robinson, G. W.

1977-01-01

Presented in this paper is an ab initio chemical model for dense interstellar clouds that incorporates 598 grain surface reactions, with small grains providing the reaction area. Gas-phase molecules are depleted through collisions with grains. The abundances of 372 chemical species are calculated as a function of time and are found to be of sufficient magnitude to explain most observations. Peak abundances are achieved on time scales of the order of 100,000 to 1 million years, depending on cloud density and kinetic temperature. The reaction rates for ion-molecule chemistry are approximately the same, indicating that surface and gas-phase chemistry may be coupled in certain regions. The composition of grain mantles is shown to be a function of grain radius. In certain grain-size ranges, large molecules containing two or more heavy atoms are more predominant than lighter 'ices' - H2O, NH3, and CH4. It is possible that absorption due to these large molecules in the mantle may contribute to the observed 3-micron band in astronomical spectra.

Experimental evidence for glycolaldehyde and ethylene glycol formation by surface hydrogenation of CO molecules under dense molecular cloud conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedoseev, G.; Cuppen, H. M.; Ioppolo, S.; Lamberts, T.; Linnartz, H.

2015-04-01

This study focuses on the formation of two molecules of astrobiological importance - glycolaldehyde (HC(O)CH2OH) and ethylene glycol (H2C(OH)CH2OH) - by surface hydrogenation of CO molecules. Our experiments aim at simulating the CO freeze-out stage in interstellar dark cloud regions, well before thermal and energetic processing become dominant. It is shown that along with the formation of H2CO and CH3OH - two well-established products of CO hydrogenation - also molecules with more than one carbon atom form. The key step in this process is believed to be the recombination of two HCO radicals followed by the formation of a C-C bond. The experimentally established reaction pathways are implemented into a continuous-time random-walk Monte Carlo model, previously used to model the formation of CH3OH on astrochemical time-scales, to study their impact on the solid-state abundances in dense interstellar clouds of glycolaldehyde and ethylene glycol.

Search with COPERNICUS for interstellar N/sub 2/ in diffuse clouds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lutz, B.L.; Owen, T.; Snow, T.P. Jr.

1979-01-01

Multiple Copernicus scans of the rho'/sup 1/..sigma../sub u//sup +/--X/sup 1/..sigma../sub g//sup +/(0--0) and l/sup 1/Pi/sub u/--X/sup 1/..sigma../sub g//sup +/(0--0) band regions of N/sub 2/ in the spectra of delta Sco and epsilon Per result in upper limits of N (N/sub 2/) < or =1.0--3.8 x 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -2/ and N (N/sub 2/) < or =1.2--4.4 x 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -2/, respectively, depending upon the cloud temperature. These limits are consistent with the column densities expected from current chemical models for diffuse interstellar clouds, representing relative abundances with respect to hydrogen nuclei of N (N/sub 2/)/2N (H/sub 2/)+N (H I)more » < or =0.69--2.6 x 10/sup -9/ for delta Sco and < or =0.31--1.1 x 10/sup -8/ for epsilon Per.« less

The size distribution of interstellar grains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witt, Adolf N.

1987-01-01

Three major areas involving interstellar grains were investigated. First, studies were performed of scattering in reflection nebulae with the goal of deriving scattering characteristics of dust grains such as the albedo and the phase function asymmetry throughout the visible and the ultraviolet. Secondly, studies were performed of the wavelength dependence of interstellar extinction designed to demonstrate the wide range of grain size distributions naturally occurring in individual clouds in different parts of the galaxy. And thirdly, studies were also performed of the ultraviolet powered emission of dust grains in the 0.5 to 1.0 micron wavelength range in reflection nebulae. Findings considered of major importance are highlighted.

KSC-02pd2055

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-11-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer, or CHIPSat, undergoes final processing before launch. CHIPSat, a suitcase-size 131-pound satellite, will provide invaluable information into the origin, physical processes and properties of the hot gas contained in the interstellar medium. This can provide important clues about the formation and evolution of galaxies since the interstellar medium literally contains the seeds of future stars. CHIPSat is scheduled for launch, with the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), on a Delta II expendable launch vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on Jan. 11, 2003, between 4:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PST.

KSC-02pd2053

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-11-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer, or CHIPSat, undergoes final processing before launch. CHIPSat, a suitcase-size 131-pound satellite, will provide invaluable information into the origin, physical processes and properties of the hot gas contained in the interstellar medium. This can provide important clues about the formation and evolution of galaxies since the interstellar medium literally contains the seeds of future stars. CHIPSat is scheduled for launch, with the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), on a Delta II expendable launch vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on Jan. 11, 2003, between 4:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PST.

KSC-02pd2056

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-11-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer, or CHIPSat, undergoes final processing before launch. CHIPSat, a suitcase-size 131-pound satellite, will provide invaluable information into the origin, physical processes and properties of the hot gas contained in the interstellar medium. This can provide important clues about the formation and evolution of galaxies since the interstellar medium literally contains the seeds of future stars. CHIPSat is scheduled for launch, with the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), on a Delta II expendable launch vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on Jan. 11, 2003, between 4:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PST.

KSC-02pd2054

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-11-11

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer, or CHIPSat, undergoes final processing before launch. CHIPSat, a suitcase-size 131-pound satellite, will provide invaluable information into the origin, physical processes and properties of the hot gas contained in the interstellar medium. This can provide important clues about the formation and evolution of galaxies since the interstellar medium literally contains the seeds of future stars. CHIPSat is scheduled for launch, with the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), on a Delta II expendable launch vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on Jan. 11, 2003, between 4:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. PST.

Organic matter in meteorites and comets - Possible origins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anders, Edward

1991-01-01

At least six extraterrestrial environments may have contributed organic compounds to meteorites and comets: solar nebula, giant-planet subnebulae, asteroid interiors containing liquid water, carbon star atmospheres, and diffuse or dark interstellar clouds. The record in meteorites is partly obscured by pervasive reheating that transformed much of the organic matter to kerogen; nonetheless, it seems that all six formation sites contributed. For comets, the large abundance of HCHO, HCN, and unsaturated hydrocarbons suggests an interstellar component of 50 percent or more, but the contributions of various interstellar processes, and of a solar-nebula component, are hard to quantify. A research program is outlined that may help reduce these uncertainties.

Utilitarian models of the solar nebula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cassen, Patrick

1994-01-01

Models of the primitive solar nebula based on a combination of theory, observations of T Tauri stars, and global conservation laws are presented. The models describe the motions of nebular gas, mixing of interstellar material during the formation of the nebula, and evolution of thermal structure in terms of several characteristic parameters. The parameters describe key aspects of the protosolar cloud (its rotation rate and collapse rate) and the nebula (its mass relative to the Sun, decay time, and density distribution). For most applications, the models are heuristic rather than predicted. Their purpose is to provide a realistic context for the interpretation of solar system data, and to distinquish those nebular characteristics that can be specified with confidence, independently of the assumtions of particular models, form those that are poorly constrained. It is demonstrated that nebular gas typically experienced large radial excursions during the evolution of the nebula and that both inward and outward mean radial velocities on the order of meters per second occured in the terrestrial planet region, with inward velocities predominant for most ofthe evolution. However, the time history of disk size, surface density, and radial velocities are sensitive to the total angular momentun of the protosolar cloud, which cannot be constrained by purely theoretical considerations.It is shown that a certain amount of 'formational' mixing of interstellar material was an inevitable consequenc of nebular mass and angular momentum transport during protostellar collapse, regardless of the specific transport mechanisms invloved. Even if the protosolar cloud was initially homogeneous, this mixing was important because it had the effect of mingling presolar material that had experienced different degrees of thermal processing during collapse and passage through the accertion shock. Nebular thermal structure is less sensitive to poorly constrained parameters than is dynamical history. A simple criterion is derived for the condition that silicate grains are evaporated at midplane, and it is argued that this condition was probably fulfilled early in nebular history. Cooling of a hot nebula due tocoagulation of dust and consequent local reduction of optical depth is examined, and it is shown how such a process leads naturally to an enrichment of rock-forming elements in the gas phase.

The origin and evolution of dust in interstellar and circumstellar environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whittet, Douglas C. B.; Leung, Chun M.

1993-01-01

This status report covers the period from the commencement of the research program on 1 Jul. 1992 through 30 Apr. 1993. Progress is reported for research in the following areas: (1) grain formation in circumstellar envelopes; (2) photochemistry in circumstellar envelopes; (3) modeling ice features in circumstellar envelopes; (4) episodic dust formation in circumstellar envelopes; (5) grain evolution in the diffuse interstellar medium; and (6) grain evolution in dense molecular clouds.

Origin of the solar system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cameron, A. G. W.

1988-01-01

The current status of the classical model of solar-system formation is surveyed, reviewing the results of recent observational and theoretical investigations. Topics addressed include interstellar clouds, the collapse of interstellar gas, the primitive solar nebula, the formation of the sun, planetesimal accumulation, planetary accumulation, major planetary collisions, the development of planetary atmospheres, and comets. The relative merits of conflicting theories on many key problems are indicated, with reference to more detailed reviews in the literature.

The X-ray Halo of GX5-1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Randall K.; Dame, T. M.; Costantini, Elisa; Predehl, Peter

2006-01-01

Using Chandra observations we have measured the energy-resolved dust-scattered X-ray halo around the low-mass X-ray binary GX5-1, detecting for the first time multiply scattered X-rays from interstellar dust. % e compared the observed X-ray halo at various energies to predictions from a range of dust models. These fits used both smoothly-distributed dust as well as dust in clumped clouds, with CO and 21 cm observations helping to determine the position of the clouds along the line of sight. We found that the BARE-GR-B model of Zubko, Dwek & Arendt (2004) generally led to the best results, although inadequacies in both the overall model and the data limit our conclusions. We did find that the composite dust models of Zubko, Dwek & Arendt (2004), especially the "no carbon" models, gave uniformly poor results. Although models using cloud positions and densities derived naively from CO and 21 cm data gave generally poor results, plausible adjustments to the distance of the largest cloud and the mass of a cloud in the expanding 3 kpc Arm lead to significantly improved fits. We suggest that combining X-ray halo, CO, and 21 cm observations will be a fruitful method to improve our understanding of both the gas and dust phases of the interstellar medium.

Prospects for Studying Interstellar Magnetic Fields with a Far-Infrared Polarimeter for SAFIR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dowell, C. Darren; Chuss, D. T.; Dotson, J. L.

2008-01-01

Polarimetry at mid-infrared through millimeter wavelengths using airborne and ground-based telescopes has revealed magnetic structures in dense molecular clouds in the interstellar medium, primarily in regions of star formation. Furthermore, spectropolarimetry has offered clues about the composition of the dust grains and the mechanism by which they are aligned with respect to the local magnetic field. The sensitivity of the observations to date has been limited by the emission from the atmosphere and warm telescopes. A factor of 1000 in sensitivity can be gained by using instead a cold space telescope. With 5 arcminute resolution, Planck will make the first submillimeter polarization survey of the full Galaxy early in the next decade. We discuss the science case for and basic design of a far-infrared polarimeter on the SAFIR space telescope, which offers resolution in the few arcsecond range and wavelength selection of cold and warm dust components. Key science themes include the formation and evolution of molecular clouds in nearby spiral galaxies, the magnetic structure of the Galactic center, and interstellar turbulence.

Laboratory Studies of Stabilities of Heterocyclic Aromatic Molecules: Suggested Gas Phase Ion-Molecule Routes to Production in Interstellar Gas Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Nigel G.; Fondren, L. Dalila; McLain, Jason L.; Jackson, Doug M.

2006-01-01

Several ring compounds have been detected in interstellar gas clouds, ISC, including the aromatic, benzene. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs, have been implicated as carriers of diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) and unidentified infrared (UIR) bands. Heterocyclic aromatic rings of intermediate size containing nitrogen, possibly PreLife molecules, were included in early searches but were not detected and a recent search for Pyrimidine was unsuccessful. Our laboratory investigations of routes to such molecules could establish their existence in ISC and suggest conditions under which their concentrations would be maximized thus aiding the searches. The stability of such ring compounds (C5H5N, C4H4N2, C5H11N and C4H8O2) has been tested in the laboratory using charge transfer excitation in ion-molecule reactions. The fragmentation paths, including production of C4H4(+), C3H3N(+) and HCN, suggest reverse routes to the parent molecules, which are presently under laboratory investigation as production sources.

The jet-ISM interactions in IC 5063

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Dipanjan; Wagner, Alexander Y.; Bicknell, Geoffrey V.; Morganti, Raffaella; Oosterloo, Tom; Nesvadba, Nicole; Sutherland, Ralph S.

2018-05-01

The interstellar medium of the radio galaxy IC 5063 is highly perturbed by an AGN jet expanding in the gaseous disc of the galaxy. We model this interaction with relativistic hydrodynamic simulations and multiphase initial conditions for the interstellar medium and compare the results with recent observations. As the jets flood through the intercloud channels of the disc, they ablate, accelerate, and disperse clouds to velocities exceeding 400 km s-1. Clouds are also destroyed or displaced in bulk from the central regions of the galaxy. Our models with jet powers of 1044 and 1045 erg s-1 are capable of reproducing many of the observed features in the position velocity diagram of IC 5063, and confirm the notion that the jet is responsible for the strongly perturbed gas dynamics seen in the ionized, neutral, and molecular gas phases. In our simulations, we also see strong venting of the jet plasma perpendicular to the disc, which entrains clumps and diffuse filaments into the halo of the galaxy. Our simulations are the first 3D hydrodynamic simulations of the jet and interstellar matter of IC 5063.

Interstellar Molecules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solomon, Philip M.

1973-01-01

Radioastronomy reveals that clouds between the stars, once believed to consist of simple atoms, contain molecules as complex as seven atoms and may be the most massive objects in our Galaxy. (Author/DF)

Multi-level study of C3H2: The first interstellar hydrocarbon ring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madden, S. C.; Irvine, W. M.; Matthews, H. E.; Avery, L. W.

1986-01-01

Cyclic species in the interstellar medium have been searched for almost since the first detection of interstellar polyatomic molecules. Eleven different C3H2 rotational transitions were detected; 9 of which were studied in TMC-1, a nearby dark dust cloud, are shown. The 1 sub 10 yields 1 sub 01 and 2 sub 20 yields 2 sub 11 transitions were observed with the 43 m NRAO telescope, while the remaining transitions were detected with the 14 m antenna of the Five College Radio Observatory (FCRAO). The lines detected in TMC-1 have energies above the ground state ranging from 0.9 to 17.1 K and consist of both ortho and para species. Limited maps were made along the ridge for several of the transitions. The HC3N J = 2 yields 1 transition were mapped simultaneously with the C3H2 1 sub 10 yields 1 sub 01 line and therefore can compare the distribution of this ring with a carbon chain in TMC-1. C3H2 is distributed along a narrow ridge with a SE - NW extension which is slightly more extended than the HC2N J = 2 yields 1. Gaussian fits gives a FWHP extension of 8'5 for C3H2 while HC3N has a FWHP of 7'. The data show variations of the two velocity components along the ridge as a function of transition. Most of the transitions show a peak at the position of strongest HC3N emission while the 2 sub 21 yields 2 sub 10 transition shows a peak at the NH3 position.

Magnetic Fields in the Galaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayo, Elizabeth A.

2009-01-01

Interstellar magnetic fields are believed to play a crucial role in the star-formation process, therefore a comprehensive study of magnetic fields is necessary in understanding the origins of stars. These projects use observational data obtained from the Very Large Array (VLA) in Socorro, NM. The data reveal interstellar magnetic field strengths via the Zeeman effect in radio frequency spectral lines. This information provides an estimate of the magnetic energy in star-forming interstellar clouds in the Galaxy, and comparisons can be made with these energies and the energies of self-gravitation and internal motions. From these comparisons, a better understanding of the role of magnetic fields in the origins of stars will emerge. NGC 6334 A is a compact HII region at the center of what is believed to be a large, rotating molecular torus (Kramer et al. (1997)). This is a continuing study based on initial measurements of the HI and OH Zeeman effect (Sarma et al. (2000)). The current study includes OH observations performed by the VLA at a higher spatial resolution than previously published data, and allows for a better analysis of the spatial variations of the magnetic field. A new model of the region is also developed based on OH opacity studies, dust continuum maps, radio spectral lines, and infrared (IR) maps. The VLA has been used to study the Zeeman effect in the 21cm HI line seen in absorption against radio sources in the Cygnus-X region. These sources are mostly galactic nebulae or HII regions, and are bright and compact in this region of the spectrum. HI absorption lines are strong against these regions and the VLA is capable of detecting the weak Zeeman effect within them. Support for this work was provided by the NSF PAARE program to South Carolina State University under award AST-0750814.

Do large rate coefficients for ion-polar neutral reactions have a serious effect on chemical models of dense clouds?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herbst, E.; Leung, C. M.

1986-01-01

In order to incorporate large ion-polar neutral rate coefficients into existing gas phase reaction networks, it is necessary to utilize simplified theoretical treatments because of the significant number of rate coefficients needed. The authors have used two simple theoretical treatments: the locked dipole approach of Moran and Hamill for linear polar neutrals and the trajectory scaling approach of Su and Chesnavich for nonlinear polar neutrals. The former approach is suitable for linear species because in the interstellar medium these are rotationally relaxed to a large extent and the incoming charged reactants can lock their dipoles into the lowest energy configuration. The latter approach is a better approximation for nonlinear neutral species, in which rotational relaxation is normally less severe and the incoming charged reactants are not as effective at locking the dipoles. The treatments are in reasonable agreement with more detailed long range theories and predict an inverse square root dependence on kinetic temperature for the rate coefficient. Compared with the locked dipole method, the trajectory scaling approach results in rate coefficients smaller by a factor of approximately 2.5.

The Fifth ISM Phase as Revealed by Faraday Rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heiles, Carl E.

2011-01-01

In the diffuse ISM, phases are classically categorized as largely ionized or neutral. The neutral phases come in two flavors, the Cold and Warm Neutral Media (the CNM and WNM), which have typical temperatures 50 and 5000 K. The ionized phases also come in two flavors, again classified by temperature: the Warm and Hot Ionized Media (the WIM and the HIM), which have typical temperatures 8000 and 106 K. There lurks a fifth phase, the Warm Partially Ionized Medium (WPIM). This is not widely recognized, mainly because it's presence is hard to establish observationally. It is well represented by the Local Interstellar Cloud (LIC), whose properties are very well specified in a series of papers by Redfield and Linsky. This fifth phase has a relatively high electron column but low emission measure, so it is not easily seen in H alpha. However, if the region is permeated by a typical magnetic field ( 6 microGauss), then it can produce a recognizable signature in Faraday rotation. We show a few examples and discuss the potential for large-scale mapping of this fifth ISM phase. Support for this work was provided in part by NSF grant AST-0908572.

Evolution of Interstellar Grains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allamandola, Lou J.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

During the past two decades observations combined with laboratory simulations, have revolutionized our understanding of interstellar ice and dust, the raw materials from which planets, comets and stars form. Most interstellar material is concentrated in large molecular clouds where simple molecules are formed by dust-grain and gas-phase reactions. Gaseous species striking the cold (10K) dust stick, forming an icy grain mantle. This accretion, coupled with UV photolysis, produces a complex chemical mixture containing volatile, non-volatile, and isotopically fractionated species. Ices in molecular clouds contain the very simple molecules H2O, CH3OH, CO, CO2, H2, and perhaps some NH3 and H2CO, as well as more complex species. The evidence for these compounds, as well as carbon-rich materials, will be reviewed and the possible connections with comets and meteorites will be presented in the first part of the talk . The second part of the presentation will focus on interstellar/precometary ice photochemical evolution and the species likely to be found in comets. The chemical composition and photochemical evolution of realistic interstellar/pre-cometary ice analogs will be discussed. Ultraviolet photolysis of these ices produces H2, H2CO, CO2, CO, CH4, HCO, and more complex molecules. When ices representative of interstellar grains and comets are exposed to UV radiation at low temperature a series of moderately complex organic molecules are formed in the ice including: CH3CH2OH (ethanol), HC(=O)NH2 (formamide), CH3C(=O)NH2 (acetamide), and R-C=N (nitriles). Several of these are already known to be in the interstellar medium, and their presence indicates the importance of grain processing. After warming to room temperature an organic residue remains. This is composed primarily of hexamethylenetetramine (HMT, C6H12N4), with lesser amounts of polyoxymethylene-related species (POMs), amides, and ketones. This is in sharp contrast to the organic residues produced by irradiating unrealistic interstellar ice analogs or thermally promoted polymerization-type reactions in unirradiated realistic ice mixtures.

Thermal emission from interstellar dust in and near the Pleiades

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Richard E.

1989-01-01

IRAS survey coadds for a 8.7 deg x 4.3 deg field near the Pleiades provide evidence for dynamical interaction between the cluster and the surrounding interstellar medium. The far-infrared images show large region of faint emission with bright rims east of the cluster, suggestive of a wake. Images of the far-infrared color temperature and 100 micron optical depth reveal temperature maxima and optical depth minima near the bright cluster stars, as well as a strong optical depth peak at the core of the adjacent CO cloud. Models for thermal dust emission near the stars indicate that most of the apparent optical depth minima near stars are illusory, but also provide indirect evidence for small interaction between the stars and the encroaching dust cloud.

Probing the Origin and Evolution of Interstellar and Protoplanetary Biogenic Molecules:A Comprehensive Survey of Interstellar Ices with SPHEREx

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melnick, Gary J.; SPHEREx Science Team

2016-01-01

Many of the most important building blocks of life are locked in interstellar and protoplanetary ices. Examples include H2O, CO, CO2, and CH3OH, among others. There is growing evidence that in some environments, such as within the cores of dense molecular clouds and the mid-plane of protoplanetary disks, the amounts of these species in ices far exceeds that in the gas phase. As a result, collisions between ice-bearing bodies and newly forming planets are thought to be a major means of delivering these key species to young planets. There currently exist fewer than 250 ice absorption spectra toward Galactic molecular clouds, which is insufficient to reliably trace the ice content of clouds through the various stages of collapse to star and planet formation, or assess the effects of their environments and physical conditions, such as cloud density, internal temperature, presence or absence of embedded sources, external UV and X-ray radiation, gas-phase composition, or cosmic-ray ionization rate, on the ice composition for clouds at similar evolutionary stages. Ultimately, our goal is to understand how these findings connect to our own Solar System.SPHEREx, which is a mission in NASA's Small Explorer (SMEX) program that was selected for a Phase A study in July 2015, will be a game changer for the study of interstellar, circumstellar, and protoplanetary disk ices. SPHEREx will obtain spectra over the entire sky in the optical and near-IR, including the 2.5 to 4.8 micron region, which contains the above biogenic ice features. SPHEREx will detect millions of potential background continuum point sources already catalogued by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) at 3.4 and 4.6 microns for which there is evidence for intervening gas and dust based on the 2MASS+WISE colors with sufficient sensitivity to yield ice absorption spectra with SNR ≥ 100 per spectral resolution element. The resulting > 100-fold increase in the number of high-quality ice absorption spectra toward a wide variety of regions distributed throughout the Galaxy will reveal correlations between ice content and environment not possible with current spectra. Finally, SPHEREx will provide JWST with an ice source catalog for follow-up.

Recognition and characterization of hierarchical interstellar structure. II - Structure tree statistics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houlahan, Padraig; Scalo, John

1992-01-01

A new method of image analysis is described, in which images partitioned into 'clouds' are represented by simplified skeleton images, called structure trees, that preserve the spatial relations of the component clouds while disregarding information concerning their sizes and shapes. The method can be used to discriminate between images of projected hierarchical (multiply nested) and random three-dimensional simulated collections of clouds constructed on the basis of observed interstellar properties, and even intermediate systems formed by combining random and hierarchical simulations. For a given structure type, the method can distinguish between different subclasses of models with different parameters and reliably estimate their hierarchical parameters: average number of children per parent, scale reduction factor per level of hierarchy, density contrast, and number of resolved levels. An application to a column density image of the Taurus complex constructed from IRAS data is given. Moderately strong evidence for a hierarchical structural component is found, and parameters of the hierarchy, as well as the average volume filling factor and mass efficiency of fragmentation per level of hierarchy, are estimated. The existence of nested structure contradicts models in which large molecular clouds are supposed to fragment, in a single stage, into roughly stellar-mass cores.

Starry Messages - Searching for Signatures of Interstellar Archaeology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrigan, R. A., Jr.

Searching for signatures of cosmic-scale archaeological artefacts such as Dyson spheres or Kardashev civilizations is an interesting alternative to conventional SETI. Uncovering such an artifact does not require the intentional transmission of a signal on the part of the originating civilization. This type of search is called interstellar archaeology or sometimes cosmic archaeology . The detection of intelligence elsewhere in the Universe with interstellar archaeology or SETI would have broad implications for science. For example, the constraints of the anthropic principle would have to be loosened if a different type of intelligence was discovered elsewhere. A variety of interstellar archaeology signatures are discussed including non-natural planetary atmospheric constituents, stellar doping with isotopes of nuclear wastes, Dyson spheres, as well as signatures of stellar and galactic-scale engineering. The concept of a Fermi bubble due to interstellar migration is introduced in the discussion of galactic signatures. These potential interstellar archaeological signatures are classified using the Kardashev scale. A modified Drake equation is used to evaluate the relative challenges of finding various sources. With few exceptions interstellar archaeological signatures are clouded and beyond current technological capabilities. However SETI for so-called cultural transmissions and planetary atmosphere signatures are within reach.

The detection of interstellar C I in the immediate vicinity of the sun

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bruhweiler, F. C.; Kondo, Y.

1982-01-01

Multiple stacked IUE spectra reveal the presence of interstellar C I 1657 in the trough of a corresponding photospheric feature in the nearby star, Alpha PsA (d = 7 pc). This represents the first detection of this neutral atom in the interstellar medium within the immediate vicinity of the sun. It is suggested that C I may be a much better diagnostic tool in studying the local interstellar medium than the neutral species K I and Na I, which are observable at visual wavelengths. Variations in C I column density, coupled with b-values deduced from the Mg II doublet ratio, may prove to be an important means to unravel density and temperature fluctuations in the very local interstellar medium. Comparison of the line of sight toward Alpha PsA with previous Copernicus interstellar Mg II results for that of Alpha Leo tentatively indicates that the distribution of Mg II in the local cloud is not homogeneous about the sun. Rough constraints on the ionization fraction of hydrogen toward Alpha PsA do not conflict with previous data, implying that the very local interstellar medium is significantly ionized.

Starry messages: Searching for signatures of interstellar archaeology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carrigan, Richard A., Jr.; /Fermilab

2009-12-01

Searching for signatures of cosmic-scale archaeological artifacts such as Dyson spheres or Kardashev civilizations is an interesting alternative to conventional SETI. Uncovering such an artifact does not require the intentional transmission of a signal on the part of the original civilization. This type of search is called interstellar archaeology or sometimes cosmic archaeology. The detection of intelligence elsewhere in the Universe with interstellar archaeology or SETI would have broad implications for science. For example, the constraints of the anthropic principle would have to be loosened if a different type of intelligence was discovered elsewhere. A variety of interstellar archaeology signaturesmore » are discussed including non-natural planetary atmospheric constituents, stellar doping with isotopes of nuclear wastes, Dyson spheres, as well as signatures of stellar and galactic-scale engineering. The concept of a Fermi bubble due to interstellar migration is introduced in the discussion of galactic signatures. These potential interstellar archaeological signatures are classified using the Kardashev scale. A modified Drake equation is used to evaluate the relative challenges of finding various sources. With few exceptions interstellar archaeological signatures are clouded and beyond current technological capabilities. However SETI for so-called cultural transmissions and planetary atmosphere signatures are within reach.« less

Effect of Supernovae on the Local Interstellar Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frisch, Priscilla; Dwarkadas, Vikram V.

A range of astronomical data indicates that ancient supernovae created the galactic environment of the Sun and sculpted the physical properties of the interstellar medium near the heliosphere. In this paper, we review the characteristics of the local interstellar medium that have been affected by supernovae. The kinematics, magnetic field, elemental abundances, and configuration of the nearest interstellar material support the view that the Sun is at the edge of the Loop I superbubble, which has merged into the low-density Local Bubble. The energy source for the higher temperature X-ray-emitting plasma pervading the Local Bubble is uncertain. Winds from massive stars and nearby supernovae, perhaps from the Sco-Cen association, may have contributed radioisotopes found in the geologic record and galactic cosmic ray population. Nested supernova shells in the Orion and Sco-Cen regions suggest spatially distinct sites of episodic star formation. The heliosphere properties vary with the pressure of the surrounding interstellar cloud. A nearby supernova would modify this pressure equilibrium and thereby severely disrupt the heliosphere as well as the local interstellar medium.

The interstellar chemistry of H2C3O isomers

PubMed Central

Loison, Jean-Christophe; Agúndez, Marcelino; Marcelino, Núria; Wakelam, Valentine; Hickson, Kevin M.; Cernicharo, José; Gerin, Maryvonne; Roueff, Evelyne; Guélin, Michel

2016-01-01

We present the detection of two H2C3O isomers, propynal and cyclopropenone, toward various starless cores and molecular clouds, together with upper limits for the third isomer propadienone. We review the processes controlling the abundances of H2C3O isomers in interstellar media showing that the reactions involved are gas-phase ones. We show that the abundances of these species are controlled by kinetic rather than thermodynamic effects. PMID:27013768

HIGH-ENERGY ELECTRON IRRADIATION OF INTERSTELLAR CARBONACEOUS DUST ANALOGS: COSMIC-RAY EFFECTS ON THE CARRIERS OF THE 3.4 μ m ABSORPTION BAND

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maté, Belén; Molpeceres, Germán; Jiménez-Redondo, Miguel

2016-11-01

The effects of cosmic rays on the carriers of the interstellar 3.4 μ m absorption band have been investigated in the laboratory. This band is attributed to stretching vibrations of CH{sub 3} and CH{sub 2} in carbonaceous dust. It is widely observed in the diffuse interstellar medium, but disappears in dense clouds. Destruction of CH{sub 3} and CH{sub 2} by cosmic rays could become relevant in dense clouds, shielded from the external ultraviolet field. For the simulations, samples of hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) have been irradiated with 5 keV electrons. The decay of the band intensity versus electron fluence reflectsmore » a-C:H dehydrogenation, which is well described by a model assuming that H{sub 2} molecules, formed by the recombination of H atoms liberated through CH bond breaking, diffuse out of the sample. The CH bond destruction rates derived from the present experiments are in good accordance with those from previous ion irradiation experiments of HAC. The experimental simplicity of electron bombardment has allowed the use of higher-energy doses than in the ion experiments. The effects of cosmic rays on the aliphatic components of cosmic dust are found to be small. The estimated cosmic-ray destruction times for the 3.4 μ m band carriers lie in the 10{sup 8} yr range and cannot account for the disappearance of this band in dense clouds, which have characteristic lifetimes of 3 × 10{sup 7} yr. The results invite a more detailed investigation of the mechanisms of CH bond formation and breaking in the intermediate region between diffuse and dense clouds.« less

Water in dense molecular clouds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wannier, P.G.; Kuiper, T.B.H.; Frerking, M.A.

1991-08-01

The G.P. Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO) was used to make initial observations of the half-millimeter ground-state transition of water in seven giant molecular clouds and in two late-type stars. No significant detections were made, and the resulting upper limits are significantly below those expected from other, indirect observations and from several theoretical models. The implied interstellar H2O/CO abundance is less than 0.003 in the cores of three giant molecular clouds. This value is less than expected from cloud chemistry models and also than estimates based on HDO and H3O(+) observations. 78 refs.

Radio emission from supernova remnants in a cloudy interstellar medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blandford, R. D.; Cowie, L. L.

1982-01-01

The van der Laan (1962) theory of SNR radio emission is modified in light of the inhomogeneity of the interstellar medium, and in order to allow for particle acceleration in shock fronts. It is proposed that most of the radio emission in 10-20 pc radius SNRs originates in cold interstellar clouds that have been crushed by the high pressure hot gas within the expanding remnant. Under these circumstances, simple reacceleration of ambient interstellar cosmic ray electrons can account for the surface brightness-diameter distribution of observed remnants, with the additional, relativistic particle energy compensating for the decreased filling factor of the radio-emitting regions. Warm interstellar gas, at about 8000 K, may also be compressed within very large SNRs (of radius of 30-100 pc) and account for both the giant radio loops, when these SNRs are seen individually, and the anomalously bright galactic nonthermal radio background, which may be the superposition of a number of such features.

Infrared emission spectra of candidate interstellar aromatic molecules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlemmer, S.; Balucani, N.; Wagner, D. R.; Steiner, B.; Saykally, R. J.

1996-01-01

Interstellar dust is responsible, through surface reactions, for the creation of molecular hydrogen, the main component of the interstellar clouds in which new stars form. Intermediate between small, gas-phase molecules and dust are the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Such molecules could account for 2-30% of the carbon in the Galaxy, and may provide nucleation sites for the formation of carbonaceous dust. Although PAHs have been proposed as the sources of the unidentified infrared emission bands that are observed in the spectra of a variety of interstellar sources, the emission characteristics of such molecules are still poorly understood. Here we report laboratory emission spectra of several representative PAHs, obtained in conditions approximating those of the interstellar medium, and measured over the entire spectral region spanned by the unidentified infrared bands. We find that neutral PAHs of small and moderate size can at best make only a minor contribution to these emission bands. Cations of these molecules, as well as much larger PAHs and their cations, remain viable candidates for the sources of these bands.

Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of the Intergalactic and Interstellar Absorption Toward 3C 273

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sembach, Kenneth R.; Howk, J. Christopher; Savage, Blair D.; Shull, J. Michael; Oegerle, William R.; Fisher, Richard R. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

We present Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer observations of the molecular, neutral atomic, weakly ionized, and highly ionized components of the interstellar and intergalactic material toward the quasar 3C273. We identify Ly-beta absorption in eight of the known intergalactic Ly-alpha absorbers along the sight line with the rest-frame equivalent widths W(sub r)(Ly-alpha) > 50 micro-angstroms. Refined estimates of the H(I) column densities and Doppler parameters (b) of the clouds are presented. We find a range of b = 16-46 km/s. We detect multiple H(I) lines (Ly-beta - Ly-theta) in the 1590 km/s Virgo absorber and estimate logN(H(I)) = 15.85 +/- 0.10, ten times more H(I) than all of the other absorbers along the sight line combined. The Doppler width of this absorber, b = 16 km/s, implies T < 15,000 K. We detect O(VI) absorption at 1015 km/s at the 2-3(sigma) level that may be associated with hot, X-ray emitting gas in the Virgo Cluster. We detect weak C(III) and O(VI) absorption in the IGM at z=0.12007; this absorber is predominantly ionized and has N(H+)/N(H(I)) > 4000/Z, where Z is the metallicity. Strong Galactic interstellar O(VI) is present between -100 and +100 km/s with an additional high-velocity wing containing about 13% of the total O(VI) between +100 and +240 km/s. The Galactic O(VI), N(V), and C(IV) lines have similar shapes, with roughly constant ratios across the -100 to +100 km/s velocity range. The high velocity O(VI) wing is not detected in other species. Much of the interstellar high ion absorption probably occurs within a highly fragmented medium within the Loop IV remnant or in the outer cavity walls of the remnant. Multiple hot gas production mechanisms are required. The broad O(VI) absorption wing likely traces the expulsion of hot gas out of the Galactic disk into the halo. A flux limit of 5.4 x 10(epx -16) erg/sq cm/s on the amount of diffuse O(VI) emission present = 3.5' off the 3C273 sight line combined with the observed O(VI) column density toward 3C273, logN O(VI) = 14.73 +/- 0.04, implies n(sub e) < 0.02/cubic cm and P/k < 11,500/cubic cm for an assumed temperature of 3 x 10(exp 5) K. The elemental abundances in the neutral and weakly-ionized interstellar clouds are similar to those found for other halo clouds. The warm neutral and warm ionized clouds along the sight line have similar dust-phase abundances, implying that the properties of the dust grains in the two types of clouds are similar. Interstellar H2 absorption is present at positive velocities at a level of logN(H2) = 15.71, but is very weak at the velocities of the main column density concentration along the sight line observed in H(I) 21 cm emission.

Terahertz Spectroscopy and Global Analysis of the Rotational Spectrum of Bis-Deuterated Amidogen Radical Nd_{2}

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melosso, Mattia; Degli Esposti, Claudia; Tamassia, Filippo; Canè, Elisabetta; Dore, Luca

2017-11-01

The deuteration mechanism of molecules in the interstellar medium (ISM) is still being debated. Observations of deuterium-bearing species in several astronomical sources represent a powerful tool to improve our understanding of the interstellar chemistry. In this scenario, the doubly-deuterated form of the amidogen radical could be a target of detection in space.

Radiative Cooling of Warm Molecular Gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neufeld, David A.; Kaufman, Michael J.

1993-01-01

We consider the radiative cooling of warm (T >= 100 K), fully molecular astrophysical gas by rotational and vibrational transitions of the molecules H2O, CO, and H2. Using an escape probability method to solve for the molecular level populations, we have obtained the cooling rate for each molecule as a function of temperature, density, and an optical depth parameter. A four-parameter expression proves useful in fitting the run of cooling rate with density for any fixed values of the temperature and optical depth parameter. We identify the various cooling mechanisms which are dominant in different regions of the astrophysically relevant parameter space. Given the assumption that water is very abundant in warm regions of the interstellar medium, H2O rotational transitions are found to dominate the cooling of warm interstellar gas over a wide portion of the parameter space considered. While chemical models for the interstellar medium make the strong prediction that water will be produced copiously at temperatures above a few hundred degrees, our assumption of a high water abundance has yet to be tested observationally. The Infrared Space Observatory and the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite will prove ideal instruments for testing whether water is indeed an important coolant of interstellar and circumstellar gas.

Deuterium Abundance in the Local ISM and Possible Spatial Variations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linsky, Jeffrey L.

1998-01-01

Excellent HST/GHRS spectra of interstellar hydrogen and deuterium Lyman-(alpha) absorption toward nearby stars allow us to identify systematic errors that have plagued earlier work and to measure accurate values of the D/H ratio in local interstellar gas. Analysis of 12 sightlines through the Local Interstellar Cloud leads to a mean value of D/H = (1.50 +/- 0.10) x 10(exp -5) with all data points lying within +/- l(delta) of the mean. Whether or not the D/H ratio has different values elsewhere in the Galaxy and beyond is a very important open question that will be one of the major objectives of the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) mission.

Processing Mechanisms for Interstellar Ices: Connections to the Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pendleton, Y. J.; Cuzzi, Jeffrey N. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

The organic component of the interstellar medium, which has revealed itself through the ubiquitous 3.4 micrometers hydrocarbon absorption feature, is widespread throughout the disk of our galaxy and has been attributed to dust grains residing in the diffuse interstellar medium. The absorption band positions near 3.4 micrometers are characteristic of C-H stretching vibrations in the -CH3 and -CH2- groups of saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons associated with perturbing chemical groups. The production of complex molecules is thought to occur within dense molecular clouds when ice-mantled grains are processed by various energetic mechanisms. Studies of the processing of interstellar ices and the subsequent production of organic residues have relevance to studies of ices in the solar system, because primitive, icy solar system bodies such as those in the Kuiper belt are likely reservoirs of organic material, either preserved from the interstellar medium or produced in situ. Connections between the interstellar medium and the early solar nebula have long been a source of interest. A comparison of the interstellar organics and the Murchison meteorite illustrates the importance of probing the interstellar connection to the solar system, because although the carbonaceous meteorites are undoubtedly highly processed, they do retain specific interstellar signatures (such as diamonds, SiC grains, graphite and enriched D/H). The organic component, while not proven interstellar, has a remarkable similarity to the interstellar organics observed in over a dozen sightlines through our galaxy. This paper compares spectra from laboratory organics produced through the processing of interstellar ice analog materials with the high resolution infrared observations of the interstellar medium in order to investigate the mechanisms (such as ion bombardment, plasma processing, and UV photolysis) that may be producing the organics in the ISM.

Properties of interstellar wind leading to shape morphology of the dust surrounding HD 61005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pástor, P.

2017-08-01

Aims: A structure formed by dust particles ejected from the debris ring around HD 61005 is observed in the scattered light. The main aim here is to constrain interstellar wind parameters that lead to shape morphology in the vicinity of HD 61005 using currently available observational data for the debris ring. Methods: Equation of motion of 2 × 105 dust particles ejected from the debris ring under the action of the electromagnetic radiation, stellar wind, and interstellar wind is solved. A two-dimensional (2D) grid is placed in a given direction for accumulation of the light scattered on the dust particles in order to determine the shape morphology. The interaction of the interstellar wind and the stellar wind is considered. Results: Groups of unknown properties of the interstellar wind that create the observed morphology are determined. A relation between number densities of gas components in the interstellar wind and its relative velocity is found. Variations of the shape morphology caused by the interaction with the interstellar clouds of various temperatures are studied. When the interstellar wind velocity is tilted from debris ring axis a simple relation between the properties of the interstellar wind and an angle between the line of sight and the interstellar wind velocity exists. Dust particles that are most significantly influenced by stellar radiation move on the boundary of observed structure. Conclusions: Observed structure at HD 61005 can be explained as a result of dust particles moving under the action of the interstellar wind. Required number densities or velocities of the interstellar wind are much higher than that of the interstellar wind entering the solar system.

Molecules from Clouds to Planets: Sweet Results from Alma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dishoeck, Ewine

2017-06-01

One of the most exciting developments in astronomy is the discovery of thousands of planets around stars other than our Sun. But how do these exo-planets form, and which chemical ingredients are available to build them? Thanks to powerful new telescopes, especially the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), astronomers are starting to address these age-old questions scientifically. Stars and planets are born in the cold and tenuous clouds between the stars in the Milky Way. In spite of the extremely low temperatures and densities, a surprisingly rich and interesting chemistry occurs in these interstellar clouds, as evidenced by the detection of more than 180 different molecules. Highly accurate spectroscopic data are key to their identification, and examples of the continued need and close interaction between laboratory work and astronomical observations will be given. ALMA now allows us to zoom in on solar system construction for the first time. Spectral scans of the birth sites of young stars contain tens of thousands of rotational lines. Water and a surprisingly rich variety of organic materials are found, including simple sugars and high abundances of deuterated species. How are these molecules formed? Can these pre-biotic molecules end up on new planets and form the basis for life elsewhere in the universe? Stay tuned for the latest analyses and also a comparison with recent results from the Rosetta mission to comet 67 P/C-G in our own Solar System.

Trirotron: triode rotating beam radio frequency amplifier

DOEpatents

Lebacqz, Jean V.

1980-01-01

High efficiency amplification of radio frequencies to very high power levels including: establishing a cylindrical cloud of electrons; establishing an electrical field surrounding and coaxial with the electron cloud to bias the electrons to remain in the cloud; establishing a rotating electrical field that surrounds and is coaxial with the steady field, the circular path of the rotating field being one wavelength long, whereby the peak of one phase of the rotating field is used to accelerate electrons in a beam through the bias field in synchronism with the peak of the rotating field so that there is a beam of electrons continuously extracted from the cloud and rotating with the peak; establishing a steady electrical field that surrounds and is coaxial with the rotating field for high-energy radial acceleration of the rotating beam of electrons; and resonating the rotating beam of electrons within a space surrounding the second field, the space being selected to have a phase velocity equal to that of the rotating field to thereby produce a high-power output at the frequency of the rotating field.

High-latitude dust clouds LDN 183 and LDN 169: distances and extinctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straižys, V.; Boyle, R. P.; Zdanavičius, J.; Janusz, R.; Corbally, C. J.; Munari, U.; Andersson, B.-G.; Zdanavičius, K.; Kazlauskas, A.; Maskoliūnas, M.; Černis, K.; Macijauskas, M.

2018-03-01

Interstellar extinction is investigated in a 2°× 2° area containing the dust and molecular clouds LDN 183 (MBM 37) and LDN 169, which are located at RA = 15h 54m, Dec = - 3°. The study is based on a photometric classification in spectral and luminosity classes of 782 stars selected from the catalogs of 1299 stars down to V = 20 mag observed in the Vilnius seven-color system. For control, the MK types for the 18 brightest stars with V between 8.5 and 12.8 mag were determined spectroscopically. For 14 stars, located closer than 200 pc, distances were calculated from trigonometric parallaxes taken from the Gaia Data Release 1. For about 70% of the observed stars, two-dimensional spectral types, interstellar extinctions AV, and distances were determined. Using 57 stars closer than 200 pc, we estimate that the front edge of the clouds begins at 105 ± 8 pc. The extinction layer in the vicinities of the clouds can be about 20 pc thick. In the outer parts of the clouds and between the clouds, the extinction is 0.5-2.0 mag. Behind the Serpens/Libra clouds, the extinction range does not increase; this means that the dust layer at 105 pc is a single extinction source. Full Tables 1 and 2 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/611/A9

Interstellar gas and X-rays toward the Young supernova remnant RCW 86; pursuit of the origin of the thermal and non-thermal X-ray

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sano, H.; Reynoso, E. M.; Mitsuishi, I.; Nakamura, K.; Furukawa, N.; Mruganka, K.; Fukuda, T.; Yoshiike, S.; Nishimura, A.; Ohama, A.; Torii, K.; Kuwahara, T.; Okuda, T.; Yamamoto, H.; Tachihara, K.; Fukui, Y.

2017-09-01

We have analyzed the atomic and molecular gas using the 21 cm HI and 2.6/1.3 mm CO emissions toward the young supernova remnant (SNR) RCW 86 in order to identify the interstellar medium with which the shock waves of the SNR interact. We have found an HI intensity depression in the velocity range between -46 and - 28 kms-1 toward the SNR, suggesting a cavity in the interstellar medium. The HI cavity coincides with the thermal and non-thermal emitting X-ray shell. The thermal X-rays are coincident with the edge of the HI distribution, which indicates a strong density gradient, while the non-thermal X-rays are found toward the less dense, inner part of the HI cavity. The most significant non-thermal X-rays are seen toward the southwestern part of the shell where the HI gas traces the dense and cold component. We also identified CO clouds which are likely interacting with the SNR shock waves in the same velocity range as the HI, although the CO clouds are distributed only in a limited part of the SNR shell. The most massive cloud is located in the southeastern part of the shell, showing detailed correspondence with the thermal X-rays. These CO clouds show an enhanced CO J = 2- 1 / 1- 0 intensity ratio, suggesting heating/compression by the shock front. We interpret that the shock-cloud interaction enhances non-thermal X-rays in the southwest and the thermal X-rays are emitted by the shock-heated gas of density 10-100 cm-3. Moreover, we can clearly see an HI envelope around the CO cloud, suggesting that the progenitor had a weaker wind than the massive progenitor of the core-collapse SNR RX J1713.7-3949. It seems likely that the progenitor of RCW 86 was a system consisting of a white dwarf and a low-mass star with low-velocity accretion winds.

Odin observations of H2O and O2 in comets and interstellar clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hjalmarson, Åke; Odin Team

2002-11-01

We here report on results from single-position observations, and in some cases also mapping, of the 557 GHz ortho-H2O line in several comets and in many interstellar molecular clouds by the Odin sub-millimetre wave spectroscopy satellite. The H2O production rates have been accurately determined in four comets, C/2001 A2 (LINEAR), 19P/Borrelly, C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR), and 153P/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang). In comet Ikeya-Zhang our detection at a low level of the corresponding H218O emission line verifies the H2O production rate (which depends upon the assumed radiative and collisional excitation and also upon radiative transfer modelling) and is consistent with a nearly terrestrial 16O/18O-isotope ratio. In an astrobiological context, the cometary H2O production rates are especially important as reference levels for comparison with abundances of other molecules simultaneously observed with ground-based telescopes. In interstellar clouds the observed gas-phase H2O abundances (vs H2) range from 5×10-4 in the Orion KL outflow/shock region (where essentially all oxygen is locked up in H2O) to circa 10-8 in quiescent cloud regions (where H2O) is just one of many trace molecules). From an astrobiological point of view, the molecular abundances in star forming clouds are important in terms of initial conditions for the chemistry in proto-planetary disks ("proto-solar nebulae"), the formation sites of new planetary systems. In simultaneous observations, Odin has also detected the 572 GHz ortho-NH3 line in cold and warm clouds as well as in the Orion outflow and Bar/PDR regions (an area of increased ionisation caused by the intense UV flux from newly born massive stars). In other simultaneous observations, we have performed sensitive searches for O2 at 119 GHz. Although no detection can be reported as yet, the resulting very low abundance limits (<10-7) are very intriguing when they are compared with current "standard" model expectations, which fall in the range 10-5-10-4.

Cold and warm atomic gas around the Perseus molecular cloud. I. Basic properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stanimirović, Snežana; Murray, Claire E.; Miller, Jesse

2014-10-01

Using the Arecibo Observatory, we have obtained neutral hydrogen (HI) absorption and emission spectral pairs in the direction of 26 background radio continuum sources in the vicinity of the Perseus molecular cloud. Strong absorption lines were detected in all cases, allowing us to estimate spin temperature (T{sub s} ) and optical depth for 107 individual Gaussian components along these lines of sight. Basic properties of individual H I clouds (spin temperature, optical depth, and the column density of the cold and warm neutral medium (CNM and WNM), respectively) in and around Perseus are very similar to those found for randommore » interstellar lines of sight sampled by the Millennium H I survey. This suggests that the neutral gas found in and around molecular clouds is not atypical. However, lines of sight in the vicinity of Perseus have, on average, a higher total H I column density and the CNM fraction, suggesting an enhanced amount of cold H I relative to an average interstellar field. Our estimated optical depth and spin temperature are in stark contrast with the recent attempt at using Planck data to estimate properties of the optically thick H I. Only ∼15% of lines of sight in our study have a column density weighted average spin temperature lower than 50 K, in comparison with ≳ 85% of Planck's sky coverage. The observed CNM fraction is inversely proportional to the optical depth weighted average spin temperature, in excellent agreement with the recent numerical simulations by Kim et al. While the CNM fraction is, on average, higher around Perseus relative to a random interstellar field, it is generally low, between 10%-50%. This suggests that extended WNM envelopes around molecular clouds and/or significant mixing of CNM and WNM throughout molecular clouds are present and should be considered in the models of molecule and star formation. Our detailed comparison of H I absorption with CO emission spectra shows that only 3 of the 26 directions are clear candidates for probing the CO-dark gas as they have N(H I)>10{sup 21} cm{sup –2} yet no detectable CO emission.« less

Toward Measuring Galactic Dense Molecular Gas Properties and 3D Distribution with Hi-GAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zetterlund, Erika; Glenn, Jason; Maloney, Phil

2016-01-01

The Herschel Space Observatory's submillimeter dust continuum survey Hi-GAL provides a powerful new dataset for characterizing the structure of the dense interstellar medium of the Milky Way. Hi-GAL observed a 2° wide strip covering the entire 360° of the Galactic plane in broad bands centered at 70, 160, 250, 350, and 500 μm, with angular resolution ranging from 10 to 40 arcseconds. We are adapting a molecular cloud clump-finding algorithm and a distance probability density function distance-determination method developed for the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS) to the Hi-GAL data. Using these methods we expect to generate a database of 105 cloud clumps, derive distance information for roughly half the clumps, and derive precise distances for approximately 20% of them. With five-color photometry and distances, we will measure the cloud clump properties, such as luminosities, physical sizes, and masses, and construct a three-dimensional map of the Milky Way's dense molecular gas distribution.The cloud clump properties and the dense gas distribution will provide critical ground truths for comparison to theoretical models of molecular cloud structure formation and galaxy evolution models that seek to emulate spiral galaxies. For example, such models cannot resolve star formation and use prescriptive recipes, such as converting a fixed fraction of interstellar gas to stars at a specified interstellar medium density threshold. The models should be compared to observed dense molecular gas properties and galactic distributions.As a pilot survey to refine the clump-finding and distance measurement algorithms developed for BGPS, we have identified molecular cloud clumps in six 2° × 2° patches of the Galactic plane, including one in the inner Galaxy along the line of sight through the Molecular Ring and the termination of the Galactic bar and one toward the outer Galaxy. Distances have been derived for the inner Galaxy clumps and compared to Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey results. We present the pilot survey clump catalog, distances, clump properties, and a comparison to BGPS.

The Astrophysical Weeds: Rotational Transitions in Excited Vibrational States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alonso, José L.; Kolesniková, Lucie; Alonso, Elena R.; Mata, Santiago

2017-06-01

The number of unidentified lines in the millimeter and submillimeter wave surveys of the interstellar medium has grown rapidly. The major contributions are due to rotational transitions in excited vibrational states of a relatively few molecules that are called the astrophysical weeds. necessary data to deal with spectral lines from astrophysical weeds species can be obtained from detailed laboratory rotational measurements in the microwave and millimeter wave region. A general procedure is being used at Valladolid combining different time and/or frequency domain spectroscopic tools of varying importance for providing the precise set of spectroscopic constants that could be used to search for this species in the ISM. This is illustrated in the present contribution through its application to several significant examples. Fortman, S. M., Medvedev, I. R., Neese, C.F., & De Lucia, F.C. 2010, ApJ,725, 1682 Rotational Spectra in 29 Vibrationally Excited States of Interstellar Aminoacetonitrile, L. Kolesniková, E. R. Alonso, S. Mata, and J. L. Alonso, The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 2017, (in press).

Composition, structure, and chemistry of interstellar dust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tielens, A. G. G. M.; Allamandola, L. J.

1987-01-01

Different dust components present in the interstellar medium (IM) such as amorphous carbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and those IM components which are organic refractory grains and icy grain mantles are discussed as well as their relative importance. The physical properties of grain surface chemistry are discussed with attention given to the surface structure of materials, the adsorption energy and residence time of species on a grain surface, and the sticking probability. Consideration is also given to the contribution of grains to the gas-phase composition of molecular clouds.

Life from the stars?. [extraterrestrial sources contributing to chemical evolution on Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pendleton, Yvonne J.; Cruikshank, Dale P.

1994-01-01

Scientists are now seriously considering the possibility that organic matter from interstellar space could have influenced, or even spurred, the origin of life on Earth. Various aspects of chemical evolution are discussed along with possible extraterrestrial sources responsible for contributing to Earth's life-producing, chemical composition. Specific topics covered include the following: interstellar matter, molecular clouds, asteroid dust, organic molecules in our solar system, interplanetary dust and comets, meteoritic composition, and organic-rich solar-system bodies.

Working Group on Circumstellar/Interstellar Relationships

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glassgold, A. E.

1986-01-01

Stars of various types are believed to be the main source of interstellar (IS) dust grans. The most important confirmed source is evolved giant and supergiant stars. Supernovae also contribute to the mass loss. The differences between circumstellar (CS) and IS dust were reviewed using the following topics: alteration of CS dust grains, size distribution, space observation of CS and IS dust, comparison of infrared spectra, isotopic signatures, Magellanic clouds and nearby galaxies, life cycles of dust grains, and physical and chemical data.

An infrared measurement of chemical desorption from interstellar ice analogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oba, Y.; Tomaru, T.; Lamberts, T.; Kouchi, A.; Watanabe, N.

2018-03-01

In molecular clouds at temperatures as low as 10 K, all species except hydrogen and helium should be locked in the heterogeneous ice on dust grain surfaces. Nevertheless, astronomical observations have detected over 150 different species in the gas phase in these clouds. The mechanism by which molecules are released from the dust surface below thermal desorption temperatures to be detectable in the gas phase is crucial for understanding the chemical evolution in such cold clouds. Chemical desorption, caused by the excess energy of an exothermic reaction, was first proposed as a key molecular release mechanism almost 50 years ago1. Chemical desorption can, in principle, take place at any temperature, even below the thermal desorption temperature. Therefore, astrochemical network models commonly include this process2,3. Although there have been a few previous experimental efforts4-6, no infrared measurement of the surface (which has a strong advantage to quantify chemical desorption) has been performed. Here, we report the first infrared in situ measurement of chemical desorption during the reactions H + H2S → HS + H2 (reaction 1) and HS + H → H2S (reaction 2), which are key to interstellar sulphur chemistry2,3. The present study clearly demonstrates that chemical desorption is a more efficient process for releasing H2S into the gas phase than was previously believed. The obtained effective cross-section for chemical desorption indicates that the chemical desorption rate exceeds the photodesorption rate in typical interstellar environments.

The molecular inventory around protostars: water, organic molecules, and the missing oxygen problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neufeld, David A.

2018-06-01

Massive star formation is accompanied by significant chemical evolution in the surrounding interstellar gas. Here, grains are heated up and icy mantles evaporate, releasing a rich inventory of water and organic molecules into the gas-phase within “hot core” regions surrounding massive protostars. Because molecules on the grain surface present broad infrared features without rotational structure, only the most abundant molecules can be identified unambiguously in the solid phase; once released into the gas-phase, however, where they are free to rotate, the constituents of grain mantles can be identified easily by means of rotational spectroscopy at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths or through rovibrational spectroscopy in the mid-infrared. While observations of pure-rotational emission lines provide a broad view of hot core chemistry, absorption line spectroscopy of rovibrational transitions can probe the very hottest material closest to the protostar. With access to the mid-infrared spectral region from above 99% of Earth’s water vapor, SOFIA provides a unique platform for high-resolution rovibrational spectroscopy of water and organic molecules, many of which have vibrational transitions in the 5 – 8 micron spectral region that is unobservable from the ground. High spectral resolution is essential for disentangling the rotational structure and providing reliable measurements of the molecular column densities and temperatures. Future SOFIA observations will help elucidate the inventory of water and organic molecules around young protostars, and can address a puzzle related to the “oxygen budget” in the interstellar medium: surprisingly, the main interstellar reservoirs of the third-most abundant element in the Universe have yet to be identified.

GOT C+: Galactic Plane Survey of the 1.9 THz [CII] Line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langer, William

2012-01-01

The ionized carbon [CII] 1.9 THz fine structure line is a major gas coolant in the interstellar medium (ISM) and controls the thermal conditions in diffuse gas clouds and Photodissociation Regions (PDRs). The [CII] line is also an important tracer of the atomic gas and atomic to molecular transition in diffuse clouds throughout the Galaxy. I will review some of the results from the recently completed Galactic Observations of Terahertz C+ (GOT C+) survey. This Herschel Open Time Key Project is a sparse, but uniform volume sample survey of [CII] line emission throughout the Galactic disk using the HIFI heterodyne receiver. HIFI observations, with their high spectral resolution, isolate and locate individual clouds in the Galaxy and provide excitation information on the gas. I will present [CII] position-velocity maps that reveal the distribution and motion of the clouds in the inner Galaxy and discuss results on the physical properties of the gas using spectral observations of [CII] and ancillary HI and 12CO, 13CO, and C18O J=1-0 data. The [CII] emission is also a useful tracer of the "Dark H2 Gas", and I will discuss its distribution in a sample of interstellar clouds. This research was conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Submillimeter Wave Spectrum of Thioacetaldehyde and its Search in SgrB2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margulès, L.; Motiyenko, R. A.; Guillemin, J.-C.; Ellinger, Y.; McGuire, Brett A.; Remijan, Anthony

2017-06-01

Sulfur chemistry in the interstellar medium is clearly misunderstood, the tenth most abundant element in the Galaxy, it is depleted in molecular clouds by a factor of 1000. This suggests that sulfur chemistry is important on icy grain mantles, and that sulfur-bearing molecules may be not detected yet due to the lack of laboratory data. The present study is about thioacetaldehyde (CH_3CHS), the analog of acetaldehyde. Previously, the rotational spectra were recorded up to 40 GHz. New spectra were recorded from 150 to 660 GHz using the Lille solid-state based spectrometer. The new fast version of the spectrometer using DDS component is particulary suitable for reactive species like thioacetaldehyde. Thioacetaldehyde was produced in-situ by pyrolisis at 750° {C} and introduced in a 1m long pyrex cell in a flow mode. Analysis of the spectra is not obvious, like in acetaldehyde, as this molecule exhibits internal rotation of the methyl group. The internal rotation barrier is higher in thioacetaldehyde, 542 cm-1, than in acetaldehyde, 408 cm-1. However, the coupling between the internal rotation and the overall rotation in thioacetaldehyde is strong, the coupling parameter ρ value is 0.261 just slightly smaller than the acetaldehyde value of 0.329. The spectroscopic results and its searches in SgrB2 will be presented. A. Tieftrunk; et al., 1994, A&A 289, 579 H. Kroto; et al., 1974, Chem. Phys. Lett. 29, 265 H. Kroto; et al., 1976, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 62, 346 This work was supported by the CNES and the Action sur Projets de l'INSU, PCMI. This work was also done under ANR-13-BS05-0008-02 IMOLABS

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (alma): Early Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wootten, Alwyn

2012-06-01

New radioastronomical instruments, such as ALMA or the Jansky VLA, have increased spectral throughput by orders of magnitude over previously available capabilities. ALMA brings orders of magnitude increases in spectral sensitivity and spatial resolution over what has previously been available. These increased capabilities open new possibilities for studies of complex molecules in the interstellar medium. Complex interstellar molecules may form on the surfaces of interstellar grains, after which they may be liberated into the gas phase by shocks, radiation, or other external influences. Emission from complex molecules may be diluted owing to the large number of transitions large molecules may undergo, particularly in warm regions of interstellar clouds. High sensitivity and spatial resolution are necessary to explore the distributions and relationships of these molecules. Of particular interest are the distributions of large organic molecules. Observations which establish the relationships between various large molecules are now emerging from these new instruments and will be discussed.

Infrared Spectroscopy of Carbonaceous-chondrite Inclusions in the Kapoeta Meteorite: Discovery of Nanodiamonds with New Spectral Features and Astrophysical Implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdu, Yassir A.; Hawthorne, Frank C.; Varela, Maria E.

2018-03-01

We report the finding of nanodiamonds, coexisting with amorphous carbon, in carbonaceous-chondrite (CC) material from the Kapoeta achondritic meteorite by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. In the C–H stretching region (3100–2600 cm‑1), the FTIR spectrum of the Kapoeta CC material (KBr pellet) shows bands attributable to aliphatic CH2 and CH3 groups, and is very similar to IR spectra of organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites and the diffuse interstellar medium. Nanodiamonds, as evidenced by micro-Raman spectroscopy, were found in a dark region (∼400 μm in size) in the KBr pellet. Micro-FTIR spectra collected from this region are dramatically different from the KBr-pellet spectrum, and their C–H stretching region is dominated by a strong and broad absorption band centered at ∼2886 cm‑1 (3.47 μm), very similar to that observed in IR absorption spectra of hydrocarbon dust in dense interstellar clouds. Micro-FTIR spectroscopy also indicates the presence of an aldehyde and a nitrile, and both of the molecules are ubiquitous in dense interstellar clouds. In addition, IR peaks in the 1500–800 cm‑1 region are also observed, which may be attributed to different levels of nitrogen aggregation in diamonds. This is the first evidence for the presence of the 3.47 μm interstellar IR band in meteorites. Our results further support the assignment of this band to tertiary CH groups on the surfaces of nanodiamonds. The presence of the above interstellar bands and the absence of shock features in the Kapoeta nanodiamonds, as indicated by Raman spectroscopy, suggest formation by a nebular-condensation process similar to chemical-vapor deposition.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bzowski, M.; Kubiak, M. A.; Sokol, J. M.

Because of its high ionization potential and weak interaction with hydrogen, neutral interstellar helium (NISHe) is almost unaffected at the heliospheric interface with the interstellar medium and freely enters the solar system. This second most abundant species provides some of the best information on the characteristics of the interstellar gas in the local interstellar cloud. The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) is the second mission to directly detect NISHe. We present a comparison between recent IBEX NISHe observations and simulations carried out using a well-tested quantitative simulation code. Simulation and observation results compare well for times when measured fluxes are dominatedmore » by NISHe (and contributions from other species are small). Differences between simulations and observations indicate a previously undetected secondary population of neutral helium, likely produced by interaction of interstellar helium with plasma in the outer heliosheath. Interstellar neutral parameters are statistically different from previous in situ results obtained mostly from the GAS/Ulysses experiment, but they do agree with the local interstellar flow vector obtained from studies of interstellar absorption: the newly established flow direction is ecliptic longitude 79.{sup 0}2, latitude -5.{sup 0}1, the velocity is {approx}22.8 km s{sup -1}, and the temperature is 6200 K. These new results imply a markedly lower absolute velocity of the gas and thus significantly lower dynamic pressure on the boundaries of the heliosphere and different orientation of the Hydrogen Deflection Plane compared to prior results from Ulysses. A different orientation of this plane also suggests a new geometry of the interstellar magnetic field, and the lower dynamic pressure calls for a compensation by other components of the pressure balance, most likely a higher density of interstellar plasma and strength of interstellar magnetic field.« less

Rotational excitation of hydrogen molecules by collisions with hydrogen atoms. [interstellar gas energetics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, S.; Truhlar, D. G.

1979-01-01

Rate constants for rotational excitation of hydrogen molecules by collisions with hydrogen atoms have been obtained from quantum-mechanical calculations for kinetic temperatures between 100 and 5000 K. These calculations involve the rigid-rotator approximation, but other possible sources of error should be small. The calculations indicate that the early values of Nishimura are larger than accurate rigid-rotator values by about a factor of 20 or more.

Millimeter-wave Absorption Studies of Molecules in Diffuse Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, Robert; Liszt, Harvey S.

1999-10-01

With IRAM instruments in the last few years, we have been using compact extragalactic millimeter wave radio sources as background objects to study the absorption spectrum of diffuse interstellar gas at millimeter wavelengths. The molecular content of interstellar gas has turned out to be unexpectedly rich. Simple polyatomic molecules such as HCO+, C2H are quite ubiquitous near the Galactic plane (beta < 15o), and many species are detected in some directions (CO, HCO+, H2CO, HCN, HNC, CN, C2H, C3H2, H2S, CS, HCS+, SO, SiO). Remarkable proportionality relations are found between related species such as HCO+ and OH, or CN, HCN and HNC. The high abundance of some species is still a challenge for current models of diffuse cloud chemistry. A factor of 10 increase in the sensitivity will make such studies achievable in denser clouds, where the chemistry is still more active and where abundances are nowadays only available by emission measurements, and thus subject to uncertainties due to sometimes poorly understood line formation and excitation conditions.

Into the Darkness: Interstellar Extinction Near the Cepheus OB3 Molecular Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzpatrick, Edward L.; Jacklin, S.; Massa, D.

2014-01-01

We present the results of a followup investigation to a study performed by Massa and Savage (1984, ApJ, 279, 310) of the properties of UV interstellar extinction in the region of the Cepheus OB3 molecular cloud. That study was performed using UV photometry and spectro-photometry from the ANS and IUE satellites. We have extended this study into the IR, utilizing the uniform database of IR photometry available from the 2MASS project. This is a part of a larger program whose goal is to study the properties of extinction in localized regions, where we hope to find clues to dust grain growth and destruction processes through spatial correlations of extinction with distinct environmental properties. Similarly to Massa and Savage’s UV results, we find that the IR extinction properties on the Cepheus OB3 region vary systematically with the apparent proximity of the target stars to the molecular cloud. We also find that the UV extinction and the IR extinction are crudely correlated. The methodology leading to these results and their implications are discussed.

Structures Of Magnetically-Supported Filaments And Their Appearance In The Linear Polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomisaka, Kohji

2017-10-01

Dust thermal emissions observed with Herschel have revealed that interstellar molecular clouds consist of many filaments. Polarization observation of interstellar extinctions in the optical and near IR wavelengths shows that the dense filaments are extending perpendicular to the interstellar magnetic field. Magnetohydrostatic structures of such filaments are studied. It is well known that a hydrostatic filament without magnetic field has a maximum line mass of ¥lambda_max=2c_s^2/G (c_s:the isothermal sound speed and G: the gravitational constant). On the other hand, the magnetically-supported maximum line mass increases in proportion to the magnetic flux per unit length threading the filament (¥phi), as ¥lambda_max 2c_s^2/G + ¥phi/(2¥pi G^1/2). Comparison is made with 3D clouds. Stability of these magnetized filaments is studied using time-dependent 3D MHD simulations to discuss star formation in the filaments. Polarization pattern expected for the magnetically subcritical filaments is calculated. The distribution function of the angle between B-field and the axis of the filament, which is obtained with Planck Satellite, is compared with this mock observation.

Formation of Benzene in the Interstellar Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Brant M.; Zhang, Fangtong; Kaiser, Ralf I.; Jamal, Adeel; Mebel, Alexander M.; Cordiner, Martin A.; Charnley, Steven B.; Crim, F. Fleming (Editor)

2010-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and related species have been suggested to play a key role in the astrochemical evolution of the interstellar medium, but the formation mechanism of even their simplest building block-the aromatic benzene molecule-has remained elusive for decades. Here we demonstrate in crossed molecular beam experiments combined with electronic structure and statistical calculations that benzene (C6H6) can be synthesized via the barrierless, exoergic reaction of the ethynyl radical and 1,3- butadiene, C2H + H2CCHCHCH2 --> C6H6, + H, under single collision conditions. This reaction portrays the simplest representative of a reaction class in which aromatic molecules with a benzene core can be formed from acyclic precursors via barrierless reactions of ethynyl radicals with substituted 1,3-butadlene molecules. Unique gas-grain astrochemical models imply that this low-temperature route controls the synthesis of the very first aromatic ring from acyclic precursors in cold molecular clouds, such as in the Taurus Molecular Cloud. Rapid, subsequent barrierless reactions of benzene with ethynyl radicals can lead to naphthalene-like structures thus effectively propagating the ethynyl-radical mediated formation of aromatic molecules in the interstellar medium.

Formation of benzene in the interstellar medium

PubMed Central

Jones, Brant M.; Zhang, Fangtong; Kaiser, Ralf I.; Jamal, Adeel; Mebel, Alexander M.; Cordiner, Martin A.; Charnley, Steven B.

2011-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and related species have been suggested to play a key role in the astrochemical evolution of the interstellar medium, but the formation mechanism of even their simplest building block—the aromatic benzene molecule—has remained elusive for decades. Here we demonstrate in crossed molecular beam experiments combined with electronic structure and statistical calculations that benzene (C6H6) can be synthesized via the barrierless, exoergic reaction of the ethynyl radical and 1,3-butadiene, C2H + H2CCHCHCH2 → C6H6 + H, under single collision conditions. This reaction portrays the simplest representative of a reaction class in which aromatic molecules with a benzene core can be formed from acyclic precursors via barrierless reactions of ethynyl radicals with substituted 1,3-butadiene molecules. Unique gas-grain astrochemical models imply that this low-temperature route controls the synthesis of the very first aromatic ring from acyclic precursors in cold molecular clouds, such as in the Taurus Molecular Cloud. Rapid, subsequent barrierless reactions of benzene with ethynyl radicals can lead to naphthalene-like structures thus effectively propagating the ethynyl-radical mediated formation of aromatic molecules in the interstellar medium. PMID:21187430

Comprehensive Analysis of Interstellar Iso-PROPYL Cyanide up to 480 GHZ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolesniková, Lucie; Alonso, E. R.; Cabezas, Carlos; Mata, Santiago; Alonso, José L.

2016-06-01

Iso-propyl cyanide, also known as iso-butyronitrile, is a branched alkyl molecule recently detected in the interstellar medium. A combination of Stark-modulated microwave spectroscopy and frequency-modulated millimeter and submillimeter wave spectroscopy was used to analyze its rotational spectrum from 26 to 480 GHz. Spectral assignments and analysis include transitions from the ground state, eight excited vibrational states and 13C isotopologues. Results of this work should facilitate astronomers further observations of iso-propyl cyanide in the interstellar medium. A. Belloche, R. T. Garrod, H. S. P. Müller, K. M. Menten, Science, 2014, 345, 1584

A Molecular-line Study of the Interstellar Bullet Engine IRAS05506+2414

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahai, Raghvendra; Lee, Chin-Fei; Sánchez Contreras, Carmen; Patel, Nimesh; Morris, Mark R.; Claussen, Mark

2017-12-01

We present interferometric and single-dish molecular line observations of the interstellar bullet-outflow source IRAS 05506+2414, whose wide-angle bullet spray is similar to the Orion BN/KL explosive outflow and likely arises from an entirely different mechanism than the classical accretion-disk-driven bipolar flows in young stellar objects. The bullet-outflow source is associated with a large pseudo-disk and three molecular outflows—a high-velocity outflow (HVO), a medium-velocity outflow (MVO), and a slow, extended outflow (SEO). The size (mass) of the pseudo-disk is 10,350 au × 6400 au (0.64-0.17 M ⊙) from a model-fit assuming infall and rotation, we derive a central stellar mass of 8-19 M ⊙. The HVO (MVO) has an angular size ˜5180 (˜3330) au and a projected outflow velocity of ˜140 km s-1 (˜30 km s-1). The SEO size (outflow speed) is ˜0.9 pc (˜6 km s-1). The HVO’s axis is aligned with (orthogonal to) that of the SEO (pseudo-disk). The velocity structure of the MVO is unresolved. The scalar momenta in the HVO and SEO are very similar, suggesting that the SEO has resulted from the HVO interacting with ambient-cloud material. The bullet spray shares a common axis with the pseudo-disk and has an age comparable to that of MVO (few hundred years), suggesting that these three structures are intimately linked. We discuss several models for the outflows in IRAS 05506+2414 (including dynamical decay of a stellar cluster, chance encounter of a runaway star with a dense cloud, and close passage of two protostars), and conclude that second-epoch imaging to derive proper motions of the bullets and nearby stars can help to discriminate between them.

In situ dust measurements by the Cassini Cosmic Dust Analyzer in 2014 and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srama, R.

2015-10-01

Today, the German-lead Cosmic Dust Analyser (CDA) is operated continuously for 11 years in orbit around Saturn. Many discoveries like the Saturn nanodust streams or the large extended Ering were achieved. CDA provided unique results regarding Enceladus, his plume and the liquid water below the icy crust. In 2014 and 2015 CDA focuses on extended inclination and equatorial scans of the ring particle densities. Furthermore, scans are performed of the Pallene and Helene regions. Special attention is also given to the search of the dust cloud around Dione and to the Titan region. Long integration times are needed in order to characterize the flux and composition of exogenous dust (including interstellar dust) or possible retrograde dust particles. Finally, dedicated observation campaigns focus on the coupling of nanodust streams to Saturn's magnetosphere and the search of possible periodicities in the stream data. Saturn's rotation frequency was identified in the impact rate of nanodust particles at a Saturn distance of 40 Saturn radii. A special geometry in 2014-065 lead to an occultation of the dust stream by the moon Titan and its atmosphere when Titan crossed the line-of-sight between Saturn and Cassini. Here, CDA pointed towards Saturn for the measurement of stream particles. Around closest approach when Cassini was behind Titan, the flux of stream particles went down to zero (Fig. 1). This "dust occultation" is a new method to analyse the properties of the stream particles (speed, composition, mass) or the properties of Titans atmosphere (density). Furthermore, the particle trajectories can be constrained for a better analysis of their origin. In the final three years CDA performs exogenous and interstellar dust campaigns, studies of the composition and origin of Saturn's main rings by unique ring ejecta measurements, long-duration nano-dust stream observations, high-resolution maps of small moon orbit crossings, studies of the dust cloud around Dione and studies of the E-ring interaction with the large moon Titan.

Observations of Carbon Isotopic Fractionation in Interstellar Formaldehyde

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wirstrom, E. S.; Charnley, S. B.; Geppert, W. D.; Persson, C. M.

2012-01-01

Primitive Solar System materials (e.g. chondrites. IDPs, the Stardust sample) show large variations in isotopic composition of the major volatiles (H, C, N, and O ) even within samples, witnessing to various degrees of processing in the protosolar nebula. For ex ample. the very pronounced D enhancements observed in IDPs [I] . are only generated in the cold. dense component of the interstellar medium (ISM), or protoplanetary disks, through ion-molecule reactions in the presence of interstellar dust. If this isotopic anomaly has an interstellar origin, this leaves open the possibility for preservation of other isotopic signatures throughout the form ation of the Solar System. The most common form of carbon in the ISM is CO molecules, and there are two potential sources of C-13 fractionation in this reservoir: low temperature chemistry and selective photodissociation. While gas-phase chemistry in cold interstellar clouds preferentially incorporates C-13 into CO [2], the effect of self-shielding in the presence of UV radiation instead leads to a relative enhancement of the more abundant isotopologue, 12CO. Solar System organic material exhibit rather small fluctuations in delta C-13 as compared to delta N-15 and delta D [3][1], the reason for which is still unclear. However, the fact that both C-13 depleted and enhanced material exists could indicate an interstellar origin where the two fractionation processes have both played a part. Formaldehyde (H2CO) is observed in the gas-phase in a wide range of interstellar environments, as well as in cometary comae. It is proposed as an important reactant in the formation of more complex organic molecules in the heated environments around young stars, and formaldehyde polymers have been suggested as the common origin of chondritic insoluable organic matter (IOM) and cometary refractory organic solids [4]. The relatively high gas-phase abundance of H2CO observed in molecular clouds (10(exp- 9) - 10(exp- 8) relative to H2) makes it feasible to observe its less common isotopologues. As a step in our investigation of C-13 fractionation patterns in the ISM, we here present comparisons between observations of the C-13 fraction in formaldehyde, and chemical fractionation models.

Interstellar Gas Flow Vector and Temperature Determination over 5 Years of IBEX Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Möbius, E.; Bzowski, M.; Fuselier, S. A.; Heirtzler, D.; Kubiak, M. A.; Kucharek, H.; Lee, M. A.; Leonard, T.; McComas, D. J.; Schwadron, N.; Sokół, J. M.; Wurz, P.

2015-01-01

The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) observes the interstellar neutral gas flow trajectories at their perihelion in Earth's orbit every year from December through early April, when the Earth's orbital motion is into the oncoming flow. These observations have defined a narrow region of possible, but very tightly coupled interstellar neutral flow parameters, with inflow speed, latitude, and temperature as well-defined functions of inflow longitude. The best- fit flow vector is different by ≈ 3° and lower by ≈ 3 km/s than obtained previously with Ulysses GAS, but the temperature is comparable. The possible coupled parameter space reaches to the previous flow vector, but only for a substantially higher temperature (by ≈ 2000 K). Along with recent pickup ion observations and including historical observations of the interstellar gas, these findings have led to a discussion, whether the interstellar gas flow into the solar system has been stable or variable over time. These intriguing possibilities call for more detailed analysis and a longer database. IBEX has accumulated observations over six interstellar flow seasons. We review key observations and refinements in the analysis, in particular, towards narrowing the uncertainties in the temperature determination. We also address ongoing attempts to optimize the flow vector determination through varying the IBEX spacecraft pointing and discuss related implications for the local interstellar cloud and its interaction with the heliosphere.

CO near the Pleiades: Encounter of a star cluster with a small molecular cloud

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bally, J.; White, R. E.

1986-01-01

Although there is a large amount of interstellar matter near the Pleiades star cluster, the observed dust and gas is not a remnant of the placental molecular cloud from which the star cluster was formed. Carbon monoxide (CO) associated with the visible reflection nebulae was discovered by Cohen (1975). Its radial velocity differs from that of the cluster by many times the cluster escape velocity, which implies that the cloud-cluster association is the result of a chance encounter. This circumstance and the proximity of the Pleiades to the sun creates an unique opportunity for study of interstellar processes at high spatial resolution. To study the molecular component of the gas, a 1.7 square degree field was mapped with the AT&T Bell Laboratories 7-meter antenna (1.7' beam) on a 1' grid in the J=1.0 C(12)O line, obtaining over 6,000 spectra with 50 kHz resolution. The cloud core was mapped in the J=1-0 line of C(13)O. Further observations include an unsuccessful search for CS (J=2-1) at AT&T BL, and some C(12)O J=2-1 spectra obtained at the Millimeter Wave Observatory of the University of Texas.

PAHs molecules and heating of the interstellar gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verstraete, Laurent; Leger, Alain; Dhendecourt, Louis B.; Dutuit, O.; Defourneau, D.

1989-01-01

Until now it has remained difficult to account for the rather high temperatures seen in many diffuse interstellar clouds. Various heating mechanisms have been considered: photoionization of minor species, ionization of H by cosmic rays, and photoelectric effect on small grains. Yet all these processes are either too weak or efficient under too restricting conditions to balance the observed cooling rates. A major heat source is thus still missing in the thermal balance of the diffuse gas. Using photoionization cross sections measured in the lab, it was shown that in order to balance the observed cooling rates in cold diffuse clouds (T approx. 80 K) the PAHs would have to contain 15 percent of the cosmic abundance of carbon. This value does not contradict the former estimation of 6 percent deduced from the IR emission bands since this latter is to be taken as a lower limit. Further, it was estimated that the contribution to the heating rate due to PAH's in a warm HI cloud, assuming the same PAH abundance as for a cold HI cloud, would represent a significant fraction of the value required to keep the medium in thermal balance. Thus, photoionization of PAHs might well be a major heat source for the cold and warm HI media.

STRONG DEPENDENCE OF THE INNER EDGE OF THE HABITABLE ZONE ON PLANETARY ROTATION RATE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Jun; Abbot, Dorian S.; Boué, Gwenaël

2014-05-20

Planetary rotation rate is a key parameter in determining atmospheric circulation and hence the spatial pattern of clouds. Since clouds can exert a dominant control on planetary radiation balance, rotation rate could be critical for determining the mean planetary climate. Here we investigate this idea using a three-dimensional general circulation model with a sophisticated cloud scheme. We find that slowly rotating planets (like Venus) can maintain an Earth-like climate at nearly twice the stellar flux as rapidly rotating planets (like Earth). This suggests that many exoplanets previously believed to be too hot may actually be habitable, depending on their rotationmore » rate. The explanation for this behavior is that slowly rotating planets have a weak Coriolis force and long daytime illumination, which promotes strong convergence and convection in the substellar region. This produces a large area of optically thick clouds, which greatly increases the planetary albedo. In contrast, on rapidly rotating planets a much narrower belt of clouds form in the deep tropics, leading to a relatively low albedo. A particularly striking example of the importance of rotation rate suggested by our simulations is that a planet with modern Earth's atmosphere, in Venus' orbit, and with modern Venus' (slow) rotation rate would be habitable. This would imply that if Venus went through a runaway greenhouse, it had a higher rotation rate at that time.« less

Molecular Diagnostics of the Interstellar Medium and Star Forming Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartquist, T. W.; Dalgarno, A.

1996-03-01

Selected examples of the use of observationally inferred molecular level populations and chemical compositions in the diagnosis of interstellar sources and processes important in them (and in other diffuse astrophysical sources) are given. The sources considered include the interclump medium of a giant molecular cloud, dark cores which are the progenitors of star formation, material responding to recent star formation and which may form further stars, and stellar ejecta (including those of supernovae) about to merge with the interstellar medium. The measurement of the microwave background, mixing of material between different nuclear burning zones in evolved stars and turbulent boundary layers (which are present in and influence the structures and evolution of all diffuse astrophysical sources) are treated.

Beam maser measurements of CH3OH rotational transitions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaines, L.; Casleton, K. H.; Kukolich, S. G.

1974-01-01

Precise measurements of rotational transitions in methanol are reported that were made by means of beam maser spectrometers. No hyperfine structure was resolved at a resonance line width of 8 kHz. Accurate center frequencies for the transitions measured are useful for determining Doppler shifts for observed interstellar lines.

Laboratory Experiments on Rotation of Micron Size Cosmic Dust Grains with Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbas, M. M.; Craven, P. D.; Spann, J. F.; Tankosic, D.; LeClair, A.; Gallagher, D. L.; West, E.; Weingartner, J.; Witherow, W. K.

2004-01-01

The processes and mechanisms involved in the rotation and alignment of interstellar dust grains have been of great interest in astrophysics ever since the surprising discovery of the polarization of starlight more than half a century ago. Numerous theories, detailed mathematical models and numerical studies of grain rotation and alignment along the Galactic magnetic field have been presented in the literature. In particular, the subject of grain rotation and alignment by radiative torques has been shown to be of particular interest in recent years. However, despite many investigations, a satisfactory theoretical understanding of the processes involved in grain rotation and alignment has not been achieved. As there appears to be no experimental data available on this subject, we have carried out some unique experiments to illuminate the processes involved in rotation of dust grains in the interstellar medium. In this paper we present the results of some preliminary laboratory experiments on the rotation of individual micron/submicron size nonspherical dust grains levitated in an electrodynamic balance evacuated to pressures of approx. 10(exp -3) to 10(exp -5) torr. The particles are illuminated by laser light at 5320 A, and the grain rotation rates are obtained by analyzing the low frequency (approx. 0-100 kHz) signal of the scattered light detected by a photodiode detector. The rotation rates are compared with simple theoretical models to retrieve some basic rotational parameters. The results are examined in the light of the current theories of alignment.

Comment on "The shape and composition of interstellar silicate grains"

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bradley, J P; Ishii, H

2007-09-27

In the paper entitled 'The shape and composition of interstellar silicate grains' (A & A, 462, 667-676 (2007)), Min et al. explore non-spherical grain shape and composition in modeling the interstellar 10 and 20 {micro}m extinction features. This progression towards more realistic models is vitally important to enabling valid comparisons between dust observations and laboratory measurements. Min et al. proceed to compare their model results with GEMS (glass with embedded metals and sulfides) from IDPs (interplanetary dust particles) and to discuss the nature and origin of GEMS. Specifically, they evaluate the hypothesis of Bradley (1994) that GEMS are interstellar (IS)more » amorphous silicates. From a comparison of the mineralogy, chemical compositions, and infrared (IR) spectral properties of GEMS with their modeling results, Min et al. conclude: 'GEMS are, in general, not unprocessed leftovers from the diffuse ISM'. This conclusion is based, however, on erroneous and incomplete GEMS data. It is important to clarify first that Bradley (1994) never proposed that GEMS are unprocessed leftovers from the diffuse ISM, nor did he suggest that individual subnanogram mass GEMS are a representative sampling of the enormous mass of silicates in the diffuse ISM. Bradley (1994) simply showed that GEMS properties are consistent with those of IS amorphous silicates. It is widely accepted that circumstellar outflows are important sources of IS silicates, and whether GEMS are processed or not, the circumstellar heritage of some has been rigorously confirmed through measurements of non-solar oxygen (O) isotope abundances (Messenger et al., 2003; Floss et al., 2006). Keller et al. (2000) assert that even GEMS without detectable O isotope anomalies are probably also extrasolar IS silicates because they are embedded in carbonaceous material with non-solar D/H isotopic composition. (Much of the silicate dust in the ISM may be isotopically homogenized (Zhukovska et al., 2007)). Recent measurements show that the elemental compositions of GEMS with non-solar isotopic compositions are 'remarkably similar' to those with solar isotopic compositions (Keller & Messenger, 2007). About 80% of all isotopically anomalous IS silicates identified to date are GEMS with detectable and variable O isotopic memories of a circumstellar ancestry (Messenger, 2007). Bradley (1999) proposed that GEMS are IS silicates from 'a presolar interstellar molecular cloud, presumably the local molecular cloud from which the solar system formed'. Although based on incorrect data (detailed below), Min et al. propose that most GEMS actually formed in the presolar molecular cloud, and they further propose that none of them are IS silicates. IS silicate sources include molecular clouds, circumstellar outflows, supernovae, and even recently discovered black hole winds (Molster & Waters; 2003; Jones, 2005; Zhukovska et al. 2007; Markwick-Kemper et al. 2007). The average IS 10 {micro}m extinction feature observed along lines of sight towards the galactic center (modeled by Min et al.) presumably provides a good average for IS silicates, but it cannot distinguish amorphous silicates originating in the presolar molecular cloud from amorphous silicates originating in other interstellar molecular clouds or indeed other sources of amorphous IS silicates. Even if most GEMS accreted in the presolar molecular cloud, then they must also be representatives of some portion of the IS amorphous silicate population. Laboratory heating experiments indicate it is highly unlikely that GEMS were modified in a protoplanetary accretion disk environment (Brownlee et al. 2005). In summary, Min et al. conclude from their modeling of the shape and composition of IS silicates that the properties of GEMS are generally inconsistent with those of IS silicates. First, it has been rigorously confirmed via ion microprobe measurements that some GEMS are indeed presolar IS silicates. Second, regardless of whether GEMS, or components of GEMS, originated in presolar circumstellar outflows or a presolar molecular cloud they are all IS silicates. Third, key GEMS data reported in Min et al. are inaccurate. Had complete isotopic, chemical, mineralogical and infrared (IR) spectral properties of GEMS been considered, Min et al. may have concluded that the properties of GEMS, although not an exact match, are generally consistent with those of amorphous silicates in the ISM.« less

Star-Studded Strings around Cocoon Nebula

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-04-13

Dense filaments of gas in the IC5146 interstellar cloud can be seen clearly in this image taken in infrared light by the Herschel space observatory. The blue region is a stellar nursery known as the Cocoon nebula.

Dark Reflections in the Southern Cross

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-10-27

NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer captured this colorful image of the reflection nebula IRAS 12116-6001. This cloud of interstellar dust cannot be seen directly in visible light, but WISE detectors observed the nebula at infrared wavelengths.

Desorption from interstellar grains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leger, A.; Jura, M.; Omont, A.

1985-01-01

Different desorption mechanisms from interstellar grains are considered to resolve the conflict between the observed presence of gaseous species in molecular clouds and their expected depletion onto grains. The physics of desorption is discussed with particular reference to the process of grain heating and the specific heat of the dust material. Impulsive heating by X-rays and cosmic rays is addressed. Spot heating of the grains by cosmic rays and how this can lead to desorption of mantles from very large grains is considered. It is concluded that CO depletion on grains will be small in regions with A(V) less than five from the cloud surface and n(H) less than 10,000, in agreement with observations and in contrast to expectations from pure thermal equilibrium. Even in very dense and obscured regions and in the absence of internal ultraviolet sources, the classical evaporation of CO or N2 and O2-rich mantles by cosmic rays is important.

REVISITING THE CHLORINE ABUNDANCE IN DIFFUSE INTERSTELLAR CLOUDS FROM MEASUREMENTS WITH THE COPERNICUS SATELLITE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moomey, Daniel; Federman, S. R.; Sheffer, Y., E-mail: steven.federman@utoledo.edu, E-mail: ysheffer@astro.umd.edu

2012-01-10

We reanalyzed interstellar Cl I and Cl II spectra acquired with the Copernicus satellite. The directions for this study come from those of Crenny and Federman and sample the transition from atomic to molecular-rich clouds where the unique chemistry leading to molecules containing chlorine is initiated. Our profile syntheses relied on up-to-date laboratory oscillator strengths and component structures derived from published high-resolution measurements of K I absorption that were supplemented with Ca II and Na I D results. We obtain self-consistent results for the Cl I lines at 1088, 1097, and 1347 A from which precise column densities are derived.more » The improved set of results reveals clearer correspondences with H{sub 2} and total hydrogen column densities. These linear relationships arise from rapid conversion of Cl{sup +} to Cl{sup 0} in regions where H{sub 2} is present.« less

Turbulence in space plasmas and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galtier, S.

2018-07-01

Most of the visible matter in the Universe is in the form of highly turbulent plasmas. For a long time the turbulent character of astrophysical fluids has been neglected and not well understood. One reason for this is the extremely complicated physics involved in astrophysical processes ranging from the machinery of stars, solar and stellar winds, accretion disks to interstellar clouds and galaxies. The other reason is that turbulence constitutes in itself a difficult subject where most of the fundamental results belongs to the incompressible hydrodynamics. Nevertheless, significant theoretical progress has been made during the last years to incorporate some ingredients like compressibility or small-scale plasma physics which are fundamental in astrophysics. This paper reviews some of these results with a strong focus on space plasmas (solar wind, solar corona). Turbulence in interstellar clouds (supersonic flows) and cosmology (space-time fluctuations) are also briefly mentioned.

Low-frequency Carbon Radio Recombination Lines. II. The Diffuse Interstellar Medium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salgado, F.; Morabito, L. K.; Oonk, J. B. R.

In the second paper of the series, we have modeled low-frequency carbon radio recombination lines (CRRLs) from the interstellar medium. Anticipating the Low Frequency Array survey of Galactic CRRLs, we focus our study on the physical conditions of the diffuse, cold neutral medium. We have used the improved departure coefficients computed in the first paper of the series to calculate line-to-continuum ratios. The results show that the line width and integrated optical depths of CRRLs are sensitive probes of the electron density, gas temperature, and emission measure of the cloud. Furthermore, the ratio of CRRL to the [C ii] atmore » the 158 μ m line is a strong function of the temperature and density of diffuse clouds. Guided by our calculations, we analyze CRRL observations and illustrate their use with data from the literature.« less

Chemical energy in cold-cloud aggregates - The origin of meteoritic chondrules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clayton, D. D.

1980-01-01

If interstellar particles and molecules accumulate into larger particles during the collapse of a cold cloud, the resulting aggregates contain a large store of internal chemical energy. It is here proposed that subsequent warming of these accumulates leads to a thermal runaway when exothermic chemical reactions begin within the aggregate. These, after cooling, are the crystalline chondrules found so abundantly within chondritic meteorites. Chemical energy can also heat meteoritic parent bodies of any size, and both thermal metamorphism and certain molten meteorites are proposed to have occurred in this way. If this new theory is correct, (1) the model of chemical condensation in a hot gaseous solar system is eliminated, and (2) a new way of studying the chemical evolution of the interstellar medium has been found. A simple dust experiment on a comet flyby is proposed to test some features of this controversy.

Environmental Catastrophes in the Earth's History Due to Solar Systems Encounters with Giant Molecular Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pavlov, Alexander A.

2011-01-01

In its motion through the Milky Way galaxy, the solar system encounters an average density (>=330 H atoms/cubic cm) giant molecular cloud (GMC) approximately every 108 years, a dense (approx 2 x 103 H atoms/cubic cm) GMC every approx 109 years and will inevitably encounter them in the future. However, there have been no studies linking such events with severe (snowball) glaciations in Earth history. Here we show that dramatic climate change can be caused by interstellar dust accumulating in Earth's atmosphere during the solar system's immersion into a dense (approx ,2 x 103 H atoms/cubic cm) GMC. The stratospheric dust layer from such interstellar particles could provide enough radiative forcing to trigger the runaway ice-albedo feedback that results in global snowball glaciations. We also demonstrate that more frequent collisions with less dense GMCs could cause moderate ice ages.

Dust That's Worth Keeping

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hazi, A

2006-01-25

Images taken of interstellar space often display a colorful canvas of portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Dispersed throughout the images are interstellar clouds of dust and gas--remnants ejected from stars and supernovae over billions and billions of years. For more than 40 years, astronomers have observed that interstellar dust exhibits a consistent effect at a spectral wavelength of 2,175 angstroms, the equivalent of 5.7 electronvolts in energy on the electromagnetic spectrum. At this wavelength, light from stars is absorbed by dust in the interstellar medium, blocking the stars light from reaching Earth. The 2,175-angstrom feature, which looks like a bumpmore » on spectra, is the strongest ultraviolet-visible light spectral signature of interstellar dust and is visible along nearly every observational line of sight. Scientists have sought to solve the mystery of what causes the 2,175-angstrom feature by reproducing the effect in the laboratory. They speculated a number of possibilities, including fullerenes (buckyballs), nanodiamonds, and even interstellar organisms. However, none of these materials fits the data for the unique spectral feature. Limitations in the energy and spatial resolution achievable with electron microscopes and ion microprobes--the two main instruments used to study samples of dust--have also prevented scientists from finding the answer. A collaborative effort led by Livermore physicist John Bradley and funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has used a new-generation transmission electron microscope (TEM) and nanoscale ion microprobe to unlock the mystery. The Livermore group includes physicists Zu Rong Dai, Ian Hutcheon, Peter Weber, and Sasa Bajt and postdoctoral researchers Hope Ishii, Giles Graham, and Julie Smith. They collaborated with the University of California at Davis (UCD), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Washington University's Laboratory for Space Sciences in St. Louis, and NASA's Ames Research Center for their discovery. The team analyzed micrometer-size interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), each about one-tenth the diameter of a human hair. Within the particles, they found carriers of the 2,175-angstrom feature: organic carbon mixed with amorphous silicates (glass with embedded metals and sulfides, GEMS), two of the most common materials in interstellar space. Ishii says, ''Organic carbon and amorphous silicates are abundant in interstellar dust clouds, and abundant carriers are needed to account for the frequent astronomical observation of the 2,175-angstrom feature. It makes sense that this ubiquitous feature would come from common materials in interstellar space''. The group's results increase scientific understanding of the starting materials for the formation of the Sun, solar system, and life on Earth.« less

Dust That's Worth Keeping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hazi, A.

2006-01-01

Images taken of interstellar space often display a colorful canvas of portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Dispersed throughout the images are interstellar clouds of dust and gas--remnants ejected from stars and supernovae over billions and billions of years. For more than 40 years, astronomers have observed that interstellar dust exhibits a consistent effect at a spectral wavelength of 2,175 angstroms, the equivalent of 5.7 electronvolts in energy on the electromagnetic spectrum. At this wavelength, light from stars is absorbed by dust in the interstellar medium, blocking the stars light from reaching Earth. The 2,175-angstrom feature, which looks like a bump on spectra, is the strongest ultraviolet-visible light spectral signature of interstellar dust and is visible along nearly every observational line of sight. Scientists have sought to solve the mystery of what causes the 2,175-angstrom feature by reproducing the effect in the laboratory. They speculated a number of possibilities, including fullerenes (buckyballs), nanodiamonds, and even interstellar organisms. However, none of these materials fits the data for the unique spectral feature. Limitations in the energy and spatial resolution achievable with electron microscopes and ion microprobes--the two main instruments used to study samples of dust--have also prevented scientists from finding the answer. A collaborative effort led by Livermore physicist John Bradley and funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has used a new-generation transmission electron microscope (TEM) and nanoscale ion microprobe to unlock the mystery. The Livermore group includes physicists Zu Rong Dai, Ian Hutcheon, Peter Weber, and Sasa Bajt and postdoctoral researchers Hope Ishii, Giles Graham, and Julie Smith. They collaborated with the University of California at Davis (UCD), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Washington University's Laboratory for Space Sciences in St. Louis, and NASA's Ames Research Center for their discovery. The team analyzed micrometer-size interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), each about one-tenth the diameter of a human hair. Within the particles, they found carriers of the 2,175-angstrom feature: organic carbon mixed with amorphous silicates (glass with embedded metals and sulfides, GEMS), two of the most common materials in interstellar space. Ishii says, 'Organic carbon and amorphous silicates are abundant in interstellar dust clouds, and abundant carriers are needed to account for the frequent astronomical observation of the 2,175-angstrom feature. It makes sense that this ubiquitous feature would come from common materials in interstellar space'. The group's results increase scientific understanding of the starting materials for the formation of the Sun, solar system, and life on Earth.

A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study on the Formation of Interstellar Propylene Oxide (CH3CHCH2O)—A Chiral Molecule

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergantini, Alexandre; Abplanalp, Matthew J.; Pokhilko, Pavel; Krylov, Anna I.; Shingledecker, Christopher N.; Herbst, Eric; Kaiser, Ralf I.

2018-06-01

This work reveals via a combined experimental, computational, and astrochemical modeling study that racemic propylene oxide (c-C3H6O)—the first chiral molecule detected outside Earth toward the high-mass star-forming region Sagittarius B2(N)—can be synthesized by non-equilibrium reactions initiated by the effects of secondary electrons generated in the track of cosmic rays interacting with ice-coated interstellar grains through excited-state and spin-forbidden reaction pathways operating within low-temperature interstellar ices at 10 K. Our findings confront traditional hypotheses that thermal chemistries followed by processing of interstellar grains dictate the formation of complex organic molecules (COMs) in molecular clouds. Instead, we reveal a hitherto poorly quantified reaction class involving excited-state and spin-forbidden chemistry leading to racemic mixtures of COMs inside interstellar ices prior to their sublimation in star-forming regions. This fundamental production mechanism is of essential consequence in aiding our understanding of the origin and evolution of chiral molecules in the universe.

Grain Growth and Silicates in Dense Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pendeleton, Yvonne J.; Chiar, J. E.; Ennico, K.; Boogert, A.; Greene, T.; Knez, C.; Lada, C.; Roellig, T.; Tielens, A.; Werner, M.;

The Oort cloud and the Galaxy - Dynamical interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weissman, Paul R.

1986-01-01

The results of recent dynamical studies of the Oort cloud and its interaction with the Galaxy are discussed. Various studies which used Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the evolution of comets in the Oort cloud and the manner in which they are injected into the planetary region are reviewed. Work done on perturbation of cometary orbits by stars, interstellar clouds, and the Galaxy is examined. The growing consensus that there is a massive inner Oort cloud with a population up to 100 times that of the dynamically active outer cloud is addressed. Variations on the Oort hypothesis are discussed. It is argued that speculations about the existence of a small unseen solar companion star or a tenth planet causing periodic comet showers from the inner Oort cloud are not supported by dynamical studies or analyses of the terrestrial and lunar cratering record. Evidence for Oort clouds around other stars is summarized.

Change in the chemical composition of infalling gas forming a disk around a protostar.

PubMed

Sakai, Nami; Sakai, Takeshi; Hirota, Tomoya; Watanabe, Yoshimasa; Ceccarelli, Cecilia; Kahane, Claudine; Bottinelli, Sandrine; Caux, Emmanuel; Demyk, Karine; Vastel, Charlotte; Coutens, Audrey; Taquet, Vianney; Ohashi, Nagayoshi; Takakuwa, Shigehisa; Yen, Hsi-Wei; Aikawa, Yuri; Yamamoto, Satoshi

2014-03-06

IRAS 04368+2557 is a solar-type (low-mass) protostar embedded in a protostellar core (L1527) in the Taurus molecular cloud, which is only 140 parsecs away from Earth, making it the closest large star-forming region. The protostellar envelope has a flattened shape with a diameter of a thousand astronomical units (1 AU is the distance from Earth to the Sun), and is infalling and rotating. It also has a protostellar disk with a radius of 90 AU (ref. 6), from which a planetary system is expected to form. The interstellar gas, mainly consisting of hydrogen molecules, undergoes a change in density of about three orders of magnitude as it collapses from the envelope into the disk, while being heated from 10 kelvin to over 100 kelvin in the mid-plane, but it has hitherto not been possible to explore changes in chemical composition associated with this collapse. Here we report that the unsaturated hydrocarbon molecule cyclic-C3H2 resides in the infalling rotating envelope, whereas sulphur monoxide (SO) is enhanced in the transition zone at the radius of the centrifugal barrier (100 ± 20 AU), which is the radius at which the kinetic energy of the infalling gas is converted to rotational energy. Such a drastic change in chemistry at the centrifugal barrier was not anticipated, but is probably caused by the discontinuous infalling motion at the centrifugal barrier and local heating processes there.

MILLIMETER WAVE SPECTRUM AND ASTRONOMICAL SEARCH FOR VINYL FORMATE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alonso, E. R.; Kolesniková, L.; Cabezas, C.

2016-11-20

Previous detections of methyl and ethyl formate make other small substituted formates potential candidates for observation in the interstellar medium. Among them, vinyl formate is one of the simplest unsaturated carboxylic ester. The aim of this work is to provide direct experimental frequencies of the ground vibrational state of vinyl formate in a large spectral range for astrophysical use. The room-temperature rotational spectrum of vinyl formate has been measured from 80 to 360 GHz and analyzed in terms of Watson’s semirigid rotor Hamiltonian. Two thousand six hundred transitions within J = 3–88 and K {sub a} = 0–28 were assignedmore » to the most stable conformer of vinyl formate and a new set of spectroscopic constants was accurately determined. Spectral features of vinyl formate were then searched for in Orion KL, Sgr B2(N), B1-b, and TMC-1 molecular clouds. Upper limits to the column density of vinyl formate are provided.« less

Infrared emission from hydrogenated amorphous carbon and amorphous carbon grains in the interstellar medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duley, W. W.; Jones, A. P.; Taylor, S. D.; Williams, D. A.

1993-01-01

The correlations deduced by Boulanger et al. (1990) from IRAS maps of the Chamaeleon, Taurus and Ursa Major molecular cloud complexes are interpreted in terms of the evolutionary hydrogenated amorphous carbon model of interstellar dust. In particular, regions of relatively strong 12-micron emission may be regions where recently accreted carbon is being converted by ambient UV to small PAHs in situ. Regions of weak 12-micron emission are probably quiescent regions where carbon has been annealed to amorphous carbon. Observational consequences of these inferences are briefly described.

Chemical evolution of primitive solar system bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oro, J.; Mills, T.

1989-01-01

Observations on organic molecules and compounds containing biogenic elements in the interstellar medium and in the primitive bodies of the solar system are reviewed. The discovery of phosphorus molecular species in dense interstellar clouds, the existence of organic ions in the dust and gas phase of the comas of Comet Halley, and the presence of presolar, deuterium-hydrogen ratios in the amino acids of carbonaceous chondrites are discussed. The relationships between comets, dark asteroids, and carbonaceous chondrites are examined. Also, consideration is given to the chemical evolution of Titan, the primitive earth, and early Mars.

Calculations concerning the HCO(+)/HOC(+) abundance ratio in dense interstellar clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Defrees, D. J.; Mclean, A. D.; Herbst, E.

1984-01-01

Calculations have been performed to determine the rate coefficients of several reactions involved in both the formation and depletion of interstellar HCO(+) and HOC(+). The abundance of HOC(+) deduced from these calculations is consistent with the tentative identification of HOC(+) in Sgr B2 by Woods et al. (1983). The large HCO(+)/HOC(+) abundance ratio observed by Woods et al. is due at least in part to a more rapid formation rate for HCO(+) and probably due as well to a more rapid depletion rate for HOC(+).

Extinct radioactivities - A three-phase mixing model. [for early solar system abundances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clayton, D. D.

1983-01-01

A new class of models is advanced for interpreting the relationship of radioactive abundances in the early solar system to their average concentration in the interstellar medium. The model assumes that fresh radioactivities are ejected from supernovae into the hot interstellar medium, and that the time scales for changes of phase into molecular clouds determine how much survives for formation therein of the solar system. A more realistic and physically motivated understanding of the low observed concentrations of I-129, Pu-244, and Pd-107 may result.

Prebiotic chemical evolution in the astrophysical context.

PubMed

Ziurys, L M; Adande, G R; Edwards, J L; Schmidt, D R; Halfen, D T; Woolf, N J

2015-06-01

An ever increasing amount of molecular material is being discovered in the interstellar medium, associated with the birth and death of stars and planetary systems. Radio and millimeter-wave astronomical observations, made possible by high-resolution laboratory spectroscopy, uniquely trace the history of gas-phase molecules with biogenic elements. Using a combination of both disciplines, the full extent of the cycling of molecular matter, from circumstellar ejecta of dying stars - objects which expel large amounts of carbon - to nascent solar systems, has been investigated. Such stellar ejecta have been found to exhibit a rich and varied chemical content. Observations demonstrate that this molecular material is passed onto planetary nebulae, the final phase of stellar evolution. Here the star sheds almost its entire original mass, becoming an ultraviolet-emitting white dwarf. Molecules such as H2CO, HCN, HCO(+), and CCH are present in significant concentrations across the entire age span of such nebulae. These data suggest that gas-phase polyatomic, carbon-containing molecules survive the planetary nebula phase and subsequently are transported into the interstellar medium, seeding the chemistry of diffuse and then dense clouds. The extent of the chemical complexity in dense clouds is unknown, hindered by the high spectral line density. Organic species such as acetamide and methyl amine are present in such objects, and NH2CHO has a wide Galactic distribution. However, organophosphorus compounds have not yet been detected in dense clouds. Based on carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios, molecular material from the ISM appears to become incorporated into solar system planetesimals. It is therefore likely that interstellar synthesis influences prebiotic chemistry on planet surfaces.

An IFU-view of Planetary Nebulae: Exploring NGC 6720 (Ring Nebula) with KCWI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoadley, Keri; Matuszewski, Matt; Hamden, Erika; Martin, Christopher; Neill, Don; Kyne, Gillian

2018-01-01

Studying the interaction between the ejected stellar material and interstellar clouds is important for understanding how stellar deaths influences the pollution of matter that will later form other stars. Planetary nebulae provide ideal laboratories to study such interactions. I will present on a case study of one close-by planetary nebula, the Ring Nebula (M 57, NGC 6720), to infer the abundances, temperatures, structures, and dynamics of important atomic and ionic species in two distinct regions of the nebula using a newly-commissioned integral field spectrograph (IFS) on Keck: the Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI). The advantage of an IFS over traditional filter-imaging techniques is the ability to simultaneously observe the spectrum of any given pixel in the imaging area, which provides crucial information about the dynamics of the observed region. This technique is powerful for diffuse or extended astrophysical objects, and I will demonstrate the different imaging and spectral modes of KCWI used to observe the Ring Nebula.KCWI observations of the Ring Nebula focused mainly on the innermost region of the nebula, with a little coverage of the Inner Ring. We also observed the length of the Ring in one set of observations, for which we will estimate the elemental abundances, temperatures, and dynamics of the region. KCWI observations also capture an inner arc and blob that have distinctly difference characteristics than the Ring itself and may be a direct observation of either the planetary nebula ramming into an interstellar cloud projected onto the sightline or a dense interstellar cloud being illuminated by the stellar continuum from the hot central white dwarf.

GUSTO: Gal/Xgal U/LDB Spectroscopic-Stratospheric TeraHertz Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kidd Walker, Christopher; Kulesa, Craig; Goldsmith, Paul; Groppi, Christopher; Helmich, Frank; Hollenbach, David; Kawamura, Jonathan; Langer, William; Melnick, Gary; Neufeld, David; Pineda, Jorge; Stacey, Gordon; Stark, Antony; Tielens, Alexander; Wolfire, Mark; Yorke, Harold; Young, Erick

2018-01-01

GUSTO is a recently selected NASA Explorer mission that will map in unprecedented detail the structure, dynamics, energy balance, and evolution of the interstellar medium within the Milky Way and Large Magellanic Cloud. GUSTO is a balloon-borne, 0.85-m on-axis telescope that will observe in three important interstellar lines: [CII], [OI], and [NII] at 158, 63, and 205 microns, respectively. With its 60" angular resolution, high-velocity resolution, and efficient “On-The-Fly” mapping strategy, GUSTO will address key unanswered questions about the stellar life cycle and provide new insights into the birth and evolution of stars and galaxies. From its Ultra-Long-Duration Balloon (ULDB) platform at an altitude of 33 km, GUSTO will survey ~100 deg2 of the Milky Way and 24 deg2 of the LMC at 60" angular resolution using three 8-pixel heterodyne array receivers. The GUSTO receivers provide sub-km/s velocity resolution and bandwidths sufficiently wide to track all clouds orbiting in the Milky Way and LMC. GUSTO will detect and locate in three dimensions every important interstellar cloud (AV > 0.5–1) in the surveyed regions. The baseline mission of 100 days can be completed in one ULDB Antarctic balloon flight, and an extended mission of up to 169 days is possible. GUSTO’s observing campaign comprises three distinct surveys: GPS: A Galactic Plane Survey (42 days); LMCS: An LMC Survey (36 days); TDS: Targeted Deep Surveys of selected regions in the Galaxy and LMC (18 days). In our presentation we will discuss both the science goals of GUSTO and the mission implementation.

Absorption Reveals and Hydrogen Addition Explains New Interstellar Aldehydes: Propenal and Propanal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollis, J. M.; Jewell, P. R.; Lovas, F. J.; Remijan, A.; Mollendal, H.

2004-01-01

New interstellar molecules propenal (CH2CHCHO) and propanal (CH3CH2CHO) have been detected largely in absorption toward the star-forming region Sagittarius B2(N) by means of rotational transitions observed with the 100-m Green Bank Telescope (GBT) operating in the range of 18 GHz (lambda approximately 1.7 cm) to 26 GHz (lambda approximately 1.2 cm). The GBT was also used to observe the previously reported interstellar aldehyde propynal (HC2CHO) in Sagittarius B2(N) which is known for large molecules believed to form on interstellar grains. The presence of these three interstellar aldehydes toward Sagittarius B2(N) strongly suggests that simple hydrogen addition on interstellar grains accounts for successively larger molecular species: from propynal to propenal and from propenal to propanal. Energy sources within Sagittarius B2(N) likely permit the hydrogen addition reactions on grain surfaces to proceed. This work demonstrates that successive hydrogen addition is probably an important chemistry route in the formation of a number of complex interstellar molecules. We also searched for but did not detect the three-carbon sugar glyceraldehyde (CH2OHCHOHCHO).

THE DETECTION OF INTERSTELLAR ETHANIMINE (CH{sub 3}CHNH) FROM OBSERVATIONS TAKEN DURING THE GBT PRIMOS SURVEY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loomis, Ryan A.; Zaleski, Daniel P.; Steber, Amanda L.

2013-03-01

We have performed reaction product screening measurements using broadband rotational spectroscopy to identify rotational transition matches between laboratory spectra and the Green Bank Telescope PRIMOS radio astronomy survey spectra in Sagittarius B2 North (Sgr B2(N)). The broadband rotational spectrum of molecules created in an electrical discharge of CH{sub 3}CN and H{sub 2}S contained several frequency matches to unidentified features in the PRIMOS survey that did not have molecular assignments based on standard radio astronomy spectral catalogs. Several of these transitions are assigned to the E- and Z-isomers of ethanimine. Global fits of the rotational spectra of these isomers in themore » range of 8-130 GHz have been performed for both isomers using previously published mm-wave spectroscopy measurements and the microwave measurements of the current study. Possible interstellar chemistry formation routes for E-ethanimine and Z-ethanimine are discussed. The detection of ethanimine is significant because of its possible role in the formation of alanine-one of the twenty amino acids in the genetic code.« less

PLASMA FLOWS AT VOYAGER 2 AWAY FROM THE MEASURED SUPRATHERMAL PRESSURES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McComas, D. J.; Schwadron, N. A., E-mail: dmccomas@swri.edu

2014-11-01

Plasma flows measured by Voyager 2 show a clear rotation away from radially outward with increasing penetration into the inner heliosheath while the overall flow speed remains roughly constant. However, the direction of rotation is far more into the transverse, and less into the polar direction, than predicted. No current model reproduces the key observational results of (1) the direction of flow rotation or (2) constancy of the flow speed. Here we show that the direction is consistent with flow away from the region of maximum pressure in the inner heliosheath, ∼20° south of the upwind direction, as measured bymore » the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX). Further, we show that the dominance of the suprathermal ion pressure in the inner heliosheath measured by IBEX can explain both the observed flow rotation and constancy of the flow speed. These results indicate the critical importance of suprathermal ions in the physics of the inner heliosheath and have significant implications for understanding this key region of the heliosphere's interstellar interaction and astrophysical plasmas more broadly.« less

Probing the Baryon Cycle of Galaxies with SPICA Mid- and Far-Infrared Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Tak, F. F. S.; Madden, S. C.; Roelfsema, P.; Armus, L.; Baes, M.; Bernard-Salas, J.; Bolatto, A.; Bontemps, S.; Bot, C.; Bradford, C. M.; Braine, J.; Ciesla, L.; Clements, D.; Cormier, D.; Fernández-Ontiveros, J. A.; Galliano, F.; Giard, M.; Gomez, H.; González-Alfonso, E.; Herpin, F.; Johnstone, D.; Jones, A.; Kaneda, H.; Kemper, F.; Lebouteiller, V.; De Looze, I.; Matsuura, M.; Nakagawa, T.; Onaka, T.; Pérez-González, P.; Shipman, R.; Spinoglio, L.

2018-01-01

The SPICA mid- and far-infrared telescope will address fundamental issues in our understanding of star formation and ISM physics in galaxies. A particular hallmark of SPICA is the outstanding sensitivity enabled by the cold telescope, optimised detectors, and wide instantaneous bandwidth throughout the mid- and far-infrared. The spectroscopic, imaging, and polarimetric observations that SPICA will be able to collect will help in clarifying the complex physical mechanisms which underlie the baryon cycle of galaxies. In particular, (i) the access to a large suite of atomic and ionic fine-structure lines for large samples of galaxies will shed light on the origin of the observed spread in star-formation rates within and between galaxies, (ii) observations of HD rotational lines (out to 10 Mpc) and fine structure lines such as [C ii] 158 μm (out to 100 Mpc) will clarify the main reservoirs of interstellar matter in galaxies, including phases where CO does not emit, (iii) far-infrared spectroscopy of dust and ice features will address uncertainties in the mass and composition of dust in galaxies, and the contributions of supernovae to the interstellar dust budget will be quantified by photometry and monitoring of supernova remnants in nearby galaxies, (iv) observations of far-infrared cooling lines such as [O i] 63 μm from star-forming molecular clouds in our Galaxy will evaluate the importance of shocks to dissipate turbulent energy. The paper concludes with requirements for the telescope and instruments, and recommendations for the observing strategy.

Discovering CO and other Interstellar Molecules with the NRAO 36 Foot Antenna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, R. W.

2008-08-01

Bell Labs was an early developer of millimeter-wave technology. In the 60's there was a big push to develop a millimeter wave long-distance communications system to do what ultimately fiber optics has accomplished. As part of this system, Charles Burrus at Crawford Hill developed millimeter-wave receivers by making Schottky-barrier diodes using modern photolithography. Arno Penzias and I recognized that these had a potential use in radio astronomy and with Ken Kellermann proposed to build a receiver with them for use on the then-new 36 foot antenna. Unfortunately this attempt was premature and not successful. In 1970 Arno, Keith Jefferts, and I---with much help from Sandy Weinreb---put together a spectral-line receiver. This was done with the hope of detecting rotational transitions of simple molecules in interstellar space. Since, at the time, only a few people (like Phil Solomon) had any idea that molecular clouds existed, we prepared to detect a weak signal. Our backup strategy, suggested by Pat Thaddeus, was to look for CN, which had been known to exist since the late 1930s. If neither line had been detected, we would have observed the H38α recombination line which is close in frequency to the CO J=1-0 line. As we all know now, however, the signal from carbon monoxide (and even its less abundant isotopes) was remarkably strong. Such measurements have since transformed our ideas of star formation.

The photodissociation and chemistry of CO isotopologues: applications to interstellar clouds and circumstellar disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visser, R.; van Dishoeck, E. F.; Black, J. H.

2009-08-01

Aims: Photodissociation by UV light is an important destruction mechanism for carbon monoxide (CO) in many astrophysical environments, ranging from interstellar clouds to protoplanetary disks. The aim of this work is to gain a better understanding of the depth dependence and isotope-selective nature of this process. Methods: We present a photodissociation model based on recent spectroscopic data from the literature, which allows us to compute depth-dependent and isotope-selective photodissociation rates at higher accuracy than in previous work. The model includes self-shielding, mutual shielding and shielding by atomic and molecular hydrogen, and it is the first such model to include the rare isotopologues C17O and 13C17O. We couple it to a simple chemical network to analyse CO abundances in diffuse and translucent clouds, photon-dominated regions, and circumstellar disks. Results: The photodissociation rate in the unattenuated interstellar radiation field is 2.6 × 10-10 s-1, 30% higher than currently adopted values. Increasing the excitation temperature or the Doppler width can reduce the photodissociation rates and the isotopic selectivity by as much as a factor of three for temperatures above 100 K. The model reproduces column densities observed towards diffuse clouds and PDRs, and it offers an explanation for both the enhanced and the reduced N(12CO)/N(13CO) ratios seen in diffuse clouds. The photodissociation of C17O and 13C17O shows almost exactly the same depth dependence as that of C18O and 13C18O, respectively, so 17O and 18O are equally fractionated with respect to 16O. This supports the recent hypothesis that CO photodissociation in the solar nebula is responsible for the anomalous 17O and 18O abundances in meteorites. Grain growth in circumstellar disks can enhance the N(12CO)/N(C17O) and N(12CO)/N(C18O) ratios by a factor of ten relative to the initial isotopic abundances. Tables [see full textsee full text]-[see full textsee full text] are only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Diagnosing the Neutral Interstellar Gas Flow at 1 AU with IBEX-Lo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Möbius, E.; Kucharek, H.; Clark, G.; O'Neill, M.; Petersen, L.; Bzowski, M.; Saul, L.; Wurz, P.; Fuselier, S. A.; Izmodenov, V. V.; McComas, D. J.; Müller, H. R.; Alexashov, D. B.

2009-08-01

Every year in fall and spring the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) will observe directly the interstellar gas flow at 1 AU over periods of several months. The IBEX-Lo sensor employs a powerful triple time-of-flight mass spectrometer. It can distinguish and image the O and He flow distributions in the northern fall and spring, making use of sensor viewing perpendicular to the Sun-pointing spin axis. To effectively image the narrow flow distributions IBEX-Lo has a high angular resolution quadrant in its collimator. This quadrant is employed selectively for the interstellar gas flow viewing in the spring by electrostatically shutting off the remainder of the aperture. The operational scenarios, the expected data, and the necessary modeling to extract the interstellar parameters and the conditions in the heliospheric boundary are described. The combination of two key interstellar species will facilitate a direct comparison of the pristine interstellar flow, represented by He, which has not been altered in the heliospheric boundary region, with a flow that is processed in the outer heliosheath, represented by O. The O flow distribution consists of a depleted pristine component and decelerated and heated neutrals. Extracting the latter so-called secondary component of interstellar neutrals will provide quantitative constraints for several important parameters of the heliosheath interaction in current global heliospheric models. Finding the fraction and width of the secondary component yields an independent value for the global filtration factor of species, such as O and H. Thus far filtration can only be inferred, barring observations in the local interstellar cloud proper. The direction of the secondary component will provide independent information on the interstellar magnetic field strength and orientation, which has been inferred from SOHO SWAN Ly- α backscattering observations and the two Voyager crossings of the termination shock.

Multicolor optical polarimetry of reddened stars in the small Magellanic cloud

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Magalhaes, Antonio M.; Coyne, G. V.; Piirola, Valero; Rodrigues, C. V.

1989-01-01

First results of an on-going program to determine the wavelength dependence of the interstellar optical polarization of reddened stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) are presented. IUE observations of reddened stars in the SMC (Bouchet et al. 1985) generally show marked differences in the extinction law as compared to both the Galaxy and the Large Megallanic Cloud. The aim here is to determine the wavelength dependence of the optical linear polarization in the direction of several such stars in the SMC in order to further constrain the dust composition and size distribution in that galaxy.

Understand rotating isothermal collapses yet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tohline, J.E.

1985-01-01

A scalar virial equation is used to describe the dynamic properties of equilibrium gas clouds, taking into account the relative effects of surface pressure, rotation, self gravity and internal isothermal pressure. Details concerning the internal structure of the clouds are ignored in order to obtain a globalized analytical expression. The obtained solution to the equation is found to agree with the surface-pressure-dominated model of Stahler (1983), and the rotation-dominated model of Hayashi, Narita, and Miyama (1982). On the basis of the analytical expression of virial equilibrium in the clouds, some of the limiting properties of isothermal clouds are described, andmore » a realistic starting model for cloud collapse is proposed. 18 references.« less

Optical Polarization as a Probe of the Local Interstellar Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tinbergen, J.

1984-01-01

The use of interstellar polarization as a tool for measuring interstellar dust is discussed. Problems resulting from dust and magnetic field configurations becoming mixed up are discussed, as is the availability of sufficiently bright stars to obtain the photons needed for precision measurements. It is proposed that: (1) on the scale of several hundred parsec, there is a preferential magnetic field direction, as evidenced by observations at the Galactic poles and selected longitudes in the Galactic plane; (2) the local (r 50 pc) region is devoid of dust, as evidenced by the mean square degree of polarization as a function of distance; and, less certainly, that (3) at a distance of less than 5 pc, there is a patch of dust which may be of interest in connection with cloud models.

IRAS Colors of the Pleiades

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carey, Sean J.; Shipman, R. F.; Clark, F. O.

1996-01-01

We present large scale images of the infrared emission of the region around the Pleiades using the ISSA data product from the IRAS mission. Residual Zodiacal background and a discontinuity in the image due to the scanning strategy of the satellite necessitated special background subtraction methods. The 60/100 color image clearly shows the heating of the ambient interstellar medium by the cluster. The 12/100 and 25/100 images peak on the cluster as expected for exposure of small dust grains to an enhanced UV radiation field; however, the 25/100 color declines to below the average interstellar value at the periphery of the cluster. Potential causes of the color deficit are discussed. A new method of identifying dense molecular material through infrared emission properties is presented. The difference between the 100 micron flux density and the 60 micron flux density scaled by the average interstellar 60/100 color ratio (Delta I(sub 100) is a sensitive diagnostic of material with embedded heating sources (Delta I(sub 100) less than 0) and cold, dense cores (Delta I(sub 100) greater than 0). The dense cores of the Taurus cloud complex as well as Lynds 1457 are clearly identified by this method, while the IR bright but diffuse Pleiades molecular cloud is virtually indistinguishable from the nearby infrared cirrus.

Copernicus studies of interstellar material in the Perseus II complex. III - The line of sight to Zeta Persei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snow, T. P., Jr.

1977-01-01

Ultraviolet spectrophotometric data obtained with Copernicus are used to analyze the distribution, composition, density, temperature, and kinematics of the interstellar material along the line of sight to Zeta Persei. The far-UV extinction curve for the star is evaluated along with the kinematics of the interstellar gas, observations of atomic and molecular hydrogen, curves of growth for neutral and ionized species, atomic abundances and depletions, ionization equilibria, and observations of CO and OH lines. The results show that there are apparently three clouds along the line of sight to Zeta Persei: a main cloud at approximately +13 km/s which contains most of the material and forms all the neutral and molecular lines as well as most of the ionic lines, a second component at +22 km/s which must contribute to the strong UV lines of most ions, and a third component at roughly +2 km/s which gives rise to a strong Si III line at 1206 A. It is also found that the UV extinction curve has a somewhat steep far-UV rise, indicating the presence of a substantial number of small grains, and that about 30% of the hydrogen nuclei over the entire line of sight are in molecular form.

A relativistic neutron fireball from a supernova explosion as a possible source of chiral influence.

PubMed

Gusev, G A; Saito, T; Tsarev, V A; Uryson, A V

2007-06-01

We elaborate on a previously proposed idea that polarized electrons produced from neutrons, released in a supernova (SN) explosion, can cause chiral dissymmetry of molecules in interstellar gas-dust clouds. A specific physical mechanism of a relativistic neutron fireball with Lorentz factor of the order of 100 is assumed for propelling a great number of free neutrons outside the dense SN shell. A relativistic chiral electron-proton plasma, produced from neutron decays, is slowed down owing to collective effects in the interstellar plasma. As collective effects do not involve the particle spin, the electrons can carry their helicities to the cloud. The estimates show high chiral efficiency of such electrons. In addition to this mechanism, production of circularly polarized ultraviolet photons through polarized-electron bremsstrahlung at an early stage of the fireball evolution is considered. It is shown that these photons can escape from the fireball plasma. However, for an average density of neutrals in the interstellar medium of the order of 0.2 cm(-3) and at distances of the order of 10 pc from the SN, these photons will be absorbed with a factor of about 10(-7) due to the photoeffect. In this case, their chiral efficiency will be about five orders of magnitude less than that for polarized electrons.

Disintegration of Dust Aggregates in Interstellar Shocks and the Lifetime of Dust Grains in the ISM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominik, C.; Jones, A. P.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.; Cuzzi, Jeff (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Interstellar grains are destroyed by shock waves moving through the ISM. In fact, the destruction of grains may be so effective that it is difficult to explain the observed abundance of dust in the ISM as a steady state between input of grains from stellar sources and destruction of grains in shocks. This is especially a problem for the larger grains. Therefore, the dust grains must be protected in some way. Jones et al. have already considered coatings and the increased post-shock drag effects for low density grains. In molecular clouds and dense clouds, coagulation of grains is an important process, and the largest interstellar grains may indeed be aggregates of smaller grains rather than homogeneous particles. This may provide a means to protect the larger grains, in that, in moderate velocity grain-grain collisions in a shock the aggregates may disintegrate rather than be vaporized. The released small particles are more resilient to shock destruction (except in fast shocks) and may reform larger grains later, recovering the observed size distribution. We have developed a model for the binding forces in grain aggregates and apply this model to the collisions between an aggregate and fast small grains. We discuss the results in the light of statistical collision probabilities and grain life times.

Fragmentation of interstellar clouds and star formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silk, J.

1982-01-01

The principal issues are addressed: the fragmentation of molecular clouds into units of stellar mass and the impact of star formation on molecular clouds. The observational evidence for fragmentation is summarized, and the gravitational instability described of a uniform spherical cloud collapsing from rest. The implications are considered of a finite pressure for the minimum fragment mass that is attainable in opacity-limited fragmentation. The role of magnetic fields is discussed in resolving the angular momentum problem and in making the collapse anisotropic, with notable consequences for fragmentation theory. Interactions between fragments are described, with emphasis on the effect of protostellar winds on the ambient cloud matter and on inhibiting further star formation. Such interactions are likely to have profound consequences for regulating the rate of star formation and on the energetics and dynamics of molecular clouds.

Observation of interstellar lithium in the low-metallicity Small Magellanic Cloud.

PubMed

Howk, J Christopher; Lehner, Nicolas; Fields, Brian D; Mathews, Grant J

2012-09-06

The primordial abundances of light elements produced in the standard theory of Big Bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) depend only on the cosmic ratio of baryons to photons, a quantity inferred from observations of the microwave background. The predicted primordial (7)Li abundance is four times that measured in the atmospheres of Galactic halo stars. This discrepancy could be caused by modification of surface lithium abundances during the stars' lifetimes or by physics beyond the Standard Model that affects early nucleosynthesis. The lithium abundance of low-metallicity gas provides an alternative constraint on the primordial abundance and cosmic evolution of lithium that is not susceptible to the in situ modifications that may affect stellar atmospheres. Here we report observations of interstellar (7)Li in the low-metallicity gas of the Small Magellanic Cloud, a nearby galaxy with a quarter the Sun's metallicity. The present-day (7)Li abundance of the Small Magellanic Cloud is nearly equal to the BBN predictions, severely constraining the amount of possible subsequent enrichment of the gas by stellar and cosmic-ray nucleosynthesis. Our measurements can be reconciled with standard BBN with an extremely fine-tuned depletion of stellar Li with metallicity. They are also consistent with non-standard BBN.

The Interstellar Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tielens, Alexander G. G. M.

1995-01-01

The Interstellar Medium (ISM) forms an integral part of the lifecycle of stars and the galaxy. Stars are formed by gravitational contraction of interstellar clouds. Over their life, stars return much of their mass to the ISM through winds and supernova explosions, resulting in a slow enrichment in heavy elements. Understanding the origin and evolution of the ISM is a key problem within astrophysics. The KAO has made many important contributions to studies of the interstellar medium both on the macro and on the micro scale. In this overview, I will concentrate on two breakthroughs in the last decade in which KAO observations have played a major role: (1) the importance of large Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules for the ISM (section 3) and (2) the study of Photodissociation Regions (PDRs) as an analog for the diffuse ISM at large (section 4). Appropriately, the micro and macro problem are intricately interwoven in these problems. Finally, section 5 reviews the origin of the (CII) emission observed by COBE.

Extreme ultraviolet observations of G191-B2B and the local interstellar medium with the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kimble, Randy A.; Davidsen, Arthur F.; Blair, William P.; Bowers, Charles W.; Van Dyke Dixon, W.; Durrance, Samuel T.; Feldman, Paul D.; Ferguson, Henry C.; Henry, Richard C.; Kriss, Gerard A.

1993-01-01

During the Astro-l mission in 1990 December, the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) was used to observe the extreme ultraviolet spectrum (415-912 A) of the hot DA white dwarf GI91-B2B. Absorption by neutral helium shortward of the 504 A He I absorption edge is clearly detected in the raw spectrum. Model fits to the observed spectrum require interstellar neutral helium and neutral hydrogen column densities of 1.45 +/- 0.065 x 10 exp 17/sq cm and 1.69 +/- 0.12 x 10 exp 18/sq cm, respectively. Comparison of the neutral columns yields a direct assessment of the ionization state of the local interstellar cloud surrounding the Sun. The neutral hydrogen to helium ratio of 11.6 +/- 1.0 observed by HUT strongly contradicts the widespread view that hydrogen is much more ionized than helium in the local interstellar medium, a view which has motivated some exotic theoretical explanations for the supposed high ionization.

Self-Assembling Amphiphilic Molecules: A Possible Relationship Between Interstellar Chemistry and Meteoritic Organics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandford, Scott A.; Dworkin, Jason P.; Deamer, David W.; Allamandola, Louis J.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Interstellar gas and dust comprise the primary material from which the solar system formed. Evidence that some of this material was organic in nature and survived incorporation into the protosolar nebula is provided by the presence of deuterium-enriched organics in meteorites and interplanetary dust particles. Once the inner planets had sufficiently cooled, late accretionary infall of meteoroids and cosmic dust must have seeded them with some of these complex organic compounds. Delivery of such extraterrestrial compounds may have contributed to the organic inventory necessary for the origin of life. Interstellar ices, the building blocks of comets, tie up a large fraction of the biogenic elements available in molecular clouds. In our efforts to understand their synthesis, chemical composition, and physical properties, we report here that a complex mixture of molecules is produced by ultraviolet (UV) photolysis of realistic, interstellar ice analogs, and that some of the components have properties relevant to the origin of life, including the ability to self-assemble into vesicular structures.

TIME VARIATION OF AV AND RV FOR TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE BEHIND INTERSTELLAR DUST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xiaosheng; Biederman, M.; Herger, B.; Aldering, G. S.

2014-01-01

TIME VARIATION OF AV AND RV FOR TYPE Ia SUPERNOVAE BEHIND NON-UNIFORM INTERSTELLAR DUST ABSTRACT We investigate the time variation of the visual extinction, AV, and the total-to-selective extinction ratio, RV, resulting from interstellar dust in front of an expanding photospheric disk of a type Ia supernova (SN Ia). We simulate interstellar dust clouds according to a power law power spectrum and produce extinction maps that either follow a pseudo-Gaussian distribution or a lognormal distribution. The RV maps are produced through a correlation between AV and RV. With maps of AV and RV generated in each case (pseudo-Gaussian and lognormal), we then compute the effective AV and RV for a SN as its photospheric disk expands behind the dust screen. We find for a small percentage of SNe the AV and RV values can vary by a large factor from day to day in the first 40 days after explosion.

Ice Chemistry in Starless Molecular Cores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalvāns, J.

2015-06-01

Starless molecular cores are natural laboratories for interstellar molecular chemistry research. The chemistry of ices in such objects was investigated with a three-phase (gas, surface, and mantle) model. We considered the center part of five starless cores, with their physical conditions derived from observations. The ice chemistry of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and complex organic molecules (COMs) was analyzed. We found that an ice-depth dimension, measured, e.g., in monolayers, is essential for modeling of chemistry in interstellar ices. Particularly, the H2O:CO:CO2:N2:NH3 ice abundance ratio regulates the production and destruction of minor species. It is suggested that photodesorption during the core-collapse period is responsible for the high abundance of interstellar H2O2 and O2H and other species synthesized on the surface. The calculated abundances of COMs in ice were compared to observed gas-phase values. Smaller activation barriers for CO and H2CO hydrogenation may help explain the production of a number of COMs. The observed abundance of methyl formate HCOOCH3 could be reproduced with a 1 kyr, 20 K temperature spike. Possible desorption mechanisms, relevant for COMs, are gas turbulence (ice exposure to interstellar photons) or a weak shock within the cloud core (grain collisions). To reproduce the observed COM abundances with the present 0D model, 1%-10% of ice mass needs to be sublimated. We estimate that the lifetime for starless cores likely does not exceed 1 Myr. Taurus cores are likely to be younger than their counterparts in most other clouds.

ARC-1983-AC83-0768-2

NASA Image and Video Library

1983-11-09

Milky way - The real shape of our galaxy is revealed in this infrared image obtained by IRAS. Infrared light penetrates the dust clouds and shows that the galaxy appears as a thin disk, just like the edge-on spiral galaxies we see throughtout the cosmos. The bulge in the band is the center of the galaxy. The yellow and green knots and blobs scattered along the band are giant clouds of interstellar gas and dust heated by nearby stars.

Cyanide and isocyanide abundances in the cold, dark cloud TMC-1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, W. M.; Schloerb, F. P.

1984-01-01

Cold, dark molecular clouds are particularly useful for the study of interstellar chemistry because their physical parameters are better understood than those of heterogeneous, complex giant molecular clouds. Another advantage is their relatively small distance from the solar system. The present investigaation has the objective to provide accurate abundance ratios for several cyanides and isocyanides in order to constrain models of dark cloud chemistry. The relative abundances of such related species can be particularly useful for the study of chemical processes. The cloud TMC-1 considered in the current study has a remarkably high abundance of acetylene and polyacetylene derivatives. Data at 3 mm, corresponding to the J = 1 to 0 transitions of HCN, H(C-13)N, HN(C-13), HC(N-15), and H(N-15)C were obtained.

Identification Code of Interstellar Cloud within IRAF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Youngung; Jung, Jae Hoon; Kim, Hyun-Goo

1997-12-01

We present a code which identifies individual clouds in crowded region using IMFORT interface within Image Reduction and Analysis Facility(IRAF). We define a cloud as an object composed of all pixels in longitude, latitude, and velocity that are simply connected and that lie above some threshold temperature. The code searches the whole pixels of the data cube in efficient way to isolate individual clouds. Along with identification of clouds it is designed to estimate their mean values of longitudes, latitudes, and velocities. In addition, a function of generating individual images(or cube data) of identified clouds is added up. We also present identified individual clouds using a 12CO survey data cube of Galactic Anticenter Region(Lee et al. 1997) as a test example. We used a threshold temperature of 5 sigma rms noise level of the data. With a higher threshold temperature, we isolated subclouds of a huge cloud identified originally. As the most important parameter to identify clouds is the threshold value, its effect to the size and velocity dispersion is discussed rigorously.

THE SIZE AND EXTENT OF THE INTERSTELLAR GAS CLOUD SURROUNDING THE SUN

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Two astronomical observatories in orbit around the Earth, the Hubble Space Telescope and the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer, have been used to investigate the structure of the interstellar gas cloud in which the Sun resides. A compilation and interpretation of the results of these studies is being presented today at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Madison, WI by Drs. Jeffrey L. Linsky, Nikolai Piskunov, and Brian E. Wood of JILA and the University of Colorado. Measuring the properties of the local interstellar medium (LISM) is important for understanding how the LISM interacts with the solar wind and for investigating the possibility that changes in the LISM in the immediate vicinity of the Sun could have an effect on the Earth's atmosphere and climate. When astronomers observe the ultraviolet light emitted by nearby stars, it is always found that some of the light is absorbed by atoms and ions in the LISM. The properties of the LISM can therefore be investigated by measuring the amount of absorption observed. Using ultraviolet spectra taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer, the total amount of local interstellar matter has been measured for many lines of sight through the LISM. These studies suggest that the interstellar gas surrounding the Sun has a temperature of about 7000 K (about 12,000 degrees Fahrenheit) and has a velocity of about 16 miles per second relative to the Sun. Measurements made for very short (less than 10 light years) lines of sight toward very nearby stars suggest an average density of about 0.1 hydrogen atoms per cubic centimeter for the local interstellar gas, hydrogen being by far the most abundant atom in the LISM. Measurements made for lines of sight toward more distant stars suggest lower average densities. This suggests that parts of the lines of sight to these more distant stars are in regions of space with extremely low densities. We believe this means that these stars lie outside the local gas cloud. We can estimate a distance from the Sun to the edge of the local cloud for each line of sight to a star that lies outside the cloud. Combining these measurements, we can then crudely map out the shape of the local cloud. The results are shown as orange ellipsoids in the accompanying illustration. According to this model, the cloud is about 60 light years across along its largest axis, and the Sun is only about 4 light years from the edge. Note that we have very little data toward the Galactic Center. Other data not presented here suggest that the cloud actually extends further in that direction than our crude model suggests. The space outside the local gas cloud is not completely empty, but is instead believed to be occupied by extremely hot (about 1,000,000 K) gas with very low densities (about 0.001 particles per cubic centimeter). The local cloud is in fact thought to reside in a region of space called the 'Local Bubble', in which most of the volume of the bubble consists of this very hot gas. The Local Bubble, which is roughly 300 light years in diameter, may have been created by a supernova explosion. The gas cloud surrounding the Sun is not completely uniform. Different parts of the cloud, which we can perhaps call 'cloudlets', are moving at slightly different speeds and in slightly different directions. The purple ellipsoids in the accompanying illustration indicate our estimate for the size and shape of the cloudlet in which the Sun resides. The crudeness of these models is indicated by the fact that part of the purple ellipsoid actually lies outside the yellow ellipsoid. The purple cloudlet in the illustration is about 30 light years across along its largest axis and the Sun is only about 0.1 light years from the edge of the cloudlet. Furthermore, the Sun's velocity relative to this cloudlet should carry the Sun outside the cloudlet in a few thousand years. Another example of the inhomogeneity of the local cloud is that we have found that the abundance of magnesium varies greatly within the cloud. For one line of sight we find that the abundance of magnesium is consistent with the magnesium abundance found in the Sun (about 39 magnesium atoms per million hydrogen atoms), but for other lines of sight the magnesium abundance is as much as 40 times lower than the solar abundance. For these lines of sight, perhaps most of the magnesium is locked up in dust grains and is therefore undetectable. This work is supported by grants from NASA. For further information, contact: Dr. Jeffrey L. Linsky (303) 492-7838 jlinsky@jila.colorado.edu Dr. Nikolai Piskunov +46-18-51-4490 piskunov@astro.uu.se Brian E. Wood (303) 492-5122 woodb@marmot.colorado.edu FIGURE CAPTION: A model of the gas cloud surrounding the Sun (orange ellipsoid), as seen from three different viewpoints: from the Galactic Center (GC), from the North Galactic Pole (NGP), and from a Galactic longitude of 270 degrees. This model is based on estimates of the location of the edge of the cloud (blue asterisks) made for 15 lines-of-sight to nearby stars. The yellow asterisks mark the locations of 3 very nearby stars that we believe lie inside the local cloud. The Sun's location is indicated by a small black circle. The names of the 18 stars used to probe the shape of the local cloud are given in the figure. The sizes of the asterisks indicate their distances from the point-of-view, with the larger asterisks being in the foreground and the smaller asterisks being in the background. Different parts of the cloud, which we can perhaps call 'cloudlets', are moving at slightly different speeds and in slightly different directions. The purple ellipsoid indicates our estimate for the size and shape of the cloudlet in which the Sun resides.

The Exobiological Role of Interstellar Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Ices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudgins, Douglas M.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Tremendous strides have been made in our understanding of interstellar material over the past twenty years thanks to significant, parallel developments in observational astronomy and laboratory astrophysics. Before this time, the composition of interstellar dust was largely guessed-at, the presence of ices in interstellar clouds ignored, and the notion that large, gas phase, carbon rich molecules might be abundant and widespread throughout the interstellar medium (ISM) considered impossible. Today, the composition of dust in the ISM is reasonably well constrained to micron-sized cold refractory materials comprised of amorphous and crystalline silicates mixed with an amorphous carbonaceous material containing aromatic structural units and short, branched aliphatic chains. Shrouded within the protective confines of cold, opaque molecular clouds--the birthplace of stars and planets--these cold dust particles secrete mantles of mixed molecular ices whose compositions are also well constrained. Finally, amidst the molecular inventory of these ice mantles are likely to be found polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), shockingly large molecules by the standards of interstellar chemistry, the telltale infrared spectral signature of which is now recognized throughout the Universe. In the first part of this talk, we will review the spectroscopic evidence that forms the basis for the currently accepted abundance and ubiquity of PANs in the ISM. We will then look at a few specific examples which illustrate how experimental and theoretical data can be applied to interpret the interstellar spectra and track how the PAN population evolves as it passes from its formation site in the circumstellar outflows of dying stars, through the various phases of the ISM, and into forniing planetary systems. Nevertheless, despite the fact that PANs likely represent the single largest molecular reservoir of organic carbon in evolving planetary systems, they are not what would be considered "biogenic" molecules. Although interesting from a chemical and astrophysical standpoint, in the absence of a mechanism by which this population can be dislodged from the precipitous thermodynamic well afforded by their extensive aromatic networks, they are of little Astrobiological significance. Consequently, for the remainder of the talk, we will consider the photochemical evolution of PANS under conditions similar to those found in the ISM and in proto-planetary systems with an eye toward means by which this rich repository of pre-biotic organic "ore" might be converted into materials of greater importance to Astrobiology.

Deuterium and the Local Interstellar Medium: Properties for the Procyon and Capella Lines of Sight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linsky, Jeffrey L.; Diplas, Athanassios; Wood, Brian E.; Brown, Alexander; Ayres, Thomas R.; Savage, Blair D.

1995-01-01

We present Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph observations of the interstellar H I and D I Ly-alpha lines and the Mg II and Fe II resonance lines formed along the lines of sight toward the nearby stars Procyon (3.5 pc, l = 214 deg, b = 13 deg) and Capella (12.5 pc, l = 163 deg, b = 5 deg). New observations of Capella were obtained at orbital phase 0.80, when the radial velocities of the intrinsic Ly-alpha emission lines of each star were nearly reversed from those of the previous observations at phase 0.26. Since the intrinsic Ly-alpha line of the Capella system (the 'continuum' against which the interstellar absorption is measured) has different shapes at phases 0.26 and 0.80, we can derive both the intrinsic stellar profiles and the interstellar absorption lines more precisely by jointly analyzing the two data sets. For the analysis of the Procyon line of sight, we first assumed that the intrinsic Ly-alpha line profile is a broadened solar profile, but this assumption does not lead to a good fit to the observed D I line profile for any value of D/H. We then assumed that (D/H)(sub LISM) = 1.6 x 10(exp -5), the same value as for the Capella line of sight, and we modified the broadened solar profile to achieve agreement between the simulated and observed line profiles. The resulting asymmetric intrinsic stellar line profile is consistent with the shapes of the scaled Mg II line profiles. We believe therefore that the Procyon data are consistent with (D/H)(sub LISM) = 1.6 x 10(exp -5), but the uncertainty in the intrinsic Ly-alpha emission-line profile does not permit us to conclude that the D/H ratio is constant in the local interstellar medium (LISM). The temperature and turbulence in the Procyon line of sight are T = 6900 +/- 80 (+/- 300 systematic error) K and zeta = 1.21 +/- 0.27 km/s. These properties are similar to those of Capella, except that the gas toward Procyon is divided into two velocity components separated by 2.6 km/s and the Procyon line of sight has a mean neutral hydrogen density that is a factor of 2.4 larger than that of the Capella line of sight. This suggests that the first 5.3 pc along the Capella line of sight lies within the local cloud and the remaining 7.2 pc lies in the hot gas surrounding the local cloud. We propose that n(H I) = 0.1065 +/- 0.0028 cm(exp -2) be adopted for the neutral hydrogen density within the local cloud and that zeta = 1.21 +/- 0.27 km/s be adopted for the nonthermal motions. The existence of different second velocity components toward the nearby stars Procyon and Sirius provides the first glimpse of a turbulent cloudlet boundary layer between the local cloud and the surrounding hot interstellar gas.

Dark clouds in the vicinity of the emission nebula Sh2-205: interstellar extinction and distances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straižys, V.; Čepas, V.; Boyle, R. P.; Zdanavičius, J.; Maskoliūnas, M.; Kazlauskas, A.; Zdanavičius, K.; Černis, K.

2016-05-01

Results of CCD photometry in the seven-colour Vilnius system for 922 stars down to V = 16-17 mag and for 302 stars down to 19.5 mag are used to investigate the interstellar extinction in an area of 1.5 square degrees in the direction of the P7 and P8 clumps of the dark cloud TGU H942, which lies in the vicinity of the emission nebula Sh2-205. In addition, we used 662 red clump giants that were identified by combining the 2MASS and WISE infrared surveys. The resulting plots of extinction versus distance were compared with previous results of the distribution and radial velocities of CO clouds and with dust maps in different passbands of the IRAS and WISE orbiting observatories. A possible distance of the front edge of the nearest cloud layer at 130 ± 10 pc was found. This dust layer probably covers all the investigated area, which results in extinction of up to 1.8 mag in some directions. A second rise of the extinction seems to be present at 500-600 pc. Within this layer, the clumps P7 and P8 of the dust cloud TGU H942, the Sh2-205 emission nebula, and the infrared cluster FSR 655 are probably located. In the direction of these clouds, we identified 88 young stellar objects and a new infrared cluster. Full Tables 1 and 2 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/590/A21

Extinction and Star Formation Study in Molecular Clouds with DENIS infrared data and USNO optical data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cambrésy, Laurent

1999-11-01

This thesis consists in a study of molecular clouds, essentially of the point of view of the interstellar environment, but also of the one of the star formation. The original method to estimate extinction presented here is based on adaptive star counts as well as on a wavelet decomposition. For the first time, an extinction map of the whole sky is proposed (USNO-PMM optical data). Access to very large field maps offers the opportunity to analyze the interstellar matter distribution in various environments. A first result is that the contained mass in regions for which AV > 1 would not exceed half of the total cloud mass. Using DENIS data, it becomes possible to probe dense regions of clouds. For instance, star counts in the Chamaeleon complex show cores which were not resolved before. Moreover, the selection of stars with a strong infrared excess yields about fifty T Tauri candidates. From their luminosity function, I derived the average lifetime of circumstellar disc of low--mass stars: ~4cdot 106 years. It is difficult to understand the relation between extinction and molecular emission, but it appears clearly that molecular emission is a bad estimator of the column density for low extinction area. Actually, thresholds exist in the CO detection and I conclude that photodissociation, density and cloud geometry have important consequences on the CO emission when AV < 2. Investigation of the relation between extinction and far--infrared emission in Polaris leads to a four times larger emissivity in cold areas than in hot areas. This result explains the low temperatures in this cloud and implies severe restrictions concerning the use of far--infrared fluxes as an extinction estimator.

Difficulties in Laboratory Studies and Astronomical Observations of Organic Molecules: Hydroxyacetone and Lactic Acid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Apponi, A. J.; Brewster, M. A.; Hoy, J.; Ziurys, L. M.

2006-01-01

For the past 35 years, radio astronomy has revealed a rich organic chemistry in the interstellar gas, which is exceptionally complex towards active star-forming regions. New solar systems condense out of this gas and may influence the evolution of life on newly formed planets. Much of the biologically important functionality is present among the some 130 gas-phase molecules found to date, including alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, acids, amines, amides and even the simplest sugar - glycolaldehyde. Still, many unidentified interstellar radio signals remain, and their identification relies on further laboratory study. The molecules hydroxyacetone and lactic acid are relatively small organic molecules, but possess rather complex rotational spectra owing to their high asymmetry. Hydroxyacetone is particularly problematic because it possess a very low barrier to internal rotation, and exhibits strong coupling of the free-rotor states with the overall rotation of the molecule. As in the case of acetamide, a full decomposition method was employed to order the resultant eigenstates onto normal asymmetric top eigenvectors.

High Precision Rovibrational Spectroscopy of OH+

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markus, Charles R.; Hodges, James N.; Perry, Adam J.; Kocheril, G. Stephen; Müller, Holger S. P.; McCall, Benjamin J.

2016-02-01

The molecular ion OH+ has long been known to be an important component of the interstellar medium. Its relative abundance can be used to indirectly measure cosmic ray ionization rates of hydrogen, and it is the first intermediate in the interstellar formation of water. To date, only a limited number of pure rotational transitions have been observed in the laboratory making it necessary to indirectly calculate rotational levels from high-precision rovibrational spectroscopy. We have remeasured 30 transitions in the fundamental band with MHz-level precision, in order to enable the prediction of a THz spectrum of OH+. The ions were produced in a water cooled discharge of O2, H2, and He, and the rovibrational transitions were measured with the technique Noise Immune Cavity Enhanced Optical Heterodyne Velocity Modulation Spectroscopy. These values have been included in a global fit of field free data to a 3Σ- linear molecule effective Hamiltonian to determine improved spectroscopic parameters which were used to predict the pure rotational transition frequencies.

Antifreeze in the hot core of Orion. First detection of ethylene glycol in Orion-KL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brouillet, N.; Despois, D.; Lu, X.-H.; Baudry, A.; Cernicharo, J.; Bockelée-Morvan, D.; Crovisier, J.; Biver, N.

2015-04-01

Context. Ices are present in comets and in the mantles of interstellar grains. Their chemical composition has been indirectly derived by observing molecules released in the gas phase, when comets approach the sun and when ice mantles are sublimated or destroyed, e.g. in the hot cores present in high-mass, star-forming regions. Comparison of these chemical compositions sheds light on the formation of comets and on the evolution of interstellar matter from the molecular cloud to a protoplanetary disk, and it shows, to first order, a good agreement between the cometary and interstellar abundances. However, a complex O-bearing organic molecule, ethylene glycol (CH2OH)2, seems to depart from this correlation because it was not easily detected in the interstellar medium (Sgr B2) although it proved to be rather abundant with respect to other O-bearing species in comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp). Ethylene glycol thus appears, together with the closely related molecules glycolaldehyde CH2OHCHO and ethanol CH3CH2OH, as a key species in the comparison of interstellar and cometary ices as well as in any discussion on the formation of cometary matter. Aims: It is important to measure the molecular abundances in various hot cores to see if the observed differences between the interstellar medium and the comets are general. We focus here on the analysis of ethylene glycol in the nearest and best studied hot core-like region, Orion-KL. Methods: We use ALMA interferometric data because high spatial resolution observations allow us to reduce the line confusion problem with respect to single-dish observations since different molecules are expected to exhibit different spatial distributions. Furthermore, a large spectral bandwidth is needed because many individual transitions are required to securely detect large organic molecules. Confusion and continuum subtraction are major issues and have been handled with care. Results: We have detected the aGg' conformer of ethylene glycol in Orion-KL. The emission is compact and peaks towards the hot core close to the main continuum peak, about 2″ to the south-west; this distribution is notably different from other O-bearing species. Assuming optically thin lines and local thermodynamic equilibrium, we derive a rotational temperature of 145 ± 30 K and a column density of 4.6 ± 0.8 × 1015 cm-2. The limit on the column density of the gGg' conformer is five times lower. Based on observations carried out with ALMA and the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer. IRAM is supported by INSU/CNRS (France), MPG (Germany) and IGN (Spain).Appendix A is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Efficient radiative transfer methods for continuum and line transfer in large three-dimensional models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juvela, Mika J.

The relationship between physical conditions of an interstellar cloud and the observed radiation is defined by the radiative transfer problem. Radiative transfer calculations are needed if, e.g., one wants to disentangle abundance variations from excitation effects or wants to model variations of dust properties inside an interstellar cloud. New observational facilities (e.g., ALMA and Herschel) will bring improved accuracy both in terms of intensity and spatial resolution. This will enable detailed studies of the densest sub-structures of interstellar clouds and star forming regions. Such observations must be interpreted with accurate radiative transfer methods and realistic source models. In many cases this will mean modelling in three dimensions. High optical depths and observed wide range of linear scales are, however, challenging for radiative transfer modelling. A large range of linear scales can be accessed only with hierarchical models. Figure 1 shows an example of the use of a hierarchical grid for radiative transfer calculations when the original model cloud (L=10 pc, =500 cm-3) was based a MHD simulation carried out on a regular grid (Juvela & Padoan, 2005). For computed line intensities an accuracy of 10% was still reached when the number of individual cells (and the run time) was reduced by a factor of ten. This illustrates how, as long as cloud is not extremely optically thick, most of the emission comes from a small sub-volume. It is also worth noting that while errors are ~10% for any given point they are much smaller when compared with intensity variations. In particular, calculations on hierarchical grid recovered the spatial power spectrum of line emission with very good accuracy. Monte Carlo codes are used widely in both continuum and line transfer calculations. Like any lambda iteration schemes these suffer from slow convergence when models are optically thick. In line transfer Accelerated Monte Carlo methods (AMC) present a partial solution to this problem (Juvela & Padoan, 2000; Hogerheijde & van der Tak, 2000). AMC methods can be used similarly in continuum calculations to speed up the computation of dust temperatures (Juvela, 2005). The sampling problems associated with high optical depths can be solved with weighted sampling and the handling of models with τV ~ 1000 is perfectly feasible. Transiently heated small dust grains pose another problem because the calculation of their temperature distribution is very time consuming. However, a 3D model will contain thousands of cells at very similar conditions. If dust temperature distributions are calculated only once for such a set an approximate solution can be found in a much shorter time time. (Juvela & Padoan, 2003; see Figure 2a). MHD simulations with Automatic Mesh Refinement (AMR) techniques present an exciting development for the modelling of interstellar clouds. Cloud models consist of a hierarchy of grids with different grid steps and the ratio between the cloud size and the smallest resolution elements can be 106 or even larger. We are currently working on radiative transfer codes (line and continuum) that could be used efficiently on such grids (see Figure 2b). The radiative transfer problem can be solved relatively independently on each of the sub-grids. This means that the use of convergence acceleration methods can be limited to those sub-grids where they are needed and, on the other hand, parallelization of the code is straightforward.

Radiofrequency recombination lines as diagnostics of the cool interstellar medium.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dupree, A. K.

1971-01-01

Quantitative details are given of a new diagnostic technique for the carbon and hydrogen (H I) recombination lines. Theoretical results are presented for conditions expected in H I clouds, and are compared with available observations for Orion A and NGC 2024.

Polar orbits around binary stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egan, Greg

2018-01-01

Oks proposes the existence of a new class of stable planetary orbits around binary stars, in the shape of a helix on a conical surface whose axis of symmetry coincides with the interstellar axis, and rotates with the same orbital frequency as the binary pair. We show that this claim relies on the inappropriate use of an effective potential that is only applicable when the stars are held motionless. We also present numerical evidence that the only planetary orbits whose planes are initially orthogonal to the interstellar axis that remain stable on the time scale of the stellar orbit are ordinary polar orbits around one of the stars, and that the perturbations due to the binary companion do not rotate the plane of the orbit to maintain a fixed relationship with the axis.

Extraterrestrial organic matter: a review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, W. M.

1998-01-01

We review the nature of the widespread organic material present in the Milky Way Galaxy and in the Solar System. Attention is given to the links between these environments and between primitive Solar System objects and the early Earth, indicating the preservation of organic material as an interstellar cloud collapsed to form the Solar System and as the Earth accreted such material from asteroids, comets and interplanetary dust particles. In the interstellar medium of the Milky Way Galaxy more than 100 molecular species, the bulk of them organic, have been securely identified, primarily through spectroscopy at the highest radio frequencies. There is considerable evidence for significantly heavier organic molecules, particularly polycyclic aromatics, although precise identification of individual species has not yet been obtained. The so-called diffuse interstellar bands are probably important in this context. The low temperature kinetics in interstellar clouds leads to very large isotopic fractionation, particularly for hydrogen, and this signature is present in organic components preserved in carbonaceous chondritic meteorites. Outer belt asteroids are the probable parent bodies of the carbonaceous chondrites, which may contain as much as 5% organic material, including a rich variety of amino acids, purines, pyrimidines, and other species of potential prebiotic interest. Richer in volatiles and hence less thermally processed are the comets, whose organic matter is abundant and poorly characterized. Cometary volatiles, observed after sublimation into the coma, include many species also present in the interstellar medium. There is evidence that most of the Earth's volatiles may have been supplied by a 'late' bombardment of comets and carbonaceous meteorites, scattered into the inner Solar System following the formation of the giant planets. How much in the way of intact organic molecules of potential prebiotic interest survived delivery to the Earth has become an increasingly debated topic over the last several years. The principal source for such intact organics was probably accretion of interplanetary dust particles of cometary origin.

The interstellar abundances of tin and four other heavy elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hobbs, L. M.; Welty, D. E.; Morton, D. C.; Spitzer, L.; York, D. G.

1993-01-01

Spectra recorded at 1150-1600 A with an instrumental resolution near 16 km/s were obtained with the Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph on board the HST. The gaseous interstellar abundances of five heavy elements along the light paths to 23 Ori, 15 Mon, 1 Sco, Pi Sco, and Pi Aqr were determined from the observations. The 1400.450 A line of Sn II was detected and identified toward three stars; at Z = 50, tin is the first element from the fifth row of the periodic table to be identified in the interstellar medium. One spectral line of each of Cu II (Z = 29) and Ga II (Z = 31), three lines of Ge II (Z = 32), and two lines of Kr I (Z = 36) were also detected toward some or all of the five stars. The depletions of these five heavy elements generally decrease monotonically with increasing atomic number toward each of the six stars, and tin is generally undepleted within the observational errors. The depletions of 26 elements from the interstellar gas in an average dense interstellar cloud appear to correlate with the elemental 'nebular' condensation temperatures more closely than with the first ionization potentials.

MIRIS observation of near-infrared diffuse Galactic light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onishi, Yosuke; Sano, Kei; Matsuura, Shuji; Jeong, Woong-Seob; Pyo, Jeonghyun; Kim, Il-Jong; Seo, Hyun Jong; Han, Wonyong; Lee, DaeHee; Moon, Bongkon; Park, Wonkee; Park, Younsik; Kim, MinGyu; Matsumoto, Toshio; Matsuhara, Hideo; Nakagawa, Takao; Tsumura, Kohji; Shirahata, Mai; Arai, Toshiaki; Ienaka, Nobuyuki

2018-06-01

We report near-infrared (IR) observations of high Galactic latitude clouds to investigate diffuse Galactic light (DGL), which is starlight scattered by interstellar dust grains. The observations were performed at 1.1 and 1.6 μm with a wide-field camera instrument, the Multi-purpose Infra-Red Imaging System (MIRIS) onboard the Korean satellite STSAT-3. The DGL brightness is measured by correlating the near-IR images with a far-IR 100 μm map of interstellar dust thermal emission. The wide-field observation of DGL provides the most accurate DGL measurement achieved to-date. We also find a linear correlation between optical and near-IR DGL in the MBM32 field. To study interstellar dust properties in MBM32, we adopt recent dust models with and without μm-sized very large grains and predict the DGL spectra, taking into account the reddening effect of the interstellar radiation field. The result shows that the observed color of the near-IR DGL is closer to the model spectra without very large grains. This may imply that dust growth in the observed MBM32 field is not active owing to the low density of its interstellar medium.

Organic compounds in the Murchison meteorite.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ponnamperuma, C.

1972-01-01

Impressive supporting evidence for the concept of the chemical evolution of life has appeared in the discovery of biologically important compounds in extraterrestrial samples. The approaches pursued to detect extraterrestrial organic compounds include the study of interstellar space by radioastronomy, the evaluation of the Apollo lunar samples, and the analysis of meteorites, both ancient and recent. It has been found that the clouds of gas in the interstellar medium contain a wide variety of molecules, most of which are organic in nature. The carbonaceous chondrites contain polymeric organic matter. Amino acids have been detected in the Murchison meteorite.

The Origin of Cosmic Rays: What can GLAST Say?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ormes, Jonathan F.; Digel, Seith; Moskalenko, Igor V.; Moiseev, Alexander; Williamson, Roger

2000-01-01

Gamma rays in the band from 30 MeV to 300 GeV, used in combination with direct measurements and with data from radio and X-ray bands, provide a powerful tool for studying the origin of Galactic cosmic rays. Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) with its fine 10-20 arcmin angular resolution will be able to map the sites of acceleration of cosmic rays and their interactions with interstellar matter, It will provide information that is necessary to study the acceleration of energetic particles in supernova shocks, their transport in the interstellar medium and penetration into molecular clouds.

Sulfur and Hydrogen Isotope Anomalies in Meteorite Sulfonic Acids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, George W.; Thiemens, Mark H.; Jackson, Teresa L.; Chang, Sherwood

1997-01-01

Intramolecular carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur isotope ratios were measured on a homologous series of organic sulfonic acids discovered in the Murchison meteorite. Mass-independent sulfur isotope fractionations were observed along with high deuterium/hydrogen ratios. The deuterium enrichments indicate formation of the hydrocarbon portion of these compounds in a low-temperature environment that is consistent with that of interstellar clouds. Sulfur-33 enrichments observed in methanesulfonic acid could have resulted from gas-phase ultraviolet irradiation of a precursor, carbon disulfide. The source of the sulfonic acid precursors may have been the reactive interstellar molecule carbon monosulfide.

Circumstellar gas associated with HL Tauri - Evidence for a remnant infalling envelope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grasdalen, Gary L.; Sloan, Gregory; Stout, Natalie; Strom, Stephen E.; Welty, Alan D.

1989-01-01

Molecular carbon absorption lines in the spectrum of HL Tau has been discovered near 8775 A. These C2 lines have a heliocentric radial velocity of 43 + or - 3 km/s, redshifted by 23 + or - 3 km/s relative to the star and the associated molecular cloud. This velocity difference suggests that the molecular carbon absorption arises in an infalling envelope. Since KI and diffuse interstellar bands are much weaker than expected, the chemical composition and/or excitation conditions in the HL Tau envelope appear to differ substantially from those in the interstellar medium.

Cosmic-ray ionisation of dense molecular clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaupre, Solenn

2015-07-01

Cosmic rays (CR) are of tremendous importance in the dynamical and chemical evolution of interstellar molecular clouds, where stars and planets form. CRs are likely accelerated in the shells of supernova remnants (SNR), thus molecular clouds nearby can be irradiated by intense fluxes of CRs. CR protons have two major effects on dense molecular clouds: 1) when they encounter the dense medium, high-energy protons (>280 MeV) create pions that decay into gamma-rays. This process makes SNR-molecular cloud associations intense GeV and/or TeV sources whose spectra mimic the CR spectrum. 2) at lower energies, CRs penetrate the cloud and ionise the gas, leading to the formation of molecular species characteristic of the presence of CRs, called tracers of the ionisation. Studying these tracers gives information on low-energy CRs that are unaccessible to any other observations. I studied the CR ionisation of molecular clouds next to three SNRs: W28, W51C and W44. These SNRs are known to be interacting with the nearby clouds, from the presence of shocked gas, OH masers and pion-decay induced gamma-ray emission. My work includes millimeter observations and chemical modeling of tracers of the ionisation in these dense molecular clouds. In these three regions, we determined an enhanced CR ionisation rate, supporting the hypothesis of an origin of the CRs in the SNR nearby. The evolution of the CR ionisation rate with the distance to the SNR brings valuable constraints on the propagation properties of low-energy CRs. The method used relies on observations of the molecular ions HCO+ and DCO+, which shows crucial limitations at high ionisation. Therefore, I investigated, both through modeling and observations, the chemical abundances of several other species to try and identity alternative tracers of the ionisation. In particular, in the W44 region, observations of N2H+ bring additional constraints on the physical conditions, volatile abundances in the cloud, and the ionisation state. This research brought valuable insight in to the CR induced chemistry in the interstellar medium. It also brought new perspectives of interdisciplinary research towards the understanding of CRs, from millimeter to gamma-ray observations.

Stormy Clouds of Star Birth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

Hidden behind a shroud of dust in the constellation Cygnus is an exceptionally bright source of radio emission called DR21. Visible light images reveal no trace of what is happening in this region because of heavy dust obscuration. In fact, visible light is attenuated in DR21 by a factor of more than 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000 (ten thousand trillion heptillion).

New images from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope allow us to peek behind the cosmic veil and pinpoint one of the most massive natal stars yet seen in our Milky Way galaxy. The never-before-seen star is 100,000 times as bright as the Sun. Also revealed for the first time is a powerful outflow of hot gas emanating from this star and bursting through a giant molecular cloud.

This image shows a 24-micron image mosaic, obtained with the Multiband Imaging Photometer aboard Spitzer (MIPS). This image maps the cooler infrared emission from interstellar dust found throughout the interstellar medium. The DR21 complex is clearly seen near the center of the strip, which covers about twice the area of the IRAC image.

Perhaps the most fascinating feature in this image is a long and shadowy linear filament extending towards the 10 o'clock position of DR21. This jet of cold and dense gas, nearly 50 light-years in extent, appears in silhouette against a warmer background. This filament is too long and massive to be a stellar jet and may have formed from a pre-existing molecular cloud core sculpted by DR21's strong winds. Regardless of its true nature, this jet and the numerous other arcs and wisps of cool dust signify the interstellar turbulence normally unseen by the human eye.

The Effects of Grain Size and Temperature Distributions on the Formation of Interstellar Ice Mantles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pauly, Tyler; Garrod, Robin T.

2016-02-01

Computational models of interstellar gas-grain chemistry have historically adopted a single dust-grain size of 0.1 micron, assumed to be representative of the size distribution present in the interstellar medium. Here, we investigate the effects of a broad grain-size distribution on the chemistry of dust-grain surfaces and the subsequent build-up of molecular ices on the grains, using a three-phase gas-grain chemical model of a quiescent dark cloud. We include an explicit treatment of the grain temperatures, governed both by the visual extinction of the cloud and the size of each individual grain-size population. We find that the temperature difference plays a significant role in determining the total bulk ice composition across the grain-size distribution, while the effects of geometrical differences between size populations appear marginal. We also consider collapse from a diffuse to a dark cloud, allowing dust temperatures to fall. Under the initial diffuse conditions, small grains are too warm to promote grain-mantle build-up, with most ices forming on the mid-sized grains. As collapse proceeds, the more abundant, smallest grains cool and become the dominant ice carriers; the large population of small grains means that this ice is distributed across many grains, with perhaps no more than 40 monolayers of ice each (versus several hundred assuming a single grain size). This effect may be important for the subsequent processing and desorption of the ice during the hot-core phase of star formation, exposing a significant proportion of the ice to the gas phase, increasing the importance of ice-surface chemistry and surface-gas interactions.

Mapping low-frequency carbon radio recombination lines towards Cassiopeia A at 340, 148, 54, and 43 MHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salas, P.; Oonk, J. B. R.; van Weeren, R. J.; Wolfire, M. G.; Emig, K. L.; Toribio, M. C.; Röttgering, H. J. A.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.

2018-04-01

Quantitative understanding of the interstellar medium requires knowledge of its physical conditions. Low-frequency carbon radio recombination lines (CRRLs) trace cold interstellar gas and can be used to determine its physical conditions (e.g. electron temperature and density). In this work, we present spatially resolved observations of the low-frequency (≤390 MHz) CRRLs centred around C268α, C357α, C494α, and C539α towards Cassiopeia A on scales of ≤1.2 pc. We compare the spatial distribution of CRRLs with other interstellar medium tracers. This comparison reveals a spatial offset between the peak of the CRRLs and other tracers, which is very characteristic for photodissociation regions and that we take as evidence for CRRLs being preferentially detected from the surfaces of molecular clouds. Using the CRRLs, we constrain the gas electron temperature and density. These constraints on the gas conditions suggest variations of less than a factor of 2 in pressure over ˜1 pc scales, and an average hydrogen density of 200-470 cm-3. From the electron temperature and density maps, we also constrain the ionized carbon emission measure, column density, and path length. Based on these, the hydrogen column density is larger than 1022 cm-2, with a peak of ˜4 × 1022 cm-2 towards the south of Cassiopeia A. Towards the southern peak, the line-of-sight length is ˜40 pc over a ˜2 pc wide structure, which implies that the gas is a thin surface layer on a large (molecular) cloud that is only partially intersected by Cassiopeia A. These observations highlight the utility of CRRLs as tracers of low-density extended H I and CO-dark gas halo's around molecular clouds.

Galactic Observations of Terahertz C+ (GOT C+): Inner Galaxy Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yorke, Harold; Langer, William; Velusamy, T.; Pineda, J. L.; Goldsmith, P. F.; Li, D.

To understand the lifecycle of the interstellar gas and star formation we need detailed information about the diffuse atomic and diffuse molecular gas cloud properties. The ionized carbon [CII] 1.9 THz fine structure line is an important tracer of the atomic gas in the diffuse regions and the interface regions of atomic gas to molecular clouds. Furthermore, C+ is a major ISM coolant and among the Galaxy's strongest far-IR emission lines, and thus controls the thermal conditions throughout large parts of the Galaxy. Until now our knowledge of interstellar gas has been limited to the diffuse atomic phase traced by HI and to the dense molecular H2 phase traced by CO. However, we are missing an important phase of the ISM, called "dark gas" in which there is no or little, HI, and mostly molecular hydrogen but with insufficient shielding of UV to allow CO to form. C+ emission and absorption lines at 1.9 THz have the potential to trace such cloud transitions and evolution. Galactic Observations of the Terahertz C+ Line (GOT C+) is a Herschel Space Observatory Open Time Key Program to study the diffuse interstellar medium by sampling [CII] 1.9 THz line emission throughout the Galactic disk. We discuss the broader perspective of this survey and the first results of GOT C+ obtained during the Science Demonstration Phase (SDP) and Priority Science Phase (PSP) of HIFI, which focus on approximately 100 lines of sight in the inner galaxy. These observations are being carried out with the Herschel Space Observatory, which is an ESA cornerstone mission, with contributions from NASA. This research was conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. JLP is a Caltech-JPL Postdoctoral Associate.

H2D(+) observations give an age of at least one million years for a cloud core forming Sun-like stars.

PubMed

Brünken, Sandra; Sipilä, Olli; Chambers, Edward T; Harju, Jorma; Caselli, Paola; Asvany, Oskar; Honingh, Cornelia E; Kamiński, Tomasz; Menten, Karl M; Stutzki, Jürgen; Schlemmer, Stephan

2014-12-11

The age of dense interstellar cloud cores, where stars and planets form, is a crucial parameter in star formation and difficult to measure. Some models predict rapid collapse, whereas others predict timescales of more than one million years (ref. 3). One possible approach to determining the age is through chemical changes as cloud contraction occurs, in particular through indirect measurements of the ratio of the two spin isomers (ortho/para) of molecular hydrogen, H2, which decreases monotonically with age. This has been done for the dense cloud core L183, for which the deuterium fractionation of diazenylium (N2H(+)) was used as a chemical clock to infer that the core has contracted rapidly (on a timescale of less than 700,000 years). Among astronomically observable molecules, the spin isomers of the deuterated trihydrogen cation, ortho-H2D(+) and para-H2D(+), have the most direct chemical connections to H2 (refs 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) and their abundance ratio provides a chemical clock that is sensitive to greater cloud core ages. So far this ratio has not been determined because para-H2D(+) is very difficult to observe. The detection of its rotational ground-state line has only now become possible thanks to accurate measurements of its transition frequency in the laboratory, and recent progress in instrumentation technology. Here we report observations of ortho- and para-H2D(+) emission and absorption, respectively, from the dense cloud core hosting IRAS 16293-2422 A/B, a group of nascent solar-type stars (with ages of less than 100,000 years). Using the ortho/para ratio in conjunction with chemical models, we find that the dense core has been chemically processed for at least one million years. The apparent discrepancy with the earlier N2H(+) work arises because that chemical clock turns off sooner than the H2D(+) clock, but both results imply that star-forming dense cores have ages of about one million years, rather than 100,000 years.

On the impact of the magnitude of interstellar pressure on physical properties of molecular cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anathpindika, S.; Burkert, A.; Kuiper, R.

2017-04-01

Recently reported variations in the typical physical properties of Galactic and extra-Galactic molecular clouds (MCs), and, in their star-forming ability, have been attributed to local variations in the magnitude of interstellar pressure. Inferences from these surveys have called into question two long-standing beliefs that: (1) MCs are virialized and (2) they obey the Larson's third law. Here we invoked the framework of cloud formation via collision between warm gas-flows to examine if these latest observational inferences can be reconciled. To this end, we traced the temporal evolution of the gas surface density, the fraction of dense gas, the distribution of gas column density (N-PDF) and the virial nature of the assembled clouds. We conclude that these physical properties exhibit temporal variation and their respective peak magnitude also increases in proportion with the magnitude of external pressure, Pext. The velocity dispersion in assembled clouds appears to follow the power law, σ _{gas}∝ P_{ext}^{0.23}. The power-law tail of the N-PDFs at higher densities becomes shallower with increasing magnitude of external pressure for Pext/kB ≲ 107 K cm-3; at higher magnitudes such as those typically found in the Galactic Central Molecular Zone (Pext/kB > 107 K cm-3), the power-law shows significant steepening. While our results are broadly consistent with inferences from various recent observational surveys, it appears that MCs do not exhibit a unique set of properties, but rather a wide variety that can be reconciled with a range of magnitudes of pressure between 104 and 108 K cm-3.

A Comprehensive Rotational Study of Interstellar Iso-propyl Cyanide up to 480 GHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolesniková, L.; Alonso, E. R.; Mata, S.; Cernicharo, J.; Alonso, J. L.

2017-12-01

A detailed analysis of the rotational spectra of the interstellar iso-propyl cyanide has been carried out up to 480 GHz using three different high-resolution spectroscopic techniques. Jet-cooled broadband chirped pulse Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy from 6 to 18 GHz allowed us to measure and analyze the ground-state rotational transitions of all singly substituted 13C and 15N isotopic species in their natural abundances. The monohydrate of iso-propyl cyanide, in which the water molecule bounds through a stronger O-H⋯N and weaker bifurcated (C-H)2⋯O hydrogen bonds in a C s configuration, has also been detected in the supersonic expansion. Stark-modulation spectroscopy in the microwave and millimeter wave range from 18 to 75 GHz allowed us to analyze the vibrational satellite pattern arising from pure rotational transitions in the low-lying vibrational excited states. Finally, assignments and measurements were extended through the millimeter and submillimeter wave region. The room temperature rotational spectra made possible the assignment and analysis of pure rotational transitions in 19 vibrationally excited states. Significant perturbations were found above 100 GHz in most of the observed excited states. Due to the complexity of the interactions and importance of this astrophysical region for future radioastronomical detection, both a graphical plot approach and a coupled fit have been used to assign and measure almost 10,000 new lines.

Molecules as diagnostic tools in the interstellar medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spielfiedel, A.; Feautrier, N.; Balança, C.; Dayou, F.; Lique, F.; Senent, M.-L.

Analysis of light emission from different regions of the interstellar medium and circumstellar environments provides crucial information about the chemical composition and the physical conditions in these regions. Interpretation of the observed spectra requires the knowledge of collisional excitation rates as well as radiative rates participating to the line formation. In the first part, the paper focuses on collisional excitation rates of molecules relevant to the interstellar medium. It discusses currently available data and outlines new work carried out by the authors. Due to the use of accurate ab initio potential energy surfaces, the new rate coefficients differ significantly from previously published ones. In the second part, it is analysed from two examples how the use of the new rate coefficients could lead to important changes in the interpretation of molecular emission emerging from molecular clouds.

Micro-ion Traps for Detection of (Pre)-Biotic Organic Compounds on Comets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

vanAmerom, Friso H. W.; Chaudhary, A.; Short, R. T.; Brinkerhoff, William; Glavin, Daniel; Mahaffy, Paul R.; Roman, Patrick A.

2013-01-01

Comets are currently believed to be a mixture of interstellar and nebular material. Many of the volatiles in comets are attributed to interstellar chemistry, because the same species of carbonaceous compounds are also observed in ices in interstellar molecular (ISM) clouds. Comets are thus likely to be a relatively pristine reservoir of primitive material and carbonaceous compounds in our solar system. They could be a major contributor to the delivery of prebiotic organic compounds, from which life emerged through impacts on early Earth. Mass spectrometers are very powerful tools to identify unknown chemicals, and much progress bas been made in miniaturizing mas spectrometers for space applications. Most miniatu rized mass spectrometers developed to date, however, are still relatively large, power hungry, complicated to assemble, and would have significant impact on space flight vehicle total payload and resource allocations.

GOT C+ Survey of [CII] 158 Micrometer Emission: Atomic to Molecular Cloud Transitions in the Inner Galaxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Velusamy, T.; Langer, W. D.; Willacy, K.; Pineda, J. L.; Goldsmith, P. F.

2012-01-01

We present the results of the distribution of CO-dark H2 gas in a sample of 2200 interstellar clouds in the inner Galaxy (l = 90 deg to +57 deg) detected in the velocity resolved [CII] spectra observed in the GOT C+ survey using the Herschel HIFI. We analyze the [CII] intensities along with the ancillary HI, (12)CO and (13)CO data for each cloud to determine their evolutionary state and to derive the H2 column densities in the C(+) and C(+)/CO transition layers in the cloud. We discuss the overall Galactic distribution of the [CII] clouds and their properties as a function Galactic radius. GOT C+ results on the global distribution of [CII] clouds and CO-dark H2 gas traces the FUV and star formation rates in the Galactic disk.

TWO-STAGE FRAGMENTATION FOR CLUSTER FORMATION: ANALYTICAL MODEL AND OBSERVATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bailey, Nicole D.; Basu, Shantanu, E-mail: nwityk@uwo.ca, E-mail: basu@uwo.ca

2012-12-10

Linear analysis of the formation of protostellar cores in planar magnetic interstellar clouds shows that molecular clouds exhibit a preferred length scale for collapse that depends on the mass-to-flux ratio and neutral-ion collision time within the cloud. We extend this linear analysis to the context of clustered star formation. By combining the results of the linear analysis with a realistic ionization profile for the cloud, we find that a molecular cloud may evolve through two fragmentation events in the evolution toward the formation of stars. Our model suggests that the initial fragmentation into clumps occurs for a transcritical cloud onmore » parsec scales while the second fragmentation can occur for transcritical and supercritical cores on subparsec scales. Comparison of our results with several star-forming regions (Perseus, Taurus, Pipe Nebula) shows support for a two-stage fragmentation model.« less

GOT C+ Survey of [CII] 158 μm Emission: Atomic to Molecular Cloud Transitions in the Inner Galaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velusamy, T.; Langer, W. D.; Willacy, K.; Pineda, J. L.; Goldsmith, P. F.

2013-03-01

We present the results of the distribution of CO-dark H2 gas in a sample of 2223 interstellar clouds in the inner Galaxy (l=-90° to +57°) detected in the velocity resolved [CII] spectra observed in the GOT C+ survey using the Herschel HIFI. We analyze the [CII] intensities along with the ancillary HI, 12CO and 13CO data for each cloud to determine their evolutionary state and to derive the H2 column densities in the C+ and C+/CO transition layers in the cloud. We discuss the overall Galactic distribution of the [CII] clouds and their properties as a function Galactic radius. GOT C+ results on the global distribution of [CII] clouds and CO-dark H2 gas traces the FUV intensity and star formation rate in the Galactic disk.

A Model for Atomic and Molecular Interstellar Gas: The Meudon PDR Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Petit, Franck; Nehmé, Cyrine; Le Bourlot, Jacques; Roueff, Evelyne

2006-06-01

We present the revised ``Meudon'' model of photon-dominated region (PDR) code, available on the Web under the GNU Public License. General organization of the code is described down to a level that should allow most observers to use it as an interpretation tool with minimal help from our part. Two grids of models, one for low-excitation diffuse clouds and one for dense highly illuminated clouds, are discussed, and some new results on PDR modelization highlighted.

Measurement and Modeling of Electromagnetic Scattering by Particles and Particle Groups. Chapter 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mishchenko, Michael I.

2015-01-01

Small particles forming clouds of interstellar and circumstellar dust, regolith surfaces of many solar system bodies, and cometary atmospheres have a strong and often controlling effect on many ambient physical and chemical processes. Similarly, aerosol and cloud particles exert a strong influence on the regional and global climates of the Earth, other planets of the solar system, and exoplanets. Therefore, detailed and accurate knowledge of physical and chemical characteristics of such particles has the utmost scientific importance.

Nonequilibrium chemistry in shocked molecular clouds. [interstellar gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iglesias, E. R.; Silk, J.

1978-01-01

The gas-phase chemistry is studied behind a 10-km/s shock propagating into a dense molecular cloud. The principal conclusions are that: the concentrations of certain molecules (CO, NH3, HCN, N2) are unperturbed by the shock; other molecules (H2CO, CN, HCO(+)) are greatly decreased in abundance; and substantial amounts of H2O, HCO, and CH4 are produced. Approximately 1 million yr (independent of the density) must elapse after shock passage before chemical equilibrium is attained.

Analytic solutions for single and multiple cylinders of gravitating polytropes in magnetostatic equilibrium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lerche, I.; Low, B. C.

1980-01-01

Exact analytic solutions for the static equilibrium of a gravitating plasma polytrope in the presence of magnetic fields are presented. The means of generating various equilibrium configurations to illustrate directly the complex physical relationships between pressure, magnetic fields, and gravity in self-gravitating systems is demonstrated. One of the solutions is used to model interstellar clouds suspended by magnetic fields against the galactic gravity such as may be formed by the Parker (1966) instability. It is concluded that the pinching effect of closed loops of magnetic fields in the clouds may be a dominant agent in further collapsing the clouds following their formation.

Ortho- and para-hydrogen in dense clouds, protoplanets, and planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decampli, W. M.; Cameron, A. G. W.; Bodenheimer, P.; Black, D. C.

1978-01-01

If ortho- and para-hydrogen achieve a thermal ratio on dynamical time scales in a molecular hydrogen cloud, then the specific heat is high enough in the temperature range 35-70 K to possibly induce hydrodynamic collapse. The ortho-para ratio in many interstellar cloud fragments is expected to meet this condition. The same may have been true for the primitive solar nebula. Detailed hydrodynamic and hydrostatic calculations are presented that show the effects of the assumed ortho-para ratio on the evolution of Jupiter during its protoplanetary phase. Some possible consequences of a thermalized ortho-para ratio in the atmospheres of the giant planets are also discussed.

Infrared emission from isolated dust clouds in the presence of very small dust grains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lis, Dariusz C.; Leung, Chun M.

1991-01-01

Models of the effects of small grain-generated temperature fluctuations on the IR spectrum and surface brightness of externally heated interstellar dust clouds are presently constructed on the basis of a continuum radiation transport computer code which encompasses the transient heating of small dust grains. The models assume a constant fractional abundance of large and small grains throughout the given cloud. A comparison of model results with IRAS observations indicates that the observed 12-25 micron band emissions are associated with about 10-A radius grains, while the 60-100 micron emission is primarily due to large grains which are heated under the equilibrium conditions.

Detection of organic matter in interstellar grains.

PubMed

Pendleton, Y J

1997-06-01

Star formation and the subsequent evolution of planetary systems occurs in dense molecular clouds, which are comprised, in part, of interstellar dust grains gathered from the diffuse interstellar medium (DISM). Radio observations of the interstellar medium reveal the presence of organic molecules in the gas phase and infrared observational studies provide details concerning the solid-state features in dust grains. In particular, a series of absorption bands have been observed near 3.4 microns (approximately 2940 cm-1) towards bright infrared objects which are seen through large column densities of interstellar dust. Comparisons of organic residues, produced under a variety of laboratory conditions, to the diffuse interstellar medium observations have shown that aliphatic hydrocarbon grains are responsible for the spectral absorption features observed near 3.4 microns (approximately 2940 cm-1). These hydrocarbons appear to carry the -CH2- and -CH3 functional groups in the abundance ratio CH2/CH3 approximately 2.5, and the amount of carbon tied up in this component is greater than 4% of the cosmic carbon available. On a galactic scale, the strength of the 3.4 microns band does not scale linearly with visual extinction, but instead increases more rapidly for objects near the Galactic Center. A similar trend is noted in the strength of the Si-O absorption band near 9.7 microns. The similar behavior of the C-H and Si-O stretching bands suggests that these two components may be coupled, perhaps in the form of grains with silicate cores and refractory organic mantles. The ubiquity of the hydrocarbon features seen in the near infrared near 3.4 microns throughout out Galaxy and in other galaxies demonstrates the widespread availability of such material for incorporation into the many newly forming planetary systems. The similarity of the 3.4 microns features in any organic material with aliphatic hydrocarbons underscores the need for complete astronomical observational coverage in the 2-30 microns region, of lines of sight which sample dust in both dense and diffuse interstellar clouds, in order to uniquely specify the composition of interstellar organics. This paper reviews the information available from ground-based observations, although currently the Infrared Satellite Observatory is adding to our body of knowledge on this subject by providing more extensive wavelength coverage. The Murchison carbonaceous meteorite has also been used as an analog to the interstellar observations and has revealed a striking similarity between the light hydrocarbons in the meteorite and the ISM; therefore this review includes comparisons with the meteoritic analog as well as with relevant laboratory residues. Fundamental to the evolution of the biogenic molecules, to the process of planetary system formation, and perhaps to the origin of life, is the connection between the organic material found in the interstellar medium and that incorporated in the most primitive solar system bodies.

Zeta Ophiuchi -- Runaway Star Plowing through Space Dust

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-01-24

The blue star near the center of this image is Zeta Ophiuchi. Zeta Ophiuchi is actually a very massive, hot, bright blue star plowing its way through a large cloud of interstellar dust and gas in this image from NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer.

A high-resolution X-ray image of Puppis A - Inhomogeneities in the interstellar medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petre, R.; Kriss, G. A.; Winkler, P. F.; Canizares, C. R.

1982-01-01

Eleven HRI exposures from the Einstein Observatory are assembled into an 0.1-4 keV image of the Puppis A supernova remnant which displays a complex morphology that may reflect the structure of the shocked interstellar medium. In addition to showing a density gradient of a factor greater than four across the approximately 30 pc diameter of the remnant perpendicular to the galactic plane, a shell of X-ray emission is seen surrounding the northern half of Puppis A, coincident with the radio shell, whose edge brightness profile indicates direct hot plasma heating by the blast wave rather than evaporation from clouds. The interior structure of the supernova remnant suggests inhomogeneities whose sizes range over 0.1-5 pc, but with moderate density contrast. Although isolated clouds of 10-30/cu cm density are responsible for the two brightest X-ray features, they represent only a small fraction of the Puppis A mass.

Evidence for a Neutral Iron Line Generated by MeV Protons from Supernova Remnants Interacting with Molecular Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nobukawa, Kumiko K.; Nobukawa, Masayoshi; Koyama, Katsuji; Yamauchi, Shigeo; Uchiyama, Hideki; Okon, Hiromichi; Tanaka, Takaaki; Uchida, Hiroyuki; Tsuru, Takeshi G.

2018-02-01

Supernova remnants (SNRs) have been prime candidates for Galactic cosmic-ray accelerators. When low-energy cosmic-ray protons (LECRp) collide with interstellar gas, they ionize neutral iron atoms and emit the neutral iron line (Fe I Kα) at 6.40 keV. We search for the iron K-shell line in seven SNRs from the Suzaku archive data of the Galactic plane in the 6^\\circ ≲ l≲ 40^\\circ ,| b| < 1^\\circ region. All of these SNRs interact with molecular clouds. We discover Fe I Kα line emissions from five SNRs (W28, Kes 67, Kes 69, Kes 78, and W44). The spectra and morphologies suggest that the Fe I Kα line is produced by interactions between LECRp and the adjacent cold gas. The proton energy density is estimated to be ≳10–100 eV cm‑3, which is more than 10 times higher than that in the ambient interstellar medium.

The Evolution of Interstellar Gas: Massive Stars and the Dispersal of Neutral Material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Federman, Steven R.

2003-01-01

We studied the effects of newly formed O and B stars on their surrounding interstellar material through a combination of observations and theoretical modeling. The observational data came from measurements of absorption seen in the spectra of background, newly formed stars. Particular attention was given to stellar radiation which converts molecular to atomic material. Laboratory data on absorption cross sections relevant to the analysis and interpretation of carbon monoxide formed part of the effort. The grant supported Postdoctoral Fellows, Drs. Min Yan and Yaron Sheffer, and a laboratory technician. Though the students themselves were not supported. one M.S. Thesis and two Ph.D. dissertations from the University of Toledo were based on the research done under the grant. The research accomplished under this grant led directly to other funded programs. An observing proposal to study the chemistry of diffuse molecular clouds in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds with ESO s Very Large Telescope was another example of a successful outcome of my LTSA program.

KSC-03pd0069

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-01-12

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. -- A Boeing Delta II rocket soars above the clouds here today at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. The NASA payloads aboard the rocket are the ICESat, an Ice Cloud and land Elevation Satellite, and CHIPSat, a Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer. ICESat, a 661-pound satellite, is a benchmark satellite for the Earth Observing System that will help scientists determine if the global sea level is rising or falling. It will observe the ice sheets that blanket the Earth’s poles to determine if they are growing or shrinking. It will assist in developing an understanding of how changes in the Earth’s atmosphere and climate affect polar ice masses and global sea level. The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System is the sole instrument on the satellite. CHIPSat, a suitcase-size 131-pound satellite, will provide information about the origin, physical processes and properties of the hot gas contained in the interstellar medium. This launch marks the first Delta from Vandenberg this year. (USAF photo by: SSgt. Lee A Osberry Jr.)

KSC-03pd0068

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-01-12

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. -- A Boeing Delta II rocket soars above the clouds here today at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. The NASA payload aboard the rocket are the ICESat, an Ice Cloud and land Elevation Satellite, and CHIPSat, a Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer. ICESat, a 661-pound satellite, is a benchmark satellite for the Earth Observing System that will help scientists determine if the global sea level is rising or falling. It will observe the ice sheets that blanket the Earth’s poles to determine if they are growing or shrinking. It will assist in developing an understanding of how changes in the Earth’s atmosphere and climate affect polar ice masses and global sea level. The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System is the sole instrument on the satellite. CHIPSat, a suitcase-size 131-pound satellite, will provide information about the origin, physical processes and properties of the hot gas contained in the interstellar medium. This launch marks the first Delta from Vandenberg this year. (USAF photo by: SSgt Lee A Osberry Jr.)

The Identification of Complex Organic Molecules in the Interstellar Medium: Using Lasers and Matrix Isolation Spectroscopy to Simulate the Interstellar Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, Bradley M.

1998-01-01

The Astrochemistry Group at NASA Ames Research Center is interested in the identification of large organic molecules in the interstellar medium Many smaller organic species (e.g. hydrocarbons, alcohols, etc.) have been previously identified by their radiofrequency signature due to molecular rotations. However, this becomes increasingly difficult to observe as the size of the molecule increases. Our group in interested in the identification of the carriers of the Diffuse Interstellar Bands (absorption features observed throughout the visible and near-infrared in the spectra of stars, due to species in the interstellar medium). Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and related molecules are thought to be good candidates for these carriers. Laboratory experiments am performed at Ames to simulate the interstellar environment, and to compare spectra obtained from molecules in the laboratory to those derived astronomically. We are also interested in PAHs with respect to their possible connection to the UIR (Unidentified infrared) and ERE (Extended Red Emission) bands - emission features found to emanate from particular regions of our galaxy (e.g. Orion nebula, Red Rectangle, etc.). An old, "tried and proven spectroscopic technique, matrix isolation spectroscopy creates molecular conditions ideal for performing laboratory astrophysics.

Observations and Analysis of Extended Tail Toward Red in the Diffuse Interstellar Bands of Herschel 36

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oka, Takeshi; Welty, Daniel E.; Johnson, Sean; York, Donald G.; Hobbs, Lew M.; Dahlstrom, Julie

2013-06-01

In the studies of the Diffuse Interstellar Bands (DIBs), the sightline toward Herschel 36 near the center of the HII region Messier 8 is unique. It shows spectra of CH^+ and CH in the first excited level indicating the presence of a cloud with high radiative temperature. The heating is most likely due to far infrared emission from the adjacent intense infrared source Her 36 SE at a distance of 0.25" from Her 36. The effect of the high radiative temperature on some DIBs is spectacular. It produces on a normally symmetric bell-shape line a very prominent Extended Tail toward Red (ETR) on prototypical DIBs λ 5780.5, λ 5797.1, and λ 6613 while other DIBs λ 5849.8, λ 6196.0, and λ 6379.3 are little affected. We interpret this as indicating that the carriers of the former 3 DIBs that are seriously affected by the radiation are polar molecules and the pronounced ETRs are the result of the decrease of rotational constant B (3 - 5 %) upon electronic excitation. High J rotational levels are pumped radiatively and with the negative (B' - B) produces the ETR. We have developed a model calculation of rotational distribution taking into account of both radiative and collisional processes. In view of the complexity of the problem linear molecules are considered. 7 parameters enter into the calculation but we find the fractional variation of B and the radiative temperature T_r are the most decisive. Although molecules with a general shape is beyond the scope of this work, we conclude that the 3 DIBs which show the pronounced ETRs are due to polar molecules and the requirement of high variation of B indicates that the molecules are not that large perhaps composed of 3-6 heavy atoms. The 3 DIBs that do not show the pronounced ETRs are likely due to non-polar molecules or large polar molecules with small fractional variation of B. Goto, M., Stecklum, B., Linz, H., Feldt, M., Henning, Th., Pascucci, I., and Usuda, T. 2006, ApJ, 649 299. Oka, T., Welty, D. E., Johnson, S., York, D. G., Dahlstrom, J., and Hobbs, L. M. 2013, ApJ, submitted

Terahertz Spectroscopy and Global Analysis of the Rotational Spectrum of Doubly Deuterated Amidogen Radical ND2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melosso, Mattia; Degli Esposti, Claudio; Dore, Luca

2017-11-01

The deuteration mechanism of molecules in the interstellar medium is still being debated. Observations of deuterium-bearing species in several astronomical sources represent a powerful tool to improve our understanding of the interstellar chemistry. The doubly deuterated form of the astrophysically interesting amidogen radical could be a target of detection in space. In this work, the rotational spectrum of the ND2 radical in its ground vibrational and electronic {X}2{B}1 state has been investigated between 588 and 1131 GHz using a frequency modulation millimeter/submillimeter-wave spectrometer. The ND2 molecule has been produced in a free-space glass absorption cell by discharging a mixture of ND3 and Ar. Sixty-four new transition frequencies involving J values from 2 to 5 and K a values from 0 to 4 have been measured. A global analysis including all the previous field-free pure rotational data has been performed, allowing for a more precise determination of a very large number of spectroscopic parameters. Accurate predictions of rotational transition frequencies of ND2 are now available from a few gigahertz up to several terahertz.

Changes in the morphology of interstellar ice analogues after hydrogen atom exposure.

PubMed

Accolla, Mario; Congiu, Emanuele; Dulieu, François; Manicò, Giulio; Chaabouni, Henda; Matar, Elie; Mokrane, Hakima; Lemaire, Jean Louis; Pirronello, Valerio

2011-05-07

The morphology of water ice in the interstellar medium is still an open question. Although accretion of gaseous water could not be the only possible origin of the observed icy mantles covering dust grains in cold molecular clouds, it is well known that water accreted from the gas phase on surfaces kept at 10 K forms ice films that exhibit a very high porosity. It is also known that in the dark clouds H(2) formation occurs on the icy surface of dust grains and that part of the energy (4.48 eV) released when adsorbed atoms react to form H(2) is deposited in the ice. The experimental study described in the present work focuses on how relevant changes of the ice morphology result from atomic hydrogen exposure and subsequent recombination. Using the temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) technique and a method of inversion analysis of TPD spectra, we show that there is an exponential decrease in the porosity of the amorphous water ice sample following D-atom irradiation. This decrease is inversely proportional to the thickness of the ice and has a value of ϕ(0) = 2 × 10(16) D-atoms cm(-2) per layer of H(2)O. We also use a model which confirms that the binding sites on the porous ice are destroyed regardless of their energy depth, and that the reduction of the porosity corresponds in fact to a reduction of the effective area. This reduction appears to be compatible with the fraction of D(2) formation energy transferred to the porous ice network. Under interstellar conditions, this effect is likely to be efficient and, together with other compaction processes, provides a good argument to believe that interstellar ice is amorphous and non-porous. This journal is © the Owner Societies 2011

Modelling ultraviolet-line diagnostics of stars, the ionized and the neutral interstellar medium in star-forming galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidal-García, A.; Charlot, S.; Bruzual, G.; Hubeny, I.

2017-09-01

We combine state-of-the-art models for the production of stellar radiation and its transfer through the interstellar medium (ISM) to investigate ultraviolet-line diagnostics of stars, the ionized and the neutral ISM in star-forming galaxies. We start by assessing the reliability of our stellar population synthesis modelling by fitting absorption-line indices in the ISM-free ultraviolet spectra of 10 Large Magellanic Cloud clusters. In doing so, we find that neglecting stochastic sampling of the stellar initial mass function in these young (∼10-100 Myr), low-mass clusters affects negligibly ultraviolet-based age and metallicity estimates but can lead to significant overestimates of stellar mass. Then, we proceed and develop a simple approach, based on an idealized description of the main features of the ISM, to compute in a physically consistent way the combined influence of nebular emission and interstellar absorption on ultraviolet spectra of star-forming galaxies. Our model accounts for the transfer of radiation through the ionized interiors and outer neutral envelopes of short-lived stellar birth clouds, as well as for radiative transfer through a diffuse intercloud medium. We use this approach to explore the entangled signatures of stars, the ionized and the neutral ISM in ultraviolet spectra of star-forming galaxies. We find that, aside from a few notable exceptions, most standard ultraviolet indices defined in the spectra of ISM-free stellar populations are prone to significant contamination by the ISM, which increases with metallicity. We also identify several nebular-emission and interstellar-absorption features, which stand out as particularly clean tracers of the different phases of the ISM.

Recent Advances in Organic Cosmochemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandford, Scott A.; Witteborn, Fred C. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The Astrochemistry Laboratory at NASA's Ames Research Center pursues a variety of activities, most of which center around the use of spectroscopy (ultraviolet to far-infrared) for the interpretation of astronomical and meteoritic data. One of our key activities is the study of the chemical and physical properties of cometary, interstellar, and planetary ice analogs and matrix-isolated molecules of astrophysical interest. As a result of these studies it is now known that a significant fraction of the carbon in the interstellar medium (ISM) is in reasonably complex forms, some of which are clearly of interest for exobiology. Examples of compounds known or suspected to be present in space include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), microdiamonds, an aliphatic-rich component found in the diffuse interstellar medium, and a variety of molecular species produced by the irradiation of mixed molecular ices in dense clouds. A number of the species produced by irradiation contain nitrogen and appear to offer an additional means of producing some of the amino acids found in meteorites. I will review these complex carbonaceous materials and discuss how they are connected with each other and the organic materials that ultimately ended up as part of our own Solar System. Specific points that will probably be covered include: (1) the composition of the ices in interstellar dense molecular clouds; (2) the more complex organic compounds produced when these ices are irradiated and/or warmed; (3) the detection of microdiamonds in space; (4) the discovery that aliphatic materials may constitute as much as 15% of all the carbon in the diffuse ISM, appears to be present everywhere in the galaxy, and yet seems to be present everywhere in the galaxy, and yet seems to be significantly concentrated towards the center of the galaxy.

Ionization in the local interstellar and intergalactic media

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheng, K.

1990-01-01

Detailed photoionization calculations for the local interstellar medium (LISM) and the intergalactic medium (IGM) are presented. Constraints in the LISM are imposed by H I column density derived from IUE and Copernicus data toward nearby B stars and hot white dwarfs. The EUV radiation field is modeled including contributions from discrete stellar sources and from a thermal bremsstrahlung-radiative recombination spectrum emitted from the surrounding 10(exp 6) K coronal substrate. Lower limits to the fractional ionization of hydrogen and helium of 0.17 and 0.30 respectively are established. The derived limits have important implications for the interpretation of the H I andmore » He I backscattering results. The high He ionization fraction results primarily from very strong line emission below 500 A originating in the surrounding coronal substrate while the H ionization is dominated by the EUV radiation from the discrete stellar sources. The dual effects of thermal conduction and the EUV spectrum of the 10(exp 6) K plasma on ionization in the cloud skin are explored. The EUV radiation field and Auger ionization have insignificant effects on the resulting ionic column densities of Si IV, C IV, N V and O VI through the cloud skin. Calculations show that the abundances of these species are dominated by collisional ionization in the thermal conduction front. Because of a low charge exchange rate with hydrogen, the ionic column density ratios of N(C III)/N(C II) and N(N II)/N(N I) are dominated by the EUV radiation field in the local interstellar medium. These ratios should be important diagnostics for the EUV radiation field and serve as surrogate indicators of the interstellar He and H ionization fraction respectively. The same photoionization model is applied to the intergalactic medium.« less

Rotational Spectrum, Conformational Composition, and Quantum Chemical Calculations of Cyanomethyl Formate (HC(O)OCH2C≡N), a Compound of Potential Astrochemical Interest.

PubMed

Samdal, Svein; Møllendal, Harald; Carles, Sophie

2015-08-27

The rotational spectrum of cyanomethyl formate (HC(O)OCH2C≡N) has been recorded in the 12–123 GHz spectral range. The spectra of two conformers were assigned. The rotamer denoted I has a symmetry plane and two out-of plane hydrogen atoms belonging to the cyanomethyl (CH2CN) moiety. In the conformer called II, the cyanomethyl group is rotated 80.3° out of this plane. Conformer I has an energy that is 1.4(6) kJ/mol lower than the energy of II according to relative intensity measurements. A large number of rotational transitions have been assigned for the ground and vibrationally excited states of the two conformers and accurate spectroscopic constants have been obtained. These constants should predict frequencies of transitions outside the investigated spectral range with a very high degree of precision. It is suggested that cyanomethyl formate is a potential interstellar compound. This suggestion is based on the fact that its congener methyl formate (HC(O)OCH3) exists across a large variety of interstellar environments and the fact that cyanides are very prevalent in the Universe. The experimental work has been augmented by high-level quantum chemical calculations. The CCSD/cc-pVQZ calculations are found to predict structures of the two forms that are very close to the Born–Oppenheimer equilibrium structures. MP2/cc-pVTZ predictions of several vibration–rotation interaction constants were generally found to be rather inaccurate. A gas-phase reaction between methyl formate and the cyanomethyl radical CH2CN to produce a hydrogen atom and cyanomethyl formate was mimicked using MP2/cc-pVTZ calculations. It was found that this reaction is not favored thermodynamically. It is also conjectured that the possible formation of cyanomethyl formate might be catalyzed and take place on interstellar particles.

Isotopic Anomalies in Primitive Solar System Matter: Spin-State-Dependent Fractionation of Nitrogen and Deuterium in Interstellar Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wirstrom, Eva S.; Charnley, Steven B.; Cordiner, Martin A.; Milam, Stefanie N.

2012-01-01

Organic material found in meteorites and interplanetary dust particles is enriched in D and N-15. This is consistent with the idea that the functional groups carrying these isotopic anomalies, nitriles and amines, were formed by ion-molecule chemistry in the protosolar nebula, Theoretical models of interstellar fractionation at low temperatures predict large enrichments in both D and N-15 and can account for the largest isotopic enrichments measured in carbonaceous meteorites. However, more recent measurements have shown that, in some primitive samples, a large N-15 enrichment does not correlate with one in D, and that some D-enriched primitive material displays little, if any, N-15 enrichment. By considering the spin-state dependence in ion-molecule reactions involving the ortho and para forms of H2, we show that ammonia and related molecules can exhibit such a wide range of fractionation for both N-15 and D in dense cloud cores. We also show that while the nitriles, HCN and HNC, contain the greatest N=15 enrichment, this is not expected to correlate with extreme D enrichment. These calculations therefore support the view that solar system N-15 and D isotopic anomalies have an interstellar heritage. We also compare our results to existing astronomical observations and briefly discuss future tests of this model.

Isotopic Anomalies in Primitive Solar System Matter: Spin-State Dependent Fractionation of Nitrogen and Deuterium in Interstellar Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wirstrom, Eva S.; Charnley, Steven B.; Cordiner, Martin A.; Milan, Stefanie N.

2012-01-01

Organic material found in meteorites and interplanetary dust particles is enriched in D and N-15, This is consistent with the idea that the functional groups carrying these isotopic anomalies, nitriles and amines, were formed by ion-molecule chemistry in the protosolar core. Theoretical models of interstellar fractionation at low temperatures predict large enrichments in both D and N-15 and can account for the largest isotop c enrichments measured in carbonaceous meteorites, However, more recent measurements have shown that, in some primitive samples, a large N-15 enrichment does not correlate with one in D, and that some D-enriched primitive material displays little, if any, N-15 enrichment. By considering the spin-state dependence in ion-molecule reactions involving the ortho and para forms of H2, we show that ammonia and related molecules can exhibit such a wide range of fractionation for both N-15 and D in dense cloud cores, We also show that while the nitriles, HCN and HNC, contain the greatest N-15 enrichment, this is not expected to correlate with extreme D emichment. These calculations therefore support the view that Solar System N-15 and D isotopic anomalies have an interstellar heritage, We also compare our results to existing astronomical observations and briefly discuss future tests of this model.

Spectral Study of A 1Π–X 1Σ+ Transitions of CO Relevant to Interstellar Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Junxia; Zhang, Hong; Cheng, Xinlu

2018-05-01

Highly correlated ab initio calculations were performed for an accurate determination of the A 1Π–X 1Σ+ system of the CO molecule. A highly accurate multi-reference configuration interaction approach was used to investigate the potential energy curves (PECs) and the transition dipole moment curve (TDMC). The resultant PECs and TDMC found by using the aug-cc-pV5Z (aV5Z) basis set and 5330 active spaces are in good agreement with the experimental data. Moreover, the Einstein A coefficients, lifetimes, ro-vibrational intensities, absorption oscillator strengths, and integrated cross sections are calculated so that the vibrational bands include v″ = 0–39 \\to v‧ = 0–23. For applications in the atmosphere and interstellar clouds, we studied the transition lineshapes to Gaussian and Lorentzian profiles at different temperatures and pressures. The intensities were calculated at high temperature that was used to satisfy some astrophysical applications, such as in planetary atmospheres. The results are potentially useful for important SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System and databases such as HITRAN, HITEMP, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Because the results from many laboratory techniques and our calculations now agree, analyses of interstellar CO based on absorption from A 1Π–X 1Σ+ are no longer hindered by present spectral parameters.

State-to-state, multi-collision, energy transfer in H-H2 gas ensembles.

PubMed

McCaffery, Anthony J; Marsh, Richard J

2013-12-21

We use our recently developed computational model of energy flow in gas ensembles to study translation-to-internal energy conversion in an ensemble consisting of H2(0; 0) in a bath of H atoms. This mixture is found in plasmas of industrial importance and also in interstellar clouds. The storage of energy of relative motion as rovibrational energy of H2 represents a potential mechanism for cooling translation. This may have relevance in astrophysical contexts such as the post-recombination epoch of the early universe when hydrogenic species dominated and cooling was a precondition for the formation of structured objects. We find that conversion of translational motion to H2 vibration and rotation is fast and, in our closed system, is complete within around 100 cycles of ensemble collisions. Large amounts of energy become stored as H2 vibration and a tentative mechanism for this unequal energy distribution is suggested. The "structured dis-equilibrium" we observe is found to persist through many collision cycles. In contrast to the rapidity of excitation, the relaxation of H2(6; 10) in H is very slow and not complete after 10(5) collision cycles. The quasi-equilibrium modal temperatures of translation, rotation, and vibration are found to scale linearly with collision energy but at different rates. This may be useful in estimating the partitioning of energy within a given H + H2 ensemble.

The Possible Interstellar Anion CH2CN-: Spectroscopic Constants, Vibrational Frequencies, and Other Considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fortenberry, Ryan C.; Crawford, T. Daniel; Lee, Timothy J.

2012-01-01

The A 1B1 <-1A0 excitation into the dipole-bound state of the cyanomethyl anion (CH2CN??) has been hypothesized as the carrier for one di use interstellar band. However, this particular molecular system has not been detected in the interstellar medium even though the related cyanomethyl radical and the isoelectronic ketenimine molecule have been found. In this study we are employing the use of proven quartic force elds and second-order vibrational perturbation theory to compute accurate spectroscopic constants and fundamental vibrational frequencies for X 1A0 CH2CN?? in order to assist in laboratory studies and astronomical observations. Keywords: Astrochemistry, ISM: molecular anions, Quartic force elds, Rotational constants, Vibrational frequencies

Astronomical chemistry.

PubMed

Klemperer, William

2011-01-01

The discovery of polar polyatomic molecules in higher-density regions of the interstellar medium by means of their rotational emission detected by radioastronomy has changed our conception of the universe from essentially atomic to highly molecular. We discuss models for molecule formation, emphasizing the general lack of thermodynamic equilibrium. Detailed chemical kinetics is needed to understand molecule formation as well as destruction. Ion molecule reactions appear to be an important class for the generally low temperatures of the interstellar medium. The need for the intrinsically high-quality factor of rotational transitions to definitively pin down molecular emitters has been well established by radioastronomy. The observation of abundant molecular ions both positive and, as recently observed, negative provides benchmarks for chemical kinetic schemes. Of considerable importance in guiding our understanding of astronomical chemistry is the fact that the larger molecules (with more than five atoms) are all organic.

Cloud fluid models of gas dynamics and star formation in galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Struck-Marcell, Curtis; Scalo, John M.; Appleton, P. N.

1987-01-01

The large dynamic range of star formation in galaxies, and the apparently complex environmental influences involved in triggering or suppressing star formation, challenges the understanding. The key to this understanding may be the detailed study of simple physical models for the dominant nonlinear interactions in interstellar cloud systems. One such model is described, a generalized Oort model cloud fluid, and two simple applications of it are explored. The first of these is the relaxation of an isolated volume of cloud fluid following a disturbance. Though very idealized, this closed box study suggests a physical mechanism for starbursts, which is based on the approximate commensurability of massive cloud lifetimes and cloud collisional growth times. The second application is to the modeling of colliding ring galaxies. In this case, the driving processes operating on a dynamical timescale interact with the local cloud processes operating on the above timescale. The results is a variety of interesting nonequilibrium behaviors, including spatial variations of star formation that do not depend monotonically on gas density.