arXiv subjects

B. Tercero

Publications and source records attributed to B. Tercero.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Aromatic rings in the Central Molecular Zone: Benzonitrile

In recent years, several aromatic molecules (benzene-based rings) have been detected in the cold molecular cloud TMC-1, with its CN-derivative, benzonitrile (c-C$_6$H$_5$CN), also identified in other nearby cold sources. However, observed abundances differ significantly from chemical model predictions, indicating an incomplete understanding of its chemistry and motivating searches in distinct environments. We report new detections of benzonitrile in two warmer molecular clouds of the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ): G+0.693-0.027 and G+0.633-0.0604. Using Yebes 40m ultra-deep surveys in the 31--50 GHz range, we performed LTE and non-LTE analyses to derive the physical parameters of the emission. We obtain column densities of $N$=(7.4$\pm$0.5)$\times10^{12}$ and (2.60$\pm$0.13)$\times10^{12}$ cm$^{-2}$, corresponding to abundances relative to H$_2$ of (6$\pm$1)$\times10^{-11}$ and (4.3$\pm$0.9)$\times10^{-11}$, consistent with values in cold Galactic clouds. The HC$_7$N/benzonitrile ratio is lower (2.15-2.4) than in colder sources (4.5-30), suggesting environmental effects and a relative enhancement of aromatic chemistry in the CMZ. These results confirm that benzonitrile is widespread and can survive in harsher environments (e.g., high temperatures, shocks, enhanced cosmic-ray ionization) than those in Galactic cold clouds. This suggests that aromatics are stable and abundant species that can significantly contribute to the total budget of interstellar carbon in molecular clouds. A top-down formation scenario, involving fragmentation of larger carbonaceous species, is consistent with the nearly constant abundances observed with molecular size.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Chemical study of two starless cores in the B213/L1495 filament

The chemical evolution of pre-stellar cores during their transition to a protostellar stage is not yet fully understood. Detailed chemical characterizations of these sources are needed to better define their chemistry during star formation. Our goal is to characterize the chemistry of the starless cores C2 and C16 in the B213/L1495 filament of the Taurus Molecular Cloud, and to understand how it relates to the environmental conditions and the evolutionary state of the cores. We made use of two complete spectral surveys at 7 mm of these sources, carried out using the Yebes 40-m telescope. Derived molecular abundances were compared with those of other sources in different evolutionary stages and with values computed by chemical models. Including isotopologs, 22 molecules were detected in B213-C2, and 25 in B213-C16. The derived rotational temperatures have values of between $\sim$ 5 K and $\sim$ 9 K. A comparison of the two sources shows lower abundances in C2, except for l-C$_{3}$H and HOCO$^{+}$, which have similar values in both cores. Model results indicate that both cores are best fit assuming early-time chemistry, and point to C2 being in a more advanced evolutionary stage, as it presents a higher molecular hydrogen density and sulfur depletion, and a lower cosmic-ray ionization rate. Our chemical modeling successfully accounts for the abundances of most molecules, including complex organic molecules and long cyanopolynes (HC$_{5}$N, HC$_{7}$N), but fails to reproduce those of the carbon chains CCS and C$_{3}$O. Chemical differences between C2 and C16 could stem from the evolutionary stage of the cores, with C2 being closer to the pre-stellar phase. Both cores are better fit assuming early-time chemistry of t $\sim$ 0.1 Myr. The more intense UV radiation in the northern region of B213 could account for the high abundances of l-C$_{3}$H and HOCO$^{+}$ in C2.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Discovery of 1H-cyclopent[cd]indene (c-C11H8) in TMC-1 with the QUIJOTE line survey: A new three-ringed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon

We report the detection of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) 1H-cyclopent[cd]indene (c-C11H8) in TMC-1 with the QUI- JOTE line survey. We detected 22 independent lines corresponding to 88 rotational transitions with quantum numbers ranging from J=19 up to J=24 and Ka <= 5 in the Q-band range. The identification of this new PAH was based on the agreement between the rotational parameters derived from the analysis of the lines and those obtained by quantum chemical calculations. The column density derived for 1H-cyclopent[cd]indene is (6.0 +- 0.5) x 10^12 cm-2, with a rotational temperature of 9 K. Its abundance is high, as is that of the rest of the PAHs, but it is the lowest of all those detected to date in TMC-1, being 2.66 times less abundant than indene and 4.66 times less than phenalene. This result will help us to better understand the growth of five- and six-membered rings in dark clouds. Chemical models explaining their formation through the bottom-up model are still very incomplete and require further experimental and theoretical effort. Even so, the most likely formation reactions would occur between the smallest rings with small hydrocarbons; the most probable reaction for the formation of cyclopentindene is that between indene and C2H, C2H3, and/or their cation.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Expanding the C$_3$H$_6$O$_2$ Isomeric Interstellar Inventory: Discovery of Lactaldehyde and Methoxyacetaldehyde in G+0.693-0.027

The tentative detection of 3-hydroxypropanal (HO(CH$_2$)$_2$C(O)H) toward the Galactic center molecular cloud G+0.693-0.027 prompts a systematic survey in this source aimed at detecting all C$_3$H$_6$O$_2$ isomers with available spectroscopy. We use an ultra-deep broadband spectral survey of G+0.693-0.027, carried out with the Yebes 40 m and IRAM 30 m telescopes, to conduct the astronomical search. We report the first interstellar detection of lactaldehyde (CH$_3$CH(OH)C(O)H) and methoxyacetaldehyde (CH$_3$OCH$_2$C(O)H), together with the second detections (i.e., confirmation) of methyl acetate (CH$_3$C(O)OCH$_3$) and hydroxyacetone (CH$_3$C(O)CH$_2$OH), and new detections in this source of both $anti$- and $gauche$- conformers of ethyl formate (CH$_3$CH$_2$OC(O)H), the latter tentatively. In contrast, neither propionic acid, CH$_3$CH$_2$C(O)OH, nor glycidol, c-CH$_2$OCHCH$_2$OH (i.e., the most and the least stable species within the C$_3$H$_6$O$_2$ family, respectively) were detected, and we provide upper limits on their fractional abundances of $\leq$1.5 $\times$ 10$^{-10}$ and $\leq$3.7 $\times$ 10$^{-11}$. Interestingly, all C$_3$H$_6$O$_2$ isomers can be synthesized through radical-radical reactions on the surface of dust grains, ultimately tracing back to CO as the parent molecule. We suggest that formation of the detected isomers is mainly driven by successive hydrogenation of CO, producing CH$_3$OH and CH$_3$CH$_2$OH as the primary parent species. Conversely, propionic acid is thought to originate from the oxygenation of CO via the HOCO intermediate, which help us rationalize its non-detection. Overall, our findings notably expand the known chemical inventory of the interstellar medium and provide direct observational evidence that increasingly complex chemistry involving O-bearing species occurs in space.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Discovery of linear propadienone: Study of the chemistry of linear and cyclic H$_2$C$_3$O and H$_2$C$_3$S in TMC-1

We report the first detection in space of propadienone, the linear isomer (l-H$_2$C$_3$O) of cyclopropenone (c-H$_2$C$_3$O). We also report the first detection of the isotopologue c-H$_2$$^{13}$CCCO, and c-HDCCCO of c-H$_2$C$_3$O. The astronomical observations are part of QUIJOTE, a line survey of TMC-1 in the frequency range 31.0-50.3 GHz, complemented with data between 71.6-116.0 GHz, and carried out with Yebes-40m and IRAM-30m telescopes, respectively. We obtain a total column density of 3.7$\times$10$^{10}$ cm$^{-2}$ for l-H$_2$C$_3$O at an excitation temperature of 4.8 K. We find that the isomer is about eight times less abundant than the cyclic one. We also report a detailed line-by-line study of cyclopropenethione (c-H$_2$C$_3$S) to compare the abundance of the O and S isomers. We find that cyclic O-isomers are more abundant than cyclic S-isomers; however, the opposite trend is found for the most stable linear isomers, with l-H$_2$C$_3$S being more than one order of magnitude more abundant than l-H$_2$C$_3$O. A comprehensive theoretical chemical analysis shows that the abundances of the H$_2$C$_3$O and H$_2$C$_3$S isomers are controlled by different formation pathways. In particular, while l-H$_2$C$_3$O is potentially produced by dissociative electron recombination reactions, ion-neutral chemistry is more effective at producing l-H$_2$C$_3$S and c-H$_2$C$_3$S.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Analysis of the isotopologues of CS, CCS, CCCS, HCS+, HCCS+, and H2CS in TMC-1 with the QUIJOTE line survey

We performed a detailed analysis of the isotopologues with 13C, 34S, 33S, and 36S of the sulphur-bearing molecules CS, CCS, CCCS,HCS+, HCCS+, and H2CS towards TMC-1 using the QUIJOTE1. The observations were obtained with the Yebes radio telescope. Observations with the IRAM 30m of the most abundant isotopologues of these species are also presented and used to estimate volume densities and to constrain the excitation conditions. We report the first detection in space of C13C34S, CC33S, CCC33S, HC33S+, and HCC34S+. C36S is also detected for the first time in a cold object. We also complemented with maps that provide the spatial distribution of most of these species. Using the available collisional rate coefficients for each species, we modeled the observed line intensities using the large velocity gradient method for the radiative transfer. We report the most complete analysis of the column densities of the CnS family and to compare the abundance ratios of all detected isotopologues. Adopting a T_k for TMC-1 of 9K, we found that n(H2)=0.9-1.5X10^4cm-3 can explain the observed decline in intensity with increasing J. We derived the rot. constants for the C13C34S, CC33S, CCC33S, HC33S+, and HCC34S+ isotopologues from new laboratory data and complemented them with the frequencies of the observed lines. We find that all S isotopologues are consistent with solar isotopic abundance ratios. Accurate 12C/13C abundances were derived and, as previously suggested, the 13C isotopologues of CCS and CCCS show strong abundance anomalies depending on the position of the substituted carbon. Nevertheless, the 12C/13C abundance ratio is practically identical to the solar value for CS, HCS+, and H2CS. We also searched for the isotopologues of other S-bearing molecules. The expected intensities for their 34S and 13C isotopologues are too low to be detected with the present sensitivity of the QUIJOTE, however.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

First detection of HS2 in a cold dark cloud

We report the first detection of HS2 towards the cold dark cloud TMC-1. This is the first observation of a chemical species containing more than one sulphur atom in this type of sources. The astronomical observations are part of QUIJOTE, a line survey of TMC-1 in the Q band (31-50 GHz). The detection is confirmed by the observation of the fine and hyperfine components of two rotational transitions (2(0,2)-1(0,1) and 3(0,3)-2(0,2)). Assuming a rotational temperature of 7 K, we derived an HS2 column density of 5.7x10^11 cm-2, using a local thermodynamic equilibrium model that reproduces the observed spectra. The abundance of HS2 relative to H2 is 5.7x10^-11, which means that it is about seven times more abundant than its oxygenated counterpart HSO. We also explored the main formation and destruction mechanisms of HS2 using a chemical model, which reproduces the observed abundance of HS2 and indicates that dissociative recombination reactions from the ions H2S2+ and H3S2+ play a major role in forming HS2.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

A search for the three isomers of cyano-1,3-butadiene in TMC-1: Implications for bottom-up routes involving 1,3-butadiene

The molecule 1,3-butadiene (CH2CHCHCH2) could play a key role in the synthesis of the cyclic molecules cyclopentadiene and benzene in cold dense clouds. Since 1,3-butadiene is non-polar, we searched for its cyano derivative, which exists in the form of three different polar isomers, in the cold dense cloud TMC-1. We used the most recent data obtained with the Yebes 40m telescope in the Q band (31.0-50.3 GHz) in the frame of the QUIJOTE project. We do not detect any of the two isomers of 1-cyano-1,3-butadiene, and derive 3sigma upper limits to their column densities of 1.2e10 cm-2 and 2.0e10 cm-2 for E- and Z-1-cyano-1,3-butadiene, respectively. Our results are not consistent with those from Cooke et al. (2023), who determine a column density of 3.8e10 cm-2 for E-1-cyano-1,3-butadiene in TMC-1 using GBT data and a line stack technique. At the current level of sensitivity of our data, there is tentative evidence for the presence of the third cyano derivative isomer, 2-cyano-1,3-butadiene, although a firm detection must await more sensitive data. We derive an upper limit to its column density of 3.1e10 cm-2. This isomer cannot be formed in the reaction between CN and 1,3-butadiene, according to experimental and theoretical studies, and thus we speculate whether it could arise from neutral-neutral reactions like C2H3 + CH2CHCN and CH2CCN + C2H4. From the upper limit on the abundance of 1-cyano-1,3-butadiene derived here, we estimate that the abundance of 1,3-butadiene in TMC-1 is below 1e-11 - 1e-10 relative to H2. The low abundance inferred for 1,3-butadiene makes it unlikely that it plays an important role in bottom-up routes to cyclopentadiene and benzene.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Detection of thioacetaldehyde (CH3CHS) in TMC-1: sulfur-oxygen differentiation along the hydrogenation sequence

In recent years the chemistry of sulfur in the interstellar medium has experienced a renewed interest due to the detection of a large variety of molecules containing sulfur. Here we report the first identification in space of a new S-bearing molecule, thioacetaldehyde (CH3CHS), which is the sulfur counterpart of acetaldehyde (CH3CHO). The astronomical observations are part of QUIJOTE, a Yebes 40m Q band line survey of the cold dense cloud TMC-1. We detected seven individual lines corresponding to A and E components of the four most favorable rotational transitions of CH3CHS covered in the Q band (31.0-50.3 GHz). Assuming a rotational temperature of 9 K, we derive a column density of 9.8e10 cm-2 for CH3CHS, which implies that it is 36 times less abundant than its oxygen counterpart CH3CHO. By comparing the column densities of the O- and S-bearing molecules detected in TMC-1, we find that as molecules increase their degree of hydrogenation, sulfur-bearing molecules become less abundant compared to their oxygen analog. That is, hydrogenation seems to be less favored for S-bearing molecules than for O-bearing ones in cold sources like TMC-1. We explored potential formation pathways to CH3CHS and implemented them into a chemical model, which however underestimates by several orders of magnitude the observed abundance of thioacetaldehyde. Quantum chemical calculations carried out for one of the potential formation pathways, the S + C2H5 reaction, indicate that formation of CH3CHS is only a minor channel in this reaction.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Identification of the interstellar 1-cyano propargyl radical (HCCCHCN) in TMC-1

We report the first detection in interstellar medium of the 1-cyano propargyl radical, HC$_3$HCN. This species is an isomer of the 3-cyano propargyl radical (CH$_2$C$_3$N), which was recently discovered in TMC-1. The 1-cyano propargyl radical was observed in the cold dark cloud TMC-1 using data from the ongoing QUIJOTE line survey, which is being carried out with the Yebes 40m telescope. A total of seven rotational transitions with multiple hyperfine components were detected in the 31.0-50.4 GHz range. We derived a column density of (2.2$\pm$0.2)$\times$10$^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$ and a rotational temperature of 7$\pm$1\,K. The abundance ratio between HC$_3$HCN and CH$_2$C$_3$N is 1.4. The almost equal abundance of these isomers indicates that the two species may be produced in the same reaction with a similar efficiency, probably in the reaction C + CH$_2$CHCN and perhaps also in the reaction C$_2$ + CH$_3$CN and the dissociative recombination with electrons of CH$_2$C$_3$NH$^+$

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

Discovery of two cyano derivatives of acenaphthylene (C$_{12}$H$_8$) in TMC-1 with the QUIJOTE line survey

We report the discovery in TMC-1 of two cyano derivatives of the PAH acenaphthylene (C$_{12}$H$_8$). We have found two series of lines with the QUIJOTE line survey that we assign to 1-C$_{12}$H$_7$CN and 5-C$_{12}$H$_7$CN. For the 1-isomer, we have detected and assigned 173 rotational transitions with $J$ up to 46 and $K_a$ up to 9, corresponding to 107 independent frequencies. For the 5-isomer, the identification is based on 56 individual lines, corresponding to 117 rotational transitions with $J$ up to 40 and $K_a$ up to 8. Identification of the carriers was achieved through a careful analysis of the derived rotational constants, which permit us to focus on molecules larger than naphthalene but smaller than anthracene and phenanthrene. Moreover, the derived rotational constants indicate that the species are planar; this allows us to discard derivatives of fluorene and acenaphthene, which are non-planar species. Quantum chemical calculations and subsequent chemical synthesis of these molecules, as well as the observation of their rotational transitions in the laboratory, unequivocally support our identifications. We also confirm, via a robust line-by-line detection, the previous claimed detection of 1- and 2- cyanonaphthalene, which were obtained through statistical stacking techniques. The column densities of 1- and 5-cyanoacenaphthylene are (9.5\,$\pm$\,0.9)$\,\times$\,10$^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$, while those of 1- and 2-cyanonapthalene are (5.5\,$\pm$\,0.5)$\,\times$\,10$^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$. Hence, it seems that acenaphthylene could be a factor of 1.7 more abundant than naphthalene. These results support a scenario in which PAHs grow in cold dark clouds based on fused five- and six-membered carbon rings.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

Discovery of MgS and NaS in the Interstellar Medium and tentative detection of CaO

We report the first detection of the metal-bearing molecules sodium sulfide (NaS) and magnesium sulfide (MgS) and the tentative detection of calcium monoxide (CaO) in the interstellar medium (ISM) towards the Galactic Center molecular cloud G+0.693-0.027. The derived column densities are (5.0+-1.1) x 10$^{10}$ cm$^{-2}$, (6.0+-0.6) x $^{10}$ cm$^{-2}$, and (2.0+-0.5) x $^{10}$ cm$^{-2}$, respectively. This translates into fractional abundances with respect to H$_2$ of (3.7+-1.0) x $10^{-13}$, (4.4+-0.8) x $10^{-13}$, and (1.5+-0.4) x $10^{-13}$, respectively. We have also searched for other Na-, Mg- and Ca-bearing species towards this source but none of them have been detected and thus we provide upper limits for their abundances. We discuss the possible chemical routes involved in the formation of these molecules containing metals under interstellar conditions. Finally, we compare the ratio between sulfur-bearing and oxygen-bearing molecules with and without metals, finding that metal-bearing sulfur molecules are much more abundant than metal-bearing oxygen ones, in contrast with the general trend found in the ratios between other non metal- oxygen- and sulfur-bearing molecules. This further strengthen the idea that sulfur may be little depleted in G+0.693-0.027 as a result of the low velocity shocks present in this source sputtering large amounts of material from dust grains.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

The rich interstellar reservoir of dinitriles: Detection of malononitrile and maleonitrile in TMC-1

While the nitrile group is by far the most prevalent one among interstellar molecules, the existence of interstellar dinitriles (molecules containing two -CN groups) has recently been proven. Here we report the discovery of two new dinitriles in the cold dense cloud TMC-1. These newly identified species are malononitrile, CH2(CN)2, and maleonitrile, the Z isomer of NC-CH=CH-CN, which can be seen as the result of substituting two H atoms with two -CN groups in methane and ethylene, respectively. These two molecules were detected using data from the ongoing QUIJOTE line survey of TMC-1 that is being carried out with the Yebes 40m telescope. We derive column densities of 1.8e11 cm-2 and 5.1e10 cm-2 for malononitrile and maleonitrile, respectively. This means that they are eight and three times less abundant than HCC-CH2-CN and (E)-HCC-CH=CH-CN, respectively, which are analog molecules detected in TMC-1 in which one -CN group is converted into a -CCH group. This is in line with previous findings in which -CCH derivatives are more abundant than the -CN counterparts in TMC-1. We examined the potential chemical pathways to these two dinitriles, and we find that while maleonitrile can be efficiently formed through the reaction of CN with CH2CHCN, the formation of malononitrile is not clear because the neutral-neutral reactions that could potentially form it are not feasible under the physical conditions of TMC-1.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

More sulphur in TMC-1: Discovery of the NC$_3$S and HC$_3$S radicals with the QUIJOTE line survey

We present the detection of the free radicals NC$_3$S and HC$_3$S towards TMC-1 with the QUIJOTE line survey. The derived column densities are (1.4$\pm$0.2)$\times$10$^{11}$ for NC$_3$S and (1.5$\pm$0.2)$\times$10$^{11}$ for HC$_3$S. We searched for NCCS, but only three transitions are within the domain of our QUIJOTE line survey and the observed lines are marginally detected at the 3$σ$ level, providing an upper limit to its column density of $\leq$6$\times$10$^{10}$ cm$^{-2}$. We also unsuccessfully searched for longer species of the NC$_n$S (n$\ge$4) and HC$_n$S (n$\ge$5) families in our TMC-1 data. A chemical model based on a reduced set of reactions involving HC$_3$S and NC$_3$S predicts abundances that are 10-100 times below the observed values. These calculations indicate that the most efficient reactions of formation of HC$_3$S and NC$_3$S in the model are S + C$_3$H$_2$ and N + HC$_3$S, respectively, while both radicals are very efficiently destroyed through reactions with neutral atoms.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

Discovery of HCCCH2CCH in TMC-1 with the QUIJOTE line survey

We present the first detection in space of 1,4-pentadiyne. It has been found towards TMC-1 with the QUIJOTE line survey in the 31-50 GHz range. We observed a total of 17 transitions with J = 2 up to 13 and Ka = 0, 1 and 2. The observed transitions allowed us to derive a rotational temperature of 9.5 +- 0.5 K and a column density of (5.0 +- 0.5) x 10^12 cm-2. This molecule was the last non-cyclic isomer of the C5H4 family that could be detected via radio astronomy. A computational chemistry study was performed to determine the energies of the five most stable isomers. The isomer (c-C3H3CCH) has a considerably higher energy than the others, and it has not yet been detected. To better understand the chemical reactions involving these species, we compared the ethynyl and cyano derivatives. The observed abundances of these species are in good agreement with the branching ratios of the formation reactions studied with our chemical model of TMC-1.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

Discovery of the interstellar cyanoacetylene radical cation HC$_3$N$^+$

We report the first identification in space of HC$_3$N$^+$, the simplest member of the family of cyanopolyyne cations. Three rotational transitions with half-integer quantum numbers from $J$=7/2 to 11/2 have been observed with the Yebes 40m radio telescope and assigned to HC$_3$N$^+$, which has an inverted $^2Π$ ground electronic state. The three rotational transitions exhibit several hyperfine components due to the magnetic and nuclear quadrupole coupling effects of the H and N nuclei. We confidently assign the characteristic rotational spectrum pattern to HC$_3$N$^+$ based on the good agreement between the astronomical and theoretical spectroscopic parameters. We derived a column density of (6.0$\pm$0.6)$\times$10$^{10}$ cm$^{-2}$ and a rotational temperature of 4.5$\pm$1\,K. The abundance ratio between HC$_3$N and HC$_3$N$^+$ is 3200$\pm$320. As found for the larger members of the family of cyanopolyyne cations (HC$_5$N$^+$ and HC$_7$N$^+$), HC$_3$N$^+$ is mainly formed through the reactions of H$_2$ and the cation C$_3$N$^+$ and by the reactions of H$^+$ with HC$_3$N. In the same manner than other cyanopolyyne cations, HC$_3$N$^+$ is mostly destroyed through a reaction with H$_2$ and a dissociative recombination with electrons.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

QUIJOTE discovery of the cation radicals HC5N+ and HC7N+

We present the discovery with the QUIJOTE line survey of the cations HC5N+ and HC7N+ in the direction of TMC-1. Seven lines with half-integer quantum numbers from J=25/2-23/2 to 37/2-35/2 have been assigned to HC5N+ and eight lines from J=55/2-53/2 to 71/2-69/2 to HC7N+. Both species have inverted 2Pi ground electronic states with very good estimates for their B0 and AS0 constants based on optical observations. The lines with the lowest J of HC5N+ exhibit multiple components due to the hyperfine structure introduced by the H and N nuclei. However, these different components collapse for the higher J. No hyperfine structure is found for any of the lines of HC7N+. The derived effective rotational and distortion constants for HC5N+ are Beff = 1336.662+/- 0.001 MHz and Deff = 27.4+/-2.6 Hz, while for HC7N+ they are Beff = 567.85036+/-0.00037 MHz and Deff = 4.01+/-0.19 Hz. From the observed intensities, we derived Trot = 5.5+/-0.5K and N = (9.9+/-1.0)x 1010 cm-2 for HC5N+, while we obtained Trot = 8.5+/-0.5K and N = (2.3+/-0.2)x1010 cm-2 for HC7N+. The HC5N/HC5N+, C5N/HC5N+, C5N-/HC5N+, HC7N/HC7N+, HC5N+/HC7N+, and C7N-/HC7N+ abundance ratios are 670+/-80, 4.8+/-0.8, 1.2+/-0.2, 1000+/-150, 4.2+/-0.5, and 2.2+/-0.2, respectively. We have run chemical modelling calculations to investigate the formation and destruction of these new cations. We find that these species are mainly formed through the reactions of H2 and the cations C5N+ and C7N+, and by the reactions of H+ with HC5N and HC7N, while they are mostly destroyed through a reaction with H2 and a dissociative recombination with electrons. Based on the underestimation of the abundances of HC5N+ and HC7N+ by the chemical model by a factor around 20, we suggest that the rate coefficients currently assumed for the reactions of these cations with H2 could be too high by the same factor, something that will be worth investigating.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

Laboratory and astronomical discovery of cyanothioketene, NCCHCS, in the cold starless core TMC-1

We present the detection of cyanothioketene, NCCHCS, in the laboratory and toward TMC-1. This transient species was produced through a discharge of a gas mixture of CH2CHCN and CS2 using argon as carrier gas, and its rotational spectrum between 9 and 40 GHz was characterized using a Balle-Flygare narrowband-type Fourier-transform microwave spectrometer. A total of 21 rotational transitions were detected in the laboratory, all of them exhibiting hyperfine structure induced by the spin of the N nucleus. The spectrum for NCCHCS was predicted in the domain of our line surveys using the derived rotational and distortion constants. The detection in the cold starless core TMC-1 was based on the QUIJOTE line survey performed with the Yebes 40m radio telescope. Twenty-three lines were detected with K_a=0, 1, and 2 and J_u=9 up to 14. The derived column density is (1.2+/-0.1)e11 cm-2 for a rotational temperature of 8.5+/-1 K. The abundance ratio of thioketene and its cyano derivative, H2CCS/NCCHCS, is 6.5+/-1.3. Although ketene is more abundant than thioketene by about 15 times, its cyano derivative NCCHCO surprisingly is not detected with a 3sigma upper level to the column density of 3.0e10 cm-2, which results in an abundance ratio H2CCO/NCCHCO > 430. Hence, the chemistry of CN derivatives seems to be more favored for S-bearing than for O-bearing molecules. We carried out chemical modeling calculations and found that the gas-phase neutral-neutral reactions CCN + H2CS and CN + H2CCS could be a source of NCCHCS in TMC-1.

astro-ph.GA↗