arXiv subjects

J. R. Goicoechea

Publications and source records attributed to J. R. Goicoechea.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Searching for the elusive CH2+ with the James Webb Space Telescope. Another carbocation to constrain astrochemical networks

Carbocations are key species in interstellar chemistry, providing entry points for building larger hydrocarbons. CH+, and more recently, CH3+, have been detected. Other carbocations await detection to provide a comprehensive view of the astrochemical network that is at work in the interstellar medium. We search for CH2+ in objects in which CH3+ was detected and evaluate the most favorable conditions for detecting the elusive CH2+ reactive cation. We calculated the CH2+ rotational and rovibrational transitions expected to contribute in the mid- to far-infrared, focusing on the lower-energy rovibrational levels. We then calculated CH2+ infrared emission spectra at different excitation temperatures and compared them to JWST spectra of the externally irradiated disk d203-506 in Orion, where CH+ and CH3+ have already been detected. We used thermochemical models to predict the abundance and spatial morphology of CH2+ to better understand its nondetection. The comparison to JWST spectra allowed us to provide excitation-temperature-dependent upper limits to the excited column density. These are several times lower than those detected for CH+ and CH3+ in their excited states. Based on model calculations for photodissociation regions and assuming similar excitation temperatures, the upper limit derived from observations and CH2+ model spectrum is either slightly above or below the column density expected from models of photodissociation regions. We provide a list of tabulated transitions to allow the community to search for this carbocation in future observations as CH2+ is key in providing observational constraints on astrochemical models.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

Velocity-resolved [O I] 63,145 um, [C II] 158 um, and OH mapping along the Orion BN/KL explosive outflow and irradiated shocks

Stellar mergers produce explosive outflows that serve as transient sources of IR line luminosity and inject mechanical energy early into the natal molecular cloud. We present the first velocity-resolved maps of the [O I] 63 and 145 um fine-structure line emission from the wide-angle outflow in Orion BN/KL, the nearest explosive outflow. The data were obtained with SOFIA and include sensitive [C II] 158 um and OH maps. They allowed us to disentangle the quiescent cloud gas from the outflow, traced by a broader [O I] component with a line FWHM of about 20-30 km/s and exhibiting a spatial distribution similar to that of the shock-excited H2 emission seen with JWST. The OH 119 um line shows a prominent P-Cygni profile covering 160 km/s, similar to the very broad CO lines. The total [O I] 63 and 145 line luminosity is remarkably high, 86.5 L_sun, comparable to the H2 and CO line luminosities, implying an outflow mass-loss rate of (9.1+/-2.6)x10^-3 M_sun/yr and a mass of 3.3-5.9 M_sun. The [O I] 63 / 145 and [O I] 63 / [C II] 158 intensity ratios reach very high values in the line wings (20-30 and 40-60, respectively), exceeding those found in PDRs. These ratios are consistent with the presence of dense (10^5 to 10^6 cm^-3 ) and warm (~500 K) postshock gas. We analyzed the fine-structure line-wing intensities using magnetized shock models that include UV irradiation, to which the [C II] 158 line intensity is particularly sensitive. We find that the [O I] and [C II] intensities are consistent with emission from dissociative J-type shocks with velocities of 30-40 km/s and preshock gas densities of a few 10^4 cm^-3, illuminated by external UV radiation generated by surrounding fast shocks and possibly by massive (proto)stars in the region. We also report a broad [O I] emission feature around the BN star, which we attribute to an unresolved outflow or wind bow shock.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

PDRs4All XVIII. JWST-NIRCam Photometric properties of protoplanetary disks in the Orion Nebula Cluster

We use the high angular resolution NIRCam images from the PDRs4All program, combined with those of GTO program 1256, to extract key properties of disks in the Orion Nebula Cluster. We measure disk radii in silhouette against the bright background, identify dissociation fronts (DFs) and ionization fronts (IFs), determine Paschen $α$ intensities, and derive near-infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs). From these diagnostics we define a typology of ONC disks. Type I sources show merged IFs and DFs close to the disk surface. Type II sources have DFs at the disk surface and IFs located tens of astronomical units away. Type III sources show a DF at the disk surface but no IF. For all types, PAH emission traces the PDR. We find that the disk radius $r_{\rm disk}$ increases with projected distance to the ionizing source $d_{\rm proj}$, following $r_{\rm disk} \propto d_{\rm proj}^{0.30}$, consistent with disk truncation by photoevaporation. Disk radii measured in the infrared are larger than those measured at millimeter wavelengths, suggesting radial dust segregation within the disks. In agreement with PDR models, the thermal pressure in the disk PDR increases with the FUV radiation field $G_0$, but with a flatter slope. Finally, the SEDs of candidate Jupiter Mass Binary Objects (JuMBOs) are similar to those of Type III disks, except for JuMBO24, which resembles a Type I or Type II source. Its SED is consistent with a young low-mass binary hosting an unresolved ionized disk.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

JWST reveals cosmic ray dominated chemistry in the local ULIRG IRAS 07251$-$0248

We analyse the ro-vibrational absorption bands of various molecular cations (HCO$^+$, HCNH$^+$, and N$_2$H$^+$) and neutral species (HCN, HNC, and HC$_3$N) detected in the \textit{James Webb Space Telescope}/Mid-Infrared Instrument Medium Resolution Spectrometer spectrum (4.9--27.9\,$\upmu$m) of the local ultra luminous infrared galaxy IRAS~07251$-$0248. We find that the molecular absorptions are blueshifted by 160\,km\,s$^{-1}$ relative to the systemic velocity of the target. Using local thermal equilibrium (LTE) excitation models, we derive rotational temperatures ($T_{\rm rot}$) from 42 to 185\,K for these absorption bands. This range of measured $T_{\rm rot}$ can be explained by infrared (IR) radiative pumping as a by--product of the strength, effective critical density, and opacity of each molecular band. Thus, these results suggest that these absorptions originate in a warm expanding gas shell ($\dot{M}$$\sim$90--330\,$M_\odot$\,yr$^{-1}$), which might be the base of the larger scale cold molecular outflow detected in this source. Finally, the elevated abundance of molecular cations can be explained by a high cosmic ray ionization rate, with log($ζ_{\text{H}_2}$/n$_{\rm H}\, [\text{cm}^3\, \text{s}^{-1}])$ in the range of $-$18.2 (from H$_3^+$) to $-$19.1 (inferred from HCO$^+$ and N$_2$H$^+$, which are likely tracing denser gas), consistent with a cosmic ray dominated chemistry as predicted by chemical models.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

Low D/H ratio for benzonitrile in TMC-1: Implication for the origin of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cold dark clouds

Radioastronomical observations have recently discovered PAHs of moderate size (up to 24 carbon atoms) in cold dark clouds, although it is currently unknown whether they are formed in situ through a bottom-up mechanism or from larger PAHs (20-100 carbon atoms) inherited from a previous diffuse stage in a top-down scenario. Infrared observations have recently shown that large PAHs present in UV-illuminated regions are strongly enriched in deuterium. In order to shed light on the origin of PAHs in cold clouds, we have searched for deuterated benzonitrile in the cold dark cloud TMC-1. To that purpose we have synthesized the three isomers (ortho, meta, and para) of monodeuterated benzonitrile, measured their rotational spectra across the 2-18 GHz and 75-110 GHz frequency ranges in the laboratory, and searched for them in TMC-1 using data from the QUIJOTE line survey. We did not detect any of the three species and have derived a 3sigma upper limit on the column density of each of them of 3.0e10 cm-2, meaning a fractional abundance relative to H2 of <3e-12. We derived a D/H ratio (which we define as the total number of D atoms with respect to the total number of H atoms present in benzonitrile) of <1.2 %. This value is in line with the range of D/H ratios observed for other molecules in TMC-1 (0.06-3.3 %), where deuterium enrichment is explained in terms of isotopic fractionation at low temperature. It is however below the range of D/H ratios derived for large unspecific PAHs from JWST observations of the galactic PDRs Orion Bar and M17 and the galaxies M51 and NGC3256-S (between 1% and <17%). Although it is not straightforward to compare the deuteration of PAHs in dark and UV-irradiated clouds, our results suggest that the population of PAHs detected in cold dark clouds does not result from the fragmentation of larger PAHs inherited from the previous diffuse stage in a top-down scenario.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

PDRs4All XV: CH radical and H$_3^+$ molecular ion in the irradiated protoplanetary disk d203-506

Most protoplanetary disks experience a phase in which they are subjected to strong ultraviolet radiation from nearby massive stars. This UV radiation can substantially alter their chemistry by producing numerous radicals and molecular ions. In this Letter we present detailed analysis of the JWST-NIRSpec spectrum of the d203-506 obtained as part of the PDRs4All Early Release Science program. Using state-of-the-art spectroscopic data, we searched for species using a multi-molecule fitting tool, PAHTATmol, that we developed for this purpose. Based on this analysis, we report the clear detection of ro-vibrational emission of the CH radical and likely detection of the H$_3^+$ molecular ion, with estimated abundances of a few times 10$^{-7}$ and approximately 10$^{-8}$, respectively. The presence of CH is predicted by gas-phase models and well explained by hydrocarbon photochemistry. H$_3^+$ is usually formed through reactions of H$_2$ with H$_2^+$ originating from cosmic ray ionization of H$_2$. However, recent theoretical studies suggest that H$_3^+$ also forms through UV-driven chemistry in strongly irradiated ($G_0>$10$^3$), dense ($n_{\rm H} >10^{6}$ cm$^{-3}$) gas. The latter is favored as an explanation for the presence of ``hot'' H$_3^+$ ($T_{\rm ex}\gtrsim$1000 K) in the outer disk layers of d203-506, coinciding with the emission of FUV-pumped H$_2$ and other ``PDR species'', such as CH$^+$, CH$_3^+$, and OH. Our detection of infrared emission from vibrationally excited H$_3^+$ and CH raises questions about their excitation mechanisms and, underscore that UV radiation can have a profound impact on the chemistry of planet forming disks. They also demonstrate the power of JWST pushing the limit for the detection of elusive species in protoplanetary disks.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

PDRs4All. XII. FUV-driven formation of hydrocarbon radicals and their relation with PAHs

We present subarcsecond-resolution ALMA mosaics of the Orion Bar PDR in [CI] 609um, C2H (4-3), and C18O (3-2) emission lines complemented by JWST images of H2 and aromatic infrared band (AIB) emission. The rim of the Bar shows very corrugated structures made of small-scale H2 dissociation fronts (DFs). The [CI] 609 um emission peaks very close (~0.002 pc) to the main H2-emitting DFs, suggesting the presence of gas density gradients. These DFs are also bright and remarkably similar in C2H emission, which traces "hydrocarbon radical peaks" characterized by very high C2H abundances, reaching up to several x10^-7. The high abundance of C2H and of related hydrocarbon radicals, such as CH3, CH2, and CH, can be attributed to gas-phase reactions driven by elevated temperatures, the presence of C+ and C, and the reactivity of FUV-pumped H2. The hydrocarbon radical peaks roughly coincide with maxima of the 3.4/3.3 um AIB intensity ratio, a proxy for the aliphatic-to-aromatic content of PAHs. This implies that the conditions triggering the formation of simple hydrocarbons also favor the formation (and survival) of PAHs with aliphatic side groups, potentially via the contribution of bottom-up processes in which abundant hydrocarbon radicals react in situ with PAHs. Ahead of the DFs, in the atomic PDR zone (where [H]>>[H2]), the AIB emission is the brightest, but small PAHs and carbonaceous grains undergo photo-processing due to the stronger FUV field. Our detection of trace amounts of C2H in this zone may result from the photoerosion of these species. This study provides a spatially resolved view of the chemical stratification of key carbon carriers in a PDR. Overall, both bottom-up and top-down processes appear to link simple hydrocarbon molecules with PAHs in molecular clouds; however, the exact chemical pathways and their relative contributions remain to be quantified.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

Multiline observations of hydrogen, helium, and carbon radio-recombination lines toward Orion A: A detailed dynamical study and direct determination of physical conditions

We present a study of hydrogen, helium, and carbon millimeter-wave radio-recombination lines (RRLs) toward ten representative positions throughout the Orion Nebula complex, using the Yebes 40m telescope in the Q band (31.3 GHz to 50.6 GHz) at an angular resolution of about $45\arcsec$ ($\sim$0.09\,pc). The observed positions include the Orion Nebula (M42) with the Orion Molecular Core 1, M43, and the Orion Molecular Core 3 bordering on NGC 1973, 1975, and 1977. While hydrogen and helium RRLs arise in the ionized gas surrounding the massive stars in the Orion Nebula complex, carbon RRLs stem from the neutral gas of the adjacent photo-dissociation regions (PDRs). The high velocity resolution ($0.3\,\mathrm{km\,s^{-1}}$) enables us to discern the detailed dynamics of the RRL emitting neutral and ionized gas. We compare the carbon RRLs with SOFIA/upGREAT observations of the [CII] $158\,μ\mathrm{m}$ line and IRAM 30m observations of the $^{13}$CO (J=2-1) line. Using the [CII] and [$^{13}$CII] intensities with the carbon RRL intensities, we can infer physical conditions (electron temperature and electron density) in the PDR gas using non-LTE excitation models. Our observations are sensitive enough to detect faint lines toward two positions in OMC1, that may be attributed to RRLs of C$^+$ or O$^+$. In general, the RRL line widths of both the ionized and neutral gas, as well as the [CII] and $^{13}$CO line widths, are broader than thermal, indicating significant turbulence in the interstellar medium, which transitions from super-Alfvénic and subsonic in the ionized gas to sub-Alfvénic and supersonic in the molecular gas. At the scales probed by our observations, the turbulent pressure dominates the pressure balance in the neutral and molecular gas, while in the ionized gas the turbulent pressure is much smaller than the thermal pressure.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

Emergence of high-mass stars in complex fiber networks (EMERGE). I. Early ALMA Survey: observations and massive data reduction

(Abridged) Recent molecular surveys have revealed a rich gas organization of sonic-like fibers in all kind of environments prior to the formation of low- and high-mass stars. This paper introduces the EMERGE project aiming to investigate whether complex fiber arrangements could explain the origin of high-mass stars and clusters. We analyzed the EMERGE Early ALMA Survey including 7 star-forming regions in Orion (OMC-1/2/3/4 South, L1641N, NGC2023, and Flame Nebula) homogeneously surveyed in both molecular lines (N$_2$H$^+$ J=1-0, HNC J=1-0, plus HC3N J=10-9) and 3mm-continuum using a combination of interferometric ALMA mosaics and IRAM-30m single-dish (SD) maps. Based on our low-resolution (SD) observations, we describe the global properties of our sample covering a wide range of physical conditions including low-, intermediate, and high-mass star-forming regions in different evolutionary stages. Their comparison with ancillary YSO catalogs denotes N$_2$H$^+$ as the best proxy for the dense, star-forming gas in our targets showing a constant star formation efficiency and a fast time evolution of <1 Myr. While apparently clumpy and filamentary in our SD data, all targets show a much more complex fibrous substructure at the enhanced resolution of our ALMA+IRAM-30m maps. A large number of filamentary features at sub-parsec scales are clearly recognized in the high-density gas traced by N$_2$H$^+$ directly connected to the formation of individual protostars. This complex gas organization appears to extend further into the more diffuse gas traced by HNC. This paper presents the EMERGE Early ALMA survey including a first data release of continuum maps and spectral products for this project to be analysed in future papers of this series. A first look at these results illustrates the need of advanced data combination techniques to investigate the intrinsic multi-scale, gas structure of the ISM.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

HCN emission from translucent gas and UV-illuminated cloud edges revealed by wide-field IRAM 30m maps of Orion B GMC: Revisiting its role as tracer of the dense gas reservoir for star formation

We present 5 deg^2 (~250 pc^2) HCN, HNC, HCO+, and CO J=1-0 maps of the Orion B GMC, complemented with existing wide-field [CI] 492 GHz maps, as well as new pointed observations of rotationally excited HCN, HNC, H13CN, and HN13C lines. We detect anomalous HCN J=1-0 hyperfine structure line emission almost everywhere in the cloud. About 70% of the total HCN J=1-0 luminosity arises from gas at A_V < 8 mag. The HCN/CO J=1-0 line intensity ratio shows a bimodal behavior with an inflection point at A_V < 3 mag typical of translucent gas and UV-illuminated cloud edges. We find that most of the HCN J=1-0 emission arises from extended gas with n(H2) ~< 10^4 cm^-3, even lower density gas if the ionization fraction is > 10^-5 and electron excitation dominates. This result explains the low-A_V branch of the HCN/CO J=1-0 intensity ratio distribution. Indeed, the highest HCN/CO ratios (~0.1) at A_V < 3 mag correspond to regions of high [CI] 492 GHz/CO J=1-0 intensity ratios (>1) characteristic of low-density PDRs. Enhanced FUV radiation favors the formation and excitation of HCN on large scales, not only in dense star-forming clumps. The low surface brightness HCN and HCO+ J=1-0 emission scale with I_FIR (a proxy of the stellar FUV radiation field) in a similar way. Together with CO J=1-0, these lines respond to increasing I_FIR up to G0~20. On the other hand, the bright HCN J=1-0 emission from dense gas in star-forming clumps weakly responds to I_FIR once the FUV radiation field becomes too intense (G0>1500). The different power law scalings (produced by different chemistries, densities, and line excitation regimes) in a single but spatially resolved GMC resemble the variety of Kennicutt-Schmidt law indexes found in galaxy averages. As a corollary for extragalactic studies, we conclude that high HCN/CO J=1-0 line intensity ratios do not always imply the presence of dense gas.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

The extremely sharp transition between molecular and ionized gas in the Horsehead nebula

(Abridged) Massive stars can determine the evolution of molecular clouds with their strong ultraviolet (UV) radiation fields. Moreover, UV radiation is relevant in setting the thermal gas pressure in star-forming clouds, whose influence can extend from the rims of molecular clouds to entire star-forming galaxies. Probing the fundamental structure of nearby molecular clouds is therefore crucial to understand how massive stars shape their surrounding medium and how fast molecular clouds are destroyed, specifically at their UV-illuminated edges, where models predict an intermediate zone of neutral atomic gas between the molecular cloud and the surrounding ionized gas whose size is directly related to the exposed physical conditions. We present the highest angular resolution (~$0.5$", corresponding to $207$ au) and velocity-resolved images of the molecular gas emission in the Horsehead nebula, using CO J=3-2 and HCO$^+$ J=4-3 observations with ALMA. We find that CO and HCO$^+$ are present at the edge of the cloud, very close to the ionization (H$^+$/H) and dissociation fronts (H/H$_2$), suggesting a very thin layer of neutral atomic gas (<$650$ au) and a small amount of CO-dark gas ($A_V=0.006-0.26$ mag) for stellar UV illumination conditions typical of molecular clouds in the Milky Way. The new ALMA observations reveal a web of molecular gas filaments with an estimated thermal gas pressure of $P_{\mathrm{th}} = (2.3 - 4.0) \times 10^6$ K cm$^{-3}$, and the presence of a steep density gradient at the cloud edge that can be well explained by stationary isobaric PDR models with pressures consistent with our estimations. However, in the HII region and PDR interface, we find $P_{\mathrm{th,PDR}} > P_{\mathrm{th,HII}}$, suggesting the gas is slightly compressed. Therefore, dynamical effects cannot be completely ruled out and even higher angular observations will be needed to unveil their role.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Gas phase Elemental abundances in Molecular cloudS (GEMS) VII. Sulfur elemental abundance

Gas phase Elemental abundances in molecular CloudS (GEMS) is an IRAM 30m large program aimed at determining the elemental abundances of carbon (C), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), and sulfur (S) in a selected set of prototypical star-forming filaments. In particular, the elemental abundance of S remains uncertain by several orders of magnitude and its determination is one of the most challenging goals of this program. We have carried out an extensive chemical modeling of the fractional abundances of CO, HCO$^+$, HCN, HNC, CS, SO, H$_2$S, OCS, and HCS$^+$ to determine the sulfur depletion toward the 244 positions in the GEMS database. These positions sample visual extinctions from A$_V$ $\sim$ 3 mag to $>$50 mag, molecular hydrogen densities ranging from a few 10$^3$~cm$^{-3}$ to 3$\times$10$^6$~cm$^{-3}$, and T$_k$ $\sim$ 10$-$35 K. Most of the positions in Taurus and Perseus are best fitted assuming early-time chemistry, t=0.1 Myr, $ζ_{H_2}$$\sim$ (0.5$-$1)$\times$10$^{-16}$ s$^{-1}$, and [S/H]$\sim$1.5$\times$10$^{-6}$. On the contrary, most of the positions in Orion are fitted with t=1~Myr and $ζ_{H_2}$$\sim$ 10$^{-17}$ s$^{-1}$. Moreover, $\sim$40% of the positions in Orion are best fitted assuming the undepleted sulfur abundance, [S/H]$\sim$1.5$\times$10$^{-5}$. Our results suggest that sulfur depletion depends on the environment. While the abundances of sulfur-bearing species are consistent with undepleted sulfur in Orion, a depletion factor of $\sim$20 is required to explain those observed in Taurus and Perseus. We propose that differences in the grain charge distribution in the envelopes of the studied clouds might explain these variations. The shocks associated with past and ongoing star formation could also contribute to enhance [S/H] in Orion.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Dents in the Veil: Protostellar feedback in Orion

Interest in stellar feedback has recently increased because new studies suggest that radiative and mechanical feedback from young massive stars regulate the physical and chemical composition of the interstellar medium (ISM) significantly. Recent SOFIA [CII] 158 micron observations of the Orion Veil revealed that the expanding bubble is powered by stellar winds and influenced by previously active molecular outflows of ionizing massive stars. We aim to investigate the mechanical feedback on the whole Veil shell by searching for jets/outflows interacting with the Veil shell and determining the origin/driving mechanisms of these collisions. In the light of these findings, as well as the momenta of the dents and their dynamical timescales, we propose that the dents are created by the interaction of collimated jets/outflows from protostars with luminosities ranging from 10$^3$ to 10$^4$ $L_\odot$ indicating B-type stars in the Orion star-forming cloud with the surrounding Veil shell. However, it is challenging to pinpoint the driving stars as they may have moved from the original ejection points of the jets/outflows. We conclude that the dynamics of the expanding Veil shell is influenced not just by the O-type stars in the Trapezium cluster, but also by less massive stars, especially B-type, in the Orion Nebula. Mechanical feedback from protostars with a range of masses appears to play an important role in determining the morphology of [HII] regions and injecting turbulence into the medium.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2022

Breaking Orion's Veil bubble with fossil outflows

The role of feedback in the self-regulation of star formation is a fundamental question in astrophysics. The Orion Nebula is the nearest site of ongoing and recent massive star formation. It is a unique laboratory for the study of stellar feedback. Recent SOFIA [CII] 158 $μ$m observations revealed an expanding bubble, the Veil shell, being powered by stellar winds and ionization feedback. We have identified a protrusion-like substructure in the Northwest portion of the Orion Veil Shell that may indicate additional feedback mechanisms that are highly directional. Our goal is to investigate the origin of the protrusion by quantifying its possible driving mechanisms. We use the [CII] 158 $μ$m map of the Orion Nebula obtained with the upGREAT instrument onboard SOFIA. The spectral and spatial resolution of the observations are 0.3 km/s and 16 arcsec, respectively. We consider three possible origins for this protrusion: Fossil outflow cavities created by jets/outflows during the protostellar accretion phase, pre-existing clumpiness in the OMC-1 core, and the stellar wind during the main sequence phase. Based on the energetics and the morphology, we conclude that the northwestern part of the pre-existing cloud was locally perturbed by outflows ejected from massive protostars in the Trapezium cluster. This suggests that the protrusion of the Veil is the result of mechanical rather than radiative feedback. Furthermore, we argue that the location of the protrusion is a suitable place to break the Orion Veil owing to the photo-ablation from the walls of the protrusion. We conclude that the outflows of massive protostars can influence the morphology of the future \hii\,region and even cause breakages in the ionization front. Specifically, the interaction of stellar winds of main-sequence stars with the molecular core pre-processed by the protostellar jet is important.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

[CII] 158$μ$m emission from Orion A. II. Photodissociation region physics

The [CII] 158$μ$m fine-structure line is the dominant cooling line of moderate-density photodissociation regions (PDRs) illuminated by moderately bright far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiation fields. We aim to understand the origin of [CII] emission and its relation to other tracers of gas and dust in PDRs. One focus is a study of the heating efficiency of interstellar gas as traced by the [CII] line to test models of the photoelectric heating of neutral gas by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules and very small grains. We make use of a one-square-degree map of velocity-resolved [CII] line emission toward the Orion Nebula complex, and split this out into the individual spatial components, the expanding Veil Shell, the surface of OMC4, and the PDRs associated with the compact HII region of M43 and the reflection nebula NGC 1977. We employed Herschel far-infrared photometric images to determine dust properties. Moreover, we compared with Spitzer mid-infrared photometry to trace hot dust and large molecules, and velocity-resolved IRAM 30m CO(2-1) observations of the molecular gas. The [CII] intensity is tightly correlated with PAH emission in the IRAC 8$μ$m band and far-infrared emission from warm dust. The correlation between [CII] and CO(2-1) is very different in the four subregions and is very sensitive to the detailed geometry. Constant-density PDR models are able to reproduce the observed [CII], CO(2-1), and integrated far-infrared (FIR) intensities. We observe strong variations in the photoelectric heating efficiency in the Veil Shell behind the Orion Bar and these variations are seemingly not related to the spectral properties of the PAHs. The [CII] emission from the Orion Nebula complex stems mainly from moderately illuminated PDR surfaces. Future observations with the James Webb Space Telescope can shine light on the PAH properties that may be linked to these variations.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

Anomalous HCN emission from warm giant molecular clouds

HCN is considered a good tracer of the dense molecular gas that serves as fuel for star formation. However, recent large-scale surveys of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) have detected extended HCN line emission. Such observations often resolve the HCN J=1-0 hyperfine structure (HFS). A precise determination of the physical conditions of the gas requires treating the HFS line overlap effects. Here, we study the HCN HFS excitation and line emission using nonlocal radiative transfer models that include line overlaps and new HFS-resolved collisional rate coefficients for inelastic collisions of HCN with both para-H2 and ortho-H2 (computed via the scaled-IOS approximation up to Tk=500 K). In addition, we account for the role of electron collisions in the HFS level excitation. We find that line overlap and opacity effects frequently produce anomalous HCN J=1-0 HFS line intensity ratios (inconsistent with the common assumption of the same Tex for all HFS lines) as well as anomalous HFS line width ratios. Line overlap and electron collisions also enhance the excitation of the higher J rotational lines. Electron excitation becomes important for molecular gas with H2 densities below a few 10^5 cm-3 and electron abundances above ~10^-5. In particular, electron excitation can produce low-surface-brightness HCN emission from very extended but low-density gas in GMCs. The existence of such a widespread HCN emission component may affect the interpretation of the extragalactic relationship HCN luminosity versus star-formation rate. Alternatively, extended HCN emission may arise from dense star-forming cores and become resonantly scattered by large envelopes of lower density gas. There are two scenarios - namely, electron-assisted (weakly) collisionally excited versus scattering - that lead to different HCN J=1-0 HFS intensity ratios, which can be tested on the basis of observations.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

Observation and calibration strategies for large-scale multi-beam velocity-resolved mapping of the [CII] emission in the Orion molecular cloud

Context. The [CII] 158micron far-infrared fine-structure line is one of the dominant cooling lines of the star-forming interstellar medium (ISM). Hence [CII] emission originates in and thus can be used to trace a range of ISM processes. Velocity-resolved large-scale mapping of [CII] in star-forming regions provides a unique perspective of the kinematics of these regions and their interactions with the exciting source of radiation. Aims. We explore the scientific applications of large-scale mapping of velocity-resolved [CII] observations. With the [CII] observations, we investigate the effect of stellar feedback on the ISM. We present the details of observation, calibration, and data reduction using a heterodyne array receiver mounted on an airborne observatory. Results. A square-degree [CII] map with a spectral resolution of 0.3 km/s is presented. The scientific potential of this data is summarized with discussion of mechanical and radiative stellar feedback, filament tracing using [CII], [CII] opacity effects, [CII] and carbon recombination lines, and [CII] interaction with the large molecular cloud. The data quality and calibration is discussed in detail, and new techniques are presented to mitigate the effects of unavoidable instrument deficiencies (e.g. baseline stability) and thus to improve the data quality. A comparison with a smaller [CII] map taken with the Herschel/Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared (HIFI) spectrometer is presented.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2021

[CII] $158\,μ\mathrm{m}$ line emission from Orion A. I. A template for extragalactic studies?

The [CII] $158\,μ\mathrm{m}$ fine-structure line is one of the dominant coolants of the neutral interstellar medium. It is hence one of the brightest far-infrared emission lines and can be observed not only in star-forming regions throughout the Galaxy, but also in the diffuse interstellar medium and in distant galaxies. [CII] line emission has been suggested to be a powerful tracer of star-formation. We aim to understand the origin of [CII] emission and its relation to other tracers of interstellar gas and dust. This includes a study of the heating efficiency of interstellar gas as traced by the [CII] line to test models of gas heating. We make use of a one-square-degree map of velocity-resolved [CII] line emission towards the Orion Nebula complex, including M43 and NGC 1977. The [CII] intensity is tightly correlated with PAH emission in the IRAC $8\,μ\mathrm{m}$ band and far-infrared emission from warm dust. The correlation between [CII] and CO(2-1) is affected by the detailed geometry of the region. We find particularly low [CII]-over-FIR intensity ratios towards large columns of (warm and cold) dust, which suggest the interpretation of the "[CII] deficit" in terms of a "FIR excess". A slight decrease in the FIR line-over-continuum intensity ratio can be attributed to a decreased heating efficiency of the gas. We find that, at the mapped spatial scales, predictions of the star-formation rate from [CII] emission underestimate the star-formation rate calculated from YSO counts in the Orion Nebula complex by an order of magnitude. [CII] emission from the Orion Nebula complex arises dominantly in the cloud surfaces, many viewed in edge-on geometry. [CII] emission from extended faint cloud surfaces may contribute significantly to the total [CII] emission on galactic scales.

astro-ph.GA↗