arXiv subjects

C. Ceccarelli

Publications and source records attributed to C. Ceccarelli.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Depletion of chlorine into HCl ice in a protostellar core

The freezeout of gas-phase species onto cold dust grains can drastically alter the chemistry and the heating-cooling balance of protostellar material. In contrast to well-known species such as carbon monoxide (CO), the freezeout of various carriers of elements with abundances $<10^{-5}$ has not yet been well studied. Our aim here is to study the depletion of chlorine in the protostellar core, OMC-2 FIR 4. We observed transitions of HCl and H2Cl+ towards OMC-2 FIR 4 using the Herschel Space Observatory and Caltech Submillimeter Observatory facilities. Our analysis makes use of state of the art chlorine gas-grain chemical models and newly calculated HCl-H$_{2}$ hyperfine collisional excitation rate coefficients. A narrow emission component in the HCl lines traces the extended envelope, and a broad one traces a more compact central region. The gas-phase HCl abundance in FIR 4 is 9e-11, a factor of only 0.001 that of volatile elemental chlorine. The H2Cl+ lines are detected in absorption and trace a tenuous foreground cloud, where we find no depletion of volatile chlorine. Gas-phase HCl is the tip of the chlorine iceberg in protostellar cores. Using a gas-grain chemical model, we show that the hydrogenation of atomic chlorine on grain surfaces in the dark cloud stage sequesters at least 90% of the volatile chlorine into HCl ice, where it remains in the protostellar stage. About 10% of chlorine is in gaseous atomic form. Gas-phase HCl is a minor, but diagnostically key reservoir, with an abundance of <1e-10 in most of the protostellar core. We find the 35Cl/37Cl ratio in OMC-2 FIR 4 to be 3.2\pm0.1, consistent with the solar system value.

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arXiv2014

The density structure of the L1157 molecular outflow

We present a multiline CS survey towards the brightest bow-shock B1 in the prototypical chemically active protostellar outflow L1157. We made use of (sub-)mm data obtained in the framework of the Chemical HErschel Surveys of Star forming regions (CHESS) and Astrochemical Surveys at IRAM (ASAI) key science programs. We detected $^{12}$C$^{32}$S, $^{12}$C$^{34}$S, $^{13}$C$^{32}$S, and $^{12}$C$^{33}$S emissions, for a total of 18 transitions, with $E_{\rm u}$ up to $\sim$ 180 K. The unprecedented sensitivity of the survey allows us to carefully analyse the line profiles, revealing high-velocity emission, up to 20 km s$^{-1}$ with respect to the systemic. The profiles can be well fitted by a combination of two exponential laws that are remarkably similar to what previously found using CO. These components have been related to the cavity walls produced by the $\sim$ 2000 yr B1 shock and the older ($\sim$ 4000 yr) B2 shock, respectively. The combination of low- and high-excitation CS emission was used to properly sample the different physical components expected in a shocked region. Our CS observations show that this molecule is highlighting the dense, $n_{\rm H_2}$ = 1--5 $\times$ 10$^{5}$ cm$^{-3}$, cavity walls produced by the episodic outflow in L1157. In addition, the highest excitation (E$_u$ $\geq$ 130 K) CS lines provide us with the signature of denser (1--5 $\times$ 10$^{6}$ cm$^{-3}$) gas, associated with a molecular reformation zone of a dissociative J-type shock, which is expected to arise where the precessing jet impacting the molecular cavities. The CS fractional abundance increases up to $\sim$ 10$^{-7}$ in all the kinematical components. This value is consistent with what previously found for prototypical protostars and it is in agreement with the prediction of the abundances obtained via the chemical code Astrochem.

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arXiv2014

Molecules with a peptide link in protostellar shocks: a comprehensive study of L1157

Interstellar molecules with a peptide link -NH-C(=O)-, like formamide (NH$_2$CHO), acetamide (NH$_2$COCH$_3$) and isocyanic acid (HNCO) are particularly interesting for their potential role in pre-biotic chemistry. We have studied their emission in the protostellar shock regions L1157-B1 and L1157-B2, with the IRAM 30m telescope, as part of the ASAI Large Program. Analysis of the line profiles shows that the emission arises from the outflow cavities associated with B1 and B2. Molecular abundance of $\approx~(0.4-1.1)\times 10^{-8}$ and $(3.3-8.8)\times 10^{-8}$ are derived for formamide and isocyanic acid, respectively, from a simple rotational diagram analysis. Conversely, NH$_2$COCH$_3$ was not detected down to a relative abundance of a few $\leq 10^{-10}$. B1 and B2 appear to be among the richest Galactic sources of HNCO and NH$_2$CHO molecules. A tight linear correlation between their abundances is observed, suggesting that the two species are chemically related. Comparison with astrochemical models favours molecule formation on ice grain mantles, with NH$_2$CHO generated from hydrogenation of HNCO.

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arXiv2014

The census of complex organic molecules in the solar type protostar IRAS16293-2422

Complex Organic Molecules (COMs) are considered crucial molecules, since they are connected with organic chemistry, at the basis of the terrestrial life. More pragmatically, they are molecules in principle difficult to synthetize in the harsh interstellar environments and, therefore, a crucial test for astrochemical models. Current models assume that several COMs are synthesised on the lukewarm grain surfaces ($\gtrsim$30-40 K), and released in the gas phase at dust temperatures $\gtrsim$100 K. However, recent detections of COMs in $\lesssim$20 K gas demonstrate that we still need important pieces to complete the puzzle of the COMs formation. We present here a complete census of the oxygen and nitrogen bearing COMs, previously detected in different ISM regions, towards the solar type protostar IRAS16293-2422. The census was obtained from the millimeter-submillimeter unbiased spectral survey TIMASSS. Six COMs, out of the 29 searched for, were detected: methyl cyanide, ketene, acetaldehyde, formamide, dimethyl ether, and methyl formate. The multifrequency analysis of the last five COMs provides clear evidence that they are present in the cold ($\lesssim$30 K) envelope of IRAS16293-2422, with abundances 0.03-2 $\times 10^{-10}$. Our data do not allow to support the hypothesis that the COMs abundance increases with increasing dust temperature in the cold envelope, as expected if COMs were predominately formed on the lukewarm grain surfaces. Finally, when considering also other ISM sources, we find a strong correlation over five orders of magnitude, between the methyl formate and dimethyl ether and methyl formate and formamide abundances, which may point to a link between these two couples of species, in cold and warm gas.

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arXiv2014

The HIFI spectral survey of AFGL 2591 (CHESS). II. Summary of the survey

This paper presents the richness of submillimeter spectral features in the high-mass star forming region AFGL 2591. As part of the CHESS (Chemical Herschel Survey of Star Forming Regions) Key Programme, AFGL 2591 was observed by the Herschel/HIFI instrument. The spectral survey covered a frequency range from 480 up to 1240 GHz as well as single lines from 1267 to 1901 GHz (i.e. CO, HCl, NH3, OH and [CII]). Rotational and population diagram methods were used to calculate column densities, excitation temperatures and the emission extents of the observed molecules associated with AFGL 2591. The analysis was supplemented with several lines from ground-based JCMT spectra. From the HIFI spectral survey analysis a total of 32 species were identified (including isotopologues). In spite of the fact that lines are mostly quite week, 268 emission and 16 absorption lines were found (excluding blends). Molecular column densities range from 6e11 to 1e19 cm-2 and excitation temperatures range from 19 to 175 K. One can distinguish cold (e.g. HCN, H2S, NH3 with temperatures below 70 K) and warm species (e.g. CH3OH, SO2) in the protostellar envelope.

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arXiv2014

CH in absorption in IRAS16293-2422

While recent studies of the solar-mass protostar IRAS16293-2422 have focused on its inner arcsecond, the wealth of Herschel/HIFI data has shown that the structure of the outer envelope and of the transition region to the more diffuse ISM is not clearly constrained. We use rotational ground-state transitions of CH (methylidyne), as a tracer of the lower-density envelope. Assuming LTE, we perform a $χ^2$ minimization of the high spectral resolution HIFI observations of the CH transitions at ~532 and ~536 GHz in order to derive column densities in the envelope and in the foreground cloud. We obtain column densities of (7.7$\pm$0.2)$\times10^{13}$ cm$^{-2}$ and (1.5$\pm$0.3)$\times10^{13}$ cm$^{-2}$, respectively. The chemical modeling predicts column densities of (0.5-2)$\times10^{13}$ cm$^{-2}$ in the envelope (depending on the cosmic-ray ionization rate), and 5$\times10^{11}$ to 2.5$\times10^{14}$ cm$^{-2}$ in the foreground cloud (depending on time). Both observed abundances are reproduced by the model at a satisfactory level. The constraints set by these observations on the physical conditions in the foreground cloud are however weak. Furthermore, the CH abundance in the envelope is strongly affected by the rate coefficient of the reaction H+CH$\rightarrow$C+H$_2$ ; further investigation of its value at low temperature would be necessary to facilitate the comparison between the model and the observations.

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arXiv2014

Localized SiO emission triggered by the passage of the W51C SNR shock

The region towards W51C is a convincing example of interaction between a supernova remnant and a surrounding molecular cloud. Large electron abundances have been reported towards the position W51C-E located in this interaction region, and it was proposed that the enhanced ionization fraction was due to cosmic ray particles freshly accelerated by the SNR shock. We present PdB interferometer observations of the H$^{13}$CO$^+$(1-0) and DCO$^+$(2-1) emission lines centered at position W51C-E. These observations confirm the previous scenario of cosmic-ray induced ionization at this location. In addition, SiO(2-1) emission has been successfully mapped in the close vicinity of W51C-E, with a spatial resolution of 7". The morphology and kinematics of the SiO emission are analyzed and strongly suggest that this emission is produced by the passage of the SNR primary shock. Put in conjunction with the enhanced ionization fraction in this region, we give a consistent picture in which the W51C-E position is located downstream of the shock, where a large reservoir of freshly accelerated particles is available.

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arXiv2014

Ionization toward the high-mass star-forming region NGC 6334 I

Context. Ionization plays a central role in the gas-phase chemistry of molecular clouds. Since ions are coupled with magnetic fields, which can in turn counteract gravitational collapse, it is of paramount importance to measure their abundance in star-forming regions. Aims. We use spectral line observations of the high-mass star-forming region NGC 6334 I to derive the abundance of two of the most abundant molecular ions, HCO+ and N2H+, and consequently, the cosmic ray ionization rate. In addition, the line profiles provide information about the kinematics of this region. Methods. We present high-resolution spectral line observations conducted with the HIFI instrument on board the Herschel Space Observatory of the rotational transitions with Jup > 5 of the molecular species C17O, C18O, HCO+, H13CO+, and N2H+. Results. The HCO+ and N2H+ line profiles display a redshifted asymmetry consistent with a region of expanding gas. We identify two emission components in the spectra, each with a different excitation, associated with the envelope of NGC 6334 I. The physical parameters obtained for the envelope are in agreement with previous models of the radial structure of NGC 6334 I based on submillimeter continuum observations. Based on our new Herschel/HIFI observations, combined with the predictions from a chemical model, we derive a cosmic ray ionization rate that is an order of magnitude higher than the canonical value of 10^(-17) s-1. Conclusions. We find evidence of an expansion of the envelope surrounding the hot core of NGC 6334 I, which is mainly driven by thermal pressure from the hot ionized gas in the region. The ionization rate seems to be dominated by cosmic rays originating from outside the source, although X-ray emission from the NGC 6334 I core could contribute to the ionization in the inner part of the envelope.

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arXiv2014

Molecular ions in the protostellar shock L1157-B1

We perform a complete census of molecular ions with an abundance larger than 1e-10 in the protostellar shock L1157-B1 by means of an unbiased high-sensitivity survey obtained with the IRAM-30m and Herschel/HIFI. By means of an LVG radiative transfer code the gas physical conditions and fractional abundances of molecular ions are derived. The latter are compared with estimates of steady-state abundances in the cloud and their evolution in the shock calculated with the chemical model Astrochem. We detect emission from HCO+, H13CO+, N2H+, HCS+, and, for the first time in a shock, from HOCO+, and SO+. The bulk of the emission peaks at blueshifted velocity, ~ 0.5-3 km/s with respect to systemic, has a width of ~ 4-8 km/s, and is associated with the outflow cavities (T_kin ~ 20-70 K, n(H2) ~ 1e5 cm-3). Observed HCO+ and N2H+ abundances are in agreement with steady-state abundances in the cloud and with their evolution in the compressed and heated gas in the shock for cosmic rays ionization rate Z = 3e-16 s-1. HOCO+, SO+, and HCS+ observed abundances, instead, are 1-2 orders of magnitude larger than predicted in the cloud; on the other hand they are strongly enhanced on timescales shorter than the shock age (~2000 years) if CO2, S or H2S, and OCS are sputtered off the dust grains in the shock. The performed analysis indicates that HCO+ and N2H+ are a fossil record of pre-shock gas in the outflow cavity, while HOCO+, SO+, and HCS+ are effective shock tracers and can be used to infer the amount of CO2 and sulphur-bearing species released from dust mantles in the shock. The observed HCS+ (and CS) abundance indicates that OCS should be one of the main sulphur carrier on grain mantles. However, the OCS abundance required to fit the observations is 1-2 orders of magnitude larger than observed. Further studies are required to fully understand the chemistry of sulphur-bearing species.

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arXiv2013

Deuterated water in the solar-type protostars NGC 1333 IRAS 4A and IRAS 4B

Aims. The aim of this paper is to study deuterated water in the solar-type protostars NGC1333 IRAS4A and IRAS4B, to compare their HDO abundance distribution with other star-forming regions, and to constrain their HDO/H2O ratios. Methods. Using the Herschel/HIFI instrument as well as ground-based telescopes, we observed several HDO lines covering a large excitation range (Eup/k=22-168 K) towards these protostars and an outflow position. Non-LTE radiative transfer codes were then used to determine the HDO abundance profiles in these sources. Results. The HDO fundamental line profiles show a very broad component, tracing the molecular outflows, in addition to a narrower emission component and a narrow absorbing component. In the protostellar envelope of NGC1333 IRAS4A, the HDO inner (T>100 K) and outer (T<100 K) abundances with respect to H2 are estimated at 7.5x10^{-9} and 1.2x10^{-11}, respectively, whereas, in NGC1333 IRAS4B, they are 1.0x10^{-8} and 1.2x10^{-10}, respectively. Similarly to the low-mass protostar IRAS16293-2422, an absorbing outer layer with an enhanced abundance of deuterated water is required to reproduce the absorbing components seen in the fundamental lines at 465 and 894 GHz in both sources. This water-rich layer is probably extended enough to encompass the two sources as well as parts of the outflows. In the outflows emanating from NGC1333 IRAS4A, the HDO column density is estimated at about (2-4)x10^{13} cm^{-2}, leading to an abundance of about (0.7-1.9)x10^{-9}. An HDO/H2O ratio between 7x10^{-4} and 9x10^{-2} is derived in the outflows. In the warm inner regions of these two sources, we estimate the HDO/H2O ratios at about 1x10^{-4}-4x10^{-3}. This ratio seems higher (a few %) in the cold envelope of IRAS4A, whose possible origin is discussed in relation to formation processes of HDO and H2O.

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arXiv2013

The CHESS survey of the L1157-B1 bow-shock: high and low excitation water vapor

Molecular outflows powered by young protostars strongly affect the kinematics and chemistry of the natal molecular cloud through strong shocks resulting in substantial modifications of the abundance of several species. As part of the "Chemical Herschel Surveys of Star forming regions" guaranteed time key program, we aim at investigating the physical and chemical conditions of H20 in the brightest shock region B1 of the L1157 molecular outflow. We observed several ortho- and para-H2O transitions using HIFI and PACS instruments on board Herschel, providing a detailed picture of the kinematics and spatial distribution of the gas. We performed a LVG analysis to derive the physical conditions of H2O shocked material, and ultimately obtain its abundance. We detected 13 H2O lines probing a wide range of excitation conditions. PACS maps reveal that H2O traces weak and extended emission associated with the outflow identified also with HIFI in the o-H2O line at 556.9 GHz, and a compact (~10") bright, higher-excitation region. The LVG analysis of H2O lines in the bow-shock show the presence of two gas components with different excitation conditions: a warm (Tkin~200-300 K) and dense (n(H2)~(1-3)x10^6 cm-3) component with an assumed extent of 10" and a compact (~2"-5") and hot, tenuous (Tkin~900-1400 K, n(H2)~10^3-10^4 cm-3) gas component, which is needed to account for the line fluxes of high Eu transitions. The fractional abundance of the warm and hot H2O gas components is estimated to be (0.7-2)x10^{-6} and (1-3)x10^{-4}, respectively. Finally, we identified an additional component in absorption in the HIFI spectra of H2O lines connecting with the ground state level, probably arising from the photodesorption of icy mantles of a water-enriched layer at the edges of the cloud.

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arXiv2013

The B1 shock in the L1157 outflow as seen at high spatial resolution

We present high spatial resolution (750 AU at 250 pc) maps of the B1 shock in the blue lobe of the L1157 outflow in four lines: CS (3-2), CH3OH (3_K-2_K), HC3N (16-15) and p-H2CO (2_02-3_01). The combined analysis of the morphology and spectral profiles has shown that the highest velocity gas is confined in a few compact (~ 5 arcsec) bullets while the lowest velocity gas traces the wall of the gas cavity excavated by the shock expansion. A large velocity gradient model applied to the CS (3-2) and (2-1) lines provides an upper limit of 10^6 cm^-3 to the averaged gas density in B1 and a range of 5x10^3< n(H2)< 5x10^5 cm^-3 for the density of the high velocity bullets. The origin of the bullets is still uncertain: they could be the result of local instabilities produced by the interaction of the jet with the ambient medium or could be clump already present in the ambient medium that are excited and accelerated by the expanding outflow. The column densities of the observed species can be reproduced qualitatively by the presence in B1 of a C-type shock and only models where the gas reaches temperatures of at least 4000 K can reproduce the observed HC3N column density.

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arXiv2013

Broad N2H+ emission towards the protostellar shock L1157-B1

We present the first detection of N2H+ towards a low-mass protostellar outflow, namely the L1157-B1 shock, at about 0.1 pc from the protostellar cocoon. The detection was obtained with the IRAM 30-m antenna. We observed emission at 93 GHz due to the J = 1-0 hyperfine lines. The analysis of the emission coupled with the HIFI CHESS multiline CO observations leads to the conclusion that the observed N2H+(1-0) line originates from the dense (> 10^5 cm-3) gas associated with the large (20-25 arcsec) cavities opened by the protostellar wind. We find a N2H+ column density of few 10^12 cm-2 corresponding to an abundance of (2-8) 10^-9. The N2H+ abundance can be matched by a model of quiescent gas evolved for more than 10^4 yr, i.e. for more than the shock kinematical age (about 2000 yr). Modelling of C-shocks confirms that the abundance of N2H+ is not increased by the passage of the shock. In summary, N2H+ is a fossil record of the pre-shock gas, formed when the density of the gas was around 10^4 cm-3, and then further compressed and accelerated by the shock.

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arXiv2013

The Herschel/HIFI spectral survey of OMC-2 FIR 4 (CHESS): An overview of the 480 to 1902 GHz range

Broadband spectral surveys of protostars offer a rich view of the physical, chemical and dynamical structure and evolution of star-forming regions. The Herschel Space Observatory opened up the terahertz regime to such surveys, giving access to the fundamental transitions of many hydrides and to the high-energy transitions of many other species. A comparative analysis of the chemical inventories and physical processes and properties of protostars of various masses and evolutionary states is the goal of the Herschel CHEmical Surveys of Star forming regions (CHESS) key program. This paper focusses on the intermediate-mass protostar, OMC-2 FIR 4. We obtained a spectrum of OMC-2 FIR 4 in the 480 to 1902 GHz range with the HIFI spectrometer onboard Herschel and carried out the reduction, line identification, and a broad analysis of the line profile components, excitation, and cooling. We detect 719 spectral lines from 40 species and isotopologs. The line flux is dominated by CO, H2O, and CH3OH. The line profiles are complex and vary with species and upper level energy, but clearly contain signatures from quiescent gas, a broad component likely due to an outflow, and a foreground cloud. We find abundant evidence for warm, dense gas, as well as for an outflow in the field of view. Line flux represents 2% of the 7 L_Sol luminosity detected with HIFI in the 480 to 1250 GHz range. Of the total line flux, 60% is from CO, 13% from H2O and 9% from CH3OH. A comparison with similar HIFI spectra of other sources is set to provide much new insight into star formation regions, a case in point being a difference of two orders of magnitude in the relative contribution of sulphur oxides to the line cooling of Orion KL and OMC-2 FIR 4.

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arXiv2013

High angular resolution observations towards OMC-2 FIR 4: Dissecting an intermediate-mass protocluster

OMC-2 FIR 4 is one of the closest known young intermediate-mass protoclusters, located at a distance of 420 pc in Orion. This region is one of the few where the complete 500-2000 GHz spectrum has been observed with the heterodyne spectrometer HIFI on board the Herschel satellite, and unbiased spectral surveys at 0.8, 1, 2 and 3 mm have been obtained with the JCMT and IRAM 30-m telescopes. In order to investigate the morphology of this region, we used the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer to image OMC-2 FIR 4 in the 2-mm continuum emission, as well as in DCO+(2-1), DCN(2-1), C34S(3-2), and several CH3OH lines. In addition, we analysed observations of the NH3(1,1) and (2,2) inversion transitions made with the Very Large Array of the NRAO. The resulting maps have an angular resolution which allows us to resolve structures of 5", equivalent to 2000 AU. Our observations reveal three spatially resolved sources within OMC-2 FIR 4, of one or several solar masses each, with hints of further unresolved substructure within them. Two of these sources have elongated shapes and are associated with dust continuum emission peaks, thus likely containing at least one molecular core each. One of them also displays radio continuum emission, which may be attributed to a young B3-B4 star that dominates the overall luminosity output of the region. The third source identified displays a DCO+(2-1) emission peak, and weak dust continuum emission. Its higher abundance of DCO+ relative to the other two regions suggests a lower temperature and therefore its possible association with either a younger low-mass protostar or a starless core. It may alternatively be part of the colder envelope of OMC-2 FIR 4. Our interferometric observations evidence the complexity of this region, where multiple cores, chemical differentiation and an ionised region all coexist within an area of only 10000 AU.

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arXiv2013

Heavy water stratification in a low-mass protostar

Context: Despite the low elemental deuterium abundance in the Galaxy, enhanced molecular D/H ratios have been found in the environments of low-mass star-forming regions and, in particular, the Class 0 protostar IRAS 16293-2422. Aims: The key program Chemical HErschel Surveys of Star forming regions (CHESS) aims at studying the molecular complexity of the interstellar medium. The high sensitivity and spectral resolution of the Herschel/HIFI instrument provide a unique opportunity to observe the fundamental 1_{1,1}-0_{0,0} transition of ortho-D2O at 607 GHz and the higher energy 2_{1,2}-1_{0,1} transition of para-D2O at 898 GHz, both of which are inaccessible from the ground. Methods: The ortho-D2O transition at 607 GHz was previously detected. We present in this paper the first tentative detection for the para-D2O transition at 898 GHz. The spherical Monte Carlo radiative transfer code RATRAN was used to reproduce the observed line profiles of D2O with the same method that was used to reproduce the HDO and H2-18O line profiles in IRAS 16293-2422. Results: As for HDO, the absorption component seen on the D2O lines can only be reproduced by adding an external absorbing layer, possibly created by the photodesorption of the ices at the edges of the molecular cloud. The D2O column density is found to be about 2.5e12 cm^{-2} in this added layer, leading to a D2O/H2O ratio of about 0.5%. At a 3 sigma uncertainty, upper limits of 0.03% and 0.2% are obtained for this ratio in the hot corino and the colder envelope of IRAS 16293-2422, respectively. Conclusions: The deuterium fractionation derived in our study suggests that the ices present in IRAS 16293-2422 formed on warm dust grains (~15-20 K) in dense (~1e4-5e4 cm^{-3}) translucent clouds. These results allow us to address the earliest phases of star formation and the conditions in which ices form.

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arXiv2013

The HIFI spectral survey of AFGL2591 (CHESS). I. Highly excited linear rotor molecules in the high-mass protostellar envelope

We aim to reveal the gas energetics in the circumstellar environment of the prototypical high-mass protostellar object AFGL2591 using space-based far-infrared observations of linear rotor molecules. Rotational spectral line signatures of CO, HCO+, CS, HCN and HNC from a 490-1240 GHz survey with Herschel/HIFI, complemented by ground-based JCMT and IRAM 30m spectra, cover transitions with E(up)/k between 5 and ~300 K (750K for 12C16O, using selected frequency settings up to 1850 GHz). The resolved spectral line profiles are used to separate and study various kinematic components. The line profiles show two emission components, the widest and bluest of which is attributed to an approaching outflow and the other to the envelope. We find evidence for progressively more redshifted and wider line profiles from the envelope gas with increasing energy level, qualitatively explained by residual outflow contribution picked up in the systematically decreasing beam size. Integrated line intensities for each species decrease as E(up)/k increases from <50 to 700K. We constrain the following: n(H2)~10^5-10^6 cm^-3 and T~60-200K for the outflow gas; T=9-17K and N(H2)~3x10^21 cm^-2 for a known foreground absorption cloud; N(H2)<10^19 cm^-2 for a second foreground component. Our spherical envelope radiative transfer model systematically underproduces observed line emission at E(up)/k > 150 K for all species. This indicates that warm gas should be added to the model and that the model's geometry should provide low optical depth pathways for line emission from this warm gas to escape, for example in the form of UV heated outflow cavity walls viewed at a favorable inclination angle. Physical and chemical conditions derived for the outflow gas are similar to those in the protostellar envelope, possibly indicating that the modest velocity (<10 km/s) outflow component consists of recently swept-up gas.

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arXiv2012

The Abundance, Ortho/Para Ratio, and Deuteration of Water in the High-Mass Star Forming Region NGC 6334 I

We present Herschel/HIFI observations of 30 transitions of water isotopologues toward the high-mass star forming region NGC 6334 I. The line profiles of H_2^{16}O, H_2^{17}O, H_2^{18}O, and HDO show a complex pattern of emission and absorption components associated with the embedded hot cores, a lower-density envelope, two outflow components, and several foreground clouds, some associated with the NGC 6334 complex, others seen in projection against the strong continuum background of the source. Our analysis reveals an H2O ortho/para ratio of 3 +/- 0.5 in the foreground clouds, as well as the outflow. The water abundance varies from ~10^{-8} in the foreground clouds and the outer envelope to ~10^{-6} in the hot core. The hot core abundance is two orders of magnitude below the chemical model predictions for dense, warm gas, but within the range of values found in other Herschel/HIFI studies of hot cores and hot corinos. This may be related to the relatively low gas and dust temperature (~100 K), or time dependent effects, resulting in a significant fraction of water molecules still locked up in dust grain mantles. The HDO/H_2O ratio in NGC 6334 I, ~2 10^{-4}, is also relatively low, but within the range found in other high-mass star forming regions.

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