arXiv subjects

Edwin A. Bergin

Publications and source records attributed to Edwin A. Bergin.

230 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

arXiv2002

The Chemistry of Dark Clouds: New Astrochemical Tools for Star Formation Studies

The past decade has led to significant improvements in our understanding of the physical structure of the molecular cores of cold dark clouds. Observational efforts, in combination with improved knowledge of cloud structure, now provide clear evidence that the chemistry of dark clouds is dominated by the depletion of gaseous species onto grain surfaces. We outline the basis of these observational efforts and show how the abundance determinations have moved beyond single point analyses to the derivation of abundance profiles. We discuss the basic physics of the interaction between molecules and grain surfaces and show that when physics is coupled into a chemical model there is excellent agreement, for a limited set of species, between theory and observations. We discuss our improved understanding of cloud chemistry can be used as a new tool for studies of the formation of stars and planetary systems.

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arXiv2002

The Dynamical State of Barnard 68: A Thermally Supported, Pulsating Dark Cloud

We report sensitive, high resolution molecular-line observations of the dark cloud Barnard 68 obtained with the IRAM 30-m telescope. We analyze spectral-line observations of C18O, CS(2--1), C34S(2--1), and N2H+(1--0) in order to investigate the kinematics and dynamical state of the cloud. We find extremely narrow linewidths in the central regions of the cloud. These narrow lines are consistent with thermally broadened profiles for the measured gas temperature of 10.5 K. We determine the thermal pressure to be a factor 4 -- 5 times greater than the non-thermal (turbulent) pressure in the central regions of the cloud, indicating that thermal pressure is the primary source of support against gravity in this cloud. This confirms the inference of a thermally supported cloud drawn previously from deep infrared extinction measurements. The rotational kinetic energy is found to be only a few percent of the gravitational potential energy, indicating that the contribution of rotation to the overall stability of the cloud is insignificant. Finally, our observations show that CS line is optically thick and self-reversed across nearly the entire projected surface of the cloud. The shapes of the self-reversed profiles are asymmetric and are found to vary across the cloud in such a manner that the presence of both inward and outward motions are observed within the cloud. Moreover, these motions appear to be globally organized in a clear and systematic alternating spatial pattern which is suggestive of a small amplitude, non-radial oscillation or pulsation of the outer layers of the cloud about an equilibrium configuration.

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arXiv2002

Sensitive Limits on the Water Abundance in Cold Low Mass Molecular Cores

We present SWAS observations of water vapor in two cold star-less clouds, B68 and Core D in rho Ophiuchus. Sensitive non-detections of the 1(10)-1(01) transition of o-H2O are reported for each source. Both molecular cores have been previously examined by detailed observations that have characterized the physical structure. Using these rather well defined physical properties and a Monte-Carlo radiation transfer model we have removed one of the largest uncertainties from the abundance calculation and set the lowest water abundance limit to date in cold low-mass molecular cores. These limits are < 3 x 10^{-8} (relative to H2) and < 8 x 10^{-9} in B68 and rho Oph D, respectively. Such low abundances confirm the general lack of ortho-water vapor in cold (T < 20 K) cores. Provided that the ortho/para ratio of water is not near zero, these limits are well below theoretical predictions and appear to support the suggestion that most of the water in dense low-mass cores is frozen onto the surfaces of cold dust grains.

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arXiv2002

A Survey of 557 GHz Water Vapor Emission in the NGC 1333 Molecular Cloud

Using NASA's Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) we have examined the production of water in quiescent and shocked molecular gas through a survey of the 556.936 GHz transition of ortho-H2O in the NGC 1333 molecular core. These observations reveal broad emission lines associated with the IRAS~2, IRAS~4, IRAS~7, and HH7-11 outflows. Towards 3 positions we detect narrow (~2-3 km/s) emission lines clearly associated with the ambient gas. The SWAS observations, with a resolution of 4', are supplemented with observations from the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) and by an unbiased survey of a 17' x 15' area, with 50" resolution, in the low-J transitions of CO, 13CO, C18O, N2H+, CH3OH, and SiO. Using these combined data sets, with consistent assumptions, we find beam-averaged o-H2O abundances of > 10^{-6} relative to H2O for all four outflows. A comparison of SWAS and ISO water data is consistent with non-dissociative shock models, provided the majority of the 557 GHz emission arises from cool post-shock material with enhanced abundances. In the ambient gas the o-H2O abundance is found to lie between 0.1-1 x 10^{-7} relative to H2 and is enhanced when compared to cold pre-stellar molecular cores. A comparison of the water emission with tracers of dense condensations and shock chemistry finds no clear correlation. However, the water emission appears to be associated with the presence of luminous external heating sources which power the reflection nebula and the photodissociation (PDR) region. Simple PDR models are capable of reproducing the water and high-J 13CO emission, suggesting that a PDR may account for the excitation of water in low density undepleted gas as suggested by Spaans & van Dishoeck (2001).

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arXiv2002

Abundances of Molecular Species in Barnard 68

Abundances for 5 molecules (C18O, CS, NH3, H2CO, and C3H2) and 1 molecular ion (N2H+) and upper limits for the abundances of 1 molecule (13CO) and 1 molecular ion (HCO+) are derived for gas within the Bok globule Barnard 68 (B68). The abundances were determined using our own BIMA millimeter interferometer data and single-dish data gathered from the literature, in conjunction with a Monte Carlo radiative transfer model. Since B68 is the only starless core to have its density structure strongly constrained via extinction mapping, a major uncertainty has been removed from these determinations. All abundances for B68 are lower than those derived for translucent and cold dense clouds, but perhaps only significantly for N2H+, NH3, and C3H2. Depletion of CS toward the extinction peak of B68 is hinted at by the large offset between the extinction peak and the position of maximum CS line brightness. Abundances derived here for C18O and N2H+ are consistent with other, recently determined values at positions observed in common.

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arXiv2002

Probing the Initial Conditions of Clustered Star Formation -- Large Scale On-the-Fly Mapping of Orion B at FCRAO

In order to obtain a census of the pre-stellar and star-forming molecular cores, we have begun an unbiased survey in CS and N2H+ of the L1630 and L1641 molecular clouds. The use of these two molecular species enables us to quantify and disentangle the effects of depletion often seen in CS observations of dense cores. The spectral line data will provide essential kinematical information not present in similar studies of the sub-millimeter dust-continuum, enabling us to examine the overall core to core velocity dispersion and study the effects of infall and outflows around known sub-mm and infra-red sources. Here we present our initial observations of part of L1630, taken during the commissioning phase of the FCRAO On-the-Fly Mapping system in January 2002.

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arXiv2002

N2H+ and C18O Depletion in a Cold Dark Cloud

We present sensitive, high angular resolution molecular-line observations of C18O and N2H+ toward the dark globule B68. We directly compare these data with the near-infrared extinction measurements of Alves, Lada, & Lada (2001) to derive the first evidence for the depletion of N2H+, and by inference N2, in a pre-stellar dark cloud. We also find widespread C18O depletion throughout the centrally condensed core of the B68 cloud. Specifically, we find the N2H+ emission to peak in a shell partially surrounding the peak of dust extinction. Moreover, the N2H+ peaks inside the much larger C18O depletion hole and has a smaller depletion zone, confirming theoretical predictions. These data are analyzed through a direct coupling of time dependent chemical models to a radiation transfer code. This analysis highlights the importance of photodissociation at cloud edges and suggests that the CO abundance declines by two orders of magnitude from edge to center. In contrast N2H+ declines in abundance, at minimum, by at least a factor of two. Indeed it is entirely possible that both N2H+ and N2 are completely absent from the central regions of the B68 core. The depletion of N2H+, and its parent molecule N2, opens the possibility that the centers of dense cores, prior to the formation of a star, may evade detection by conventional methods of probing cores using molecular emission. Under these conditions H2D+ may be the sole viable molecular probe of the innermost regions of star forming cores.

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arXiv2001

557 GHz Observations of Water Vapor Outflows from VY CMa and W Hydrae

We report the first detection of thermal water vapor emission in the 557 GHz, $1_{10} - 1_{01}$ ground state transition of ortho-H$_2$O toward VY Canis Majoris. In observations obtained with the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS), we measured a flux of $\sim 450 $Jy, in a spectrally resolved line centered on a velocity $v_{LSR} = 25 $km s$^{-1}$ with a full width half maximum of $\sim 35$ km s$^{-1}$, somewhat dependent on the assumed line shape. We analyze the line shape in the context of three different radial outflow models for which we provide analytical expressions. We also detected a weaker 557 GHz emission line from W Hydrae. We find that these and other H$_2$O emission line strengths scale as suggested by Zubko and Elitzur (2000).

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arXiv2001

X-ray Desorption of Molecules from Grains in Protoplanetary Disks

We examine the ability of stellar X-rays to desorb molecules from grains in outer protoplanetary disks. In particular, we consider the possibility of spot heating by X-rays and examine its effectiveness, compared to whole grain heating by X-rays, in sustaining a gas phase abundance of CO. As found in previous studies, whole grain heating is effective only for small grains (< 500 A). As a result, large grains are a permanent sink of CO and whole grain heating cannot sustain an equilibrium gas phase abundance of CO. Spot heating, in which the incident X-ray deposits energy in only a restricted region of the grain volume and which may occur as a consequence of the aggregate nature of grains, proves to be more promising. Assuming that grains are comprised of many thermal subunits that are poorly connected thermally, we find that spot heating is efficient at all grain sizes if large grains are effectively ``coated'' with small grains < 100 A in size. We discuss the implications of X-ray spot heating for the interpretation of millimeter emission line studies of outer protoplanetary disks.

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arXiv2001

Rapid Formation of Molecular Clouds and Stars in the Solar Neighborhood

Observations of both star-forming regions and young, gas-free stellar associations indicate that most nearby molecular clouds form stars only over a short time span before dispersal; large-scale flows in the diffuse interstellar medium have the potential for forming clouds sufficiently rapidly, and for producing stellar populations with ages much less than the lateral crossing times of their host molecular clouds. We identify four important factors for understanding rapid star formation and short cloud lifetimes. First, much of the accumulation and dispersal of clouds near the solar circle might occur in the atomic phase; only the high-density portion of a cloud's lifecycle is spent in the molecular phase, thus helping to limit molecular cloud ``lifetimes''. Second, once a cloud achieves a high enough column density to form $\h2$ and CO, gravitational forces become larger than typical interstellar pressure forces; thus star formation can follow rapidly upon molecular gas formation and turbulent dissipation in limited areas of each cloud complex. Third, typical magnetic fields are not strong enough to prevent rapid cloud formation and gravitational collapse. Fourth, rapid dispersal of gas by newly-formed stars, and reduction of shielding by a small expansion of the cloud after the first events of star formation, might limit the length of the star formation epoch and the lifetime of a cloud in its molecular state. This picture emphasizes the importance of large-scale boundary conditions for understanding molecular cloud formation, and implies that star formation is a highly dynamic, rather than quasi-static, process.

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arXiv1999

Chemical Models of Collapsing Envelopes

We discuss recent models of chemical evolution in the developing and collapsing protostellar envelopes associated with low-mass star formation. In particular, the effects of depletion of gas-phase molecules onto grain surfaces is considered. We show that during the middle to late evolutionary stages, prior to the formation of a protostar, various species selectively deplete from the gas phase. The principal pattern of selective depletions is the depletion of sulfur-bearing molecules relative to nitrogen-bearing species: NH3 and N2H+. This pattern is shown to be insensitive to the details of the dynamics and marginally sensitive to whether the grain mantle is dominated by polar or non-polar molecules. Based on these results we suggest that molecular ions are good tracers of collapsing envelopes. The effects of coupling chemistry and dynamics on the resulting physical evolution are also examined. Particular attention is paid to comparisons between models and observations.

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arXiv1998

Formation of Interstellar Ices Behind shock Waves

We have used a coupled dynamical and chemical model to examine the chemical changes induced by the passage of an interstellar shock in well shielded regions. Using this model we demonstrate that the formation of water in a shock will be followed in the post--shock phase by depletion of the water molecules onto the grain surfaces. To attempt to discriminate between the creation of ices behind shocks and their production by means of grain surface chemistry, we examine the deuterium chemistry of water before, during, and after a shock. We show that chemical evolution in the post--shock gas can account for both the deuterium fractionation and the abundance of carbon dioxide relative to water observed in interstellar and cometary ices. Given the pervasiveness of shocks and turbulent motions within molecular clouds, the model presented here offers an alternate theory to grain surface chemistry for the creation of ices in the interstellar medium, ices that may ultimately be incorporated into comets.

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arXiv1998

The Ionization Fraction in Dense Molecular Gas II: Massive Cores

We present an observational and theoretical study of the ionization fraction in several massive cores located in regions that are currently forming stellar clusters. Maps of the emission from the J = 1-> O transitions of C18O, DCO+, N2H+, and H13CO+, as well as the J = 2 -> 1 and J = 3 -> 2 transitions of CS, were obtained for each core. Core densities are determined via a large velocity gradient analysis with values typically 10^5 cm^-3. With the use of observations to constrain variables in the chemical calculations we derive electron fractions for our overall sample of 5 cores directly associated with star formation and 2 apparently starless cores. The electron abundances are found to lie within a small range, -6.9 < log10(x_e) < -7.3, and are consistent with previous work. We find no difference in the amount of ionization fraction between cores with and without associated star formation activity, nor is any difference found in electron abundances between the edge and center of the emission region. Thus our models are in agreement with the standard picture of cosmic rays as the primary source of ionization for molecular ions. With the addition of previously determined electron abundances for low mass cores, and even more massive cores associated with O and B clusters, we systematically examine the ionization fraction as a function of star formation activity. This analysis demonstrates that the most massive sources stand out as having the lowest electron abundances (x_e < 10^-8).

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arXiv1998

The Post-Shock Chemical Lifetimes of Outflow Tracers and a Possible New Mechanism to Produce Water Ice Mantles

We have used a coupled time-dependent chemical and dynamical model to investigate the lifetime of the chemical legacy left in the wake of C-type shocks. We concentrate this study on the chemistry of H2O and O2, two molecules which are predicted to have abundances that are significantly affected in shock-heated gas. Two models are presented: (1) a three-stage model of pre-shock, shocked, and post-shock gas; and (2) a Monte-Carlo cloud simulation where we explore the effects of stochastic shock activity on molecular gas over a cloud lifetime. In agreement with previous studies, we find that shock velocities in excess of 10 km s^-1 are required to convert all of the oxygen not locked in CO into H2O before the gas has an opportunity to cool. For pure gas-phase models the lifetime of the high water abundances, or ``H2O legacy'', in the post-shock gas is 4 - 7 x 10^5 years. Through the Monte Carlo cloud simulation we demonstrate that the time-average abundance of H2O is a sensitive function of the frequency of shocks. Thus we predict that the abundance of H2O and other known outflow tracers can be used to trace the history of shock activity in molecular gas. For gas-grain models we find that the abundance of water-ice on grain surfaces can be quite large and is comparable to that observed in molecular clouds. This offers a possible alternative method to create water mantles without resorting to grain surface chemistry: gas heating and chemical modification due to a C-type shock and subsequent depletion of the gas-phase species onto grain mantles.

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