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M. Hogerheijde

Publications and source records attributed to M. Hogerheijde.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

A Giant Molecular Cloud Catalog in the Molecular Disk of the Elliptical Galaxy NGC 5128 (Centaurus A)

We present the first census of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) complete down to 10$^6 M_{\odot}$ and within the inner 4 kpc of the nearest giant elliptical and powerful radio galaxy, Centaurus A. We identified 689 GMCs using CO(1--0) data with 1" spatial resolution ($\sim 20$ pc) and 2 km/s velocity resolution obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The $I$(CO)-$N$(H$_2$) conversion factor based on the virial method is $X_{\rm CO}$ = $(2 \pm 1 )\times10^{20}$ cm$^{-2}$(K km/s)$^{-1}$ for the entire molecular disk, consistent with that of the disks of spiral galaxies including the Milky Way, and $X_{\rm CO}$ = $(5 \pm 2)\times10^{20}$ cm$^{-2}$(K km/s)$^{-1}$ for the circumnuclear disk (CND, within a galactocentric radius of 200 pc). We obtained the GMC mass spectrum distribution and find that the best-truncated power-law fit for the whole molecular disk, with index $γ\simeq -2.41 \pm 0.02$ and upper cutoff mass $\sim 1.3 \times 10^{7} M_{\odot}$, is also in agreement with that of nearby disk galaxies. A trend is found in the mass spectrum index from steep to shallow as we move to inner radii. Although the GMCs are in an elliptical galaxy, the general GMC properties in the molecular disk are as in spiral galaxies. However, in the CND, large offsets in the line-width-size scaling relations ($\sim$ 0.3 dex higher than those in the GMCs in the molecular disk), a different $X_{\rm CO}$ factor, and the shallowest GMC mass distribution shape ($γ= -1.1 \pm 0.2$) all suggest that there the GMCs are most strongly affected by the presence of the AGN and/or shear motions.

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Disk Evolution Study Through Imaging of Nearby Young Stars (DESTINYS): Late infall causing disk misalignment and dynamic structures in SU Aur

Gas-rich circumstellar disks are the cradles of planet formation. As such, their evolution will strongly influence the resulting planet population. In the ESO DESTINYS large program, we study these disks within the first 10 Myr of their development with near-infrared scattered light imaging. Here we present VLT/SPHERE polarimetric observations of the nearby class II system SU Aur in which we resolve the disk down to scales of ~7 au. In addition to the new SPHERE observations, we utilize VLT/NACO, HST/STIS and ALMA archival data. The new SPHERE data show the disk around SU Aur and extended dust structures in unprecedented detail. We resolve several dust tails connected to the Keplerian disk. By comparison with ALMA data, we show that these dust tails represent material falling onto the disk. The disk itself shows an intricate spiral structure and a shadow lane, cast by an inner, misaligned disk component. Our observations suggest that SU Aur is undergoing late infall of material, which can explain the observed disk structures. SU Aur is the clearest observational example of this mechanism at work and demonstrates that late accretion events can still occur in the class II phase, thereby significantly affecting the evolution of circumstellar disks. Constraining the frequency of such events with additional observations will help determine whether this process is responsible for the spin-orbit misalignment in evolved exoplanet systems.

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The asymmetric inner disk of the Herbig Ae star HD 163296 in the eyes of VLTI/MATISSE: evidence for a vortex?

Context. The inner few au region of planet-forming disks is a complex environment. High angular resolution observations have a key role in understanding the disk structure and the dynamical processes at work. Aims. In this study we aim to characterize the mid-infrared brightness distribution of the inner disk of the young intermediate-mass star HD 163296, from VLTI/MATISSE observations. Methods. We use geometric models to fit the data. Our models include a smoothed ring, a flat disk with inner cavity, and a 2D Gaussian. The models can account for disk inclination and for azimuthal asymmetries as well. We also perform numerical hydro-dynamical simulations of the inner edge of the disk. Results. Our modeling reveals a significant brightness asymmetry in the L-band disk emission. The brightness maximum of the asymmetry is located at the NW part of the disk image, nearly at the position angle of the semimajor axis. The surface brightness ratio in the azimuthal variation is $3.5 \pm 0.2$. Comparing our result on the location of the asymmetry with other interferometric measurements, we confirm that the morphology of the $r<0.3$ au disk region is time-variable. We propose that this asymmetric structure, located in or near the inner rim of the dusty disk, orbits the star. For the physical origin of the asymmetry, we tested a hypothesis where a vortex is created by Rossby wave instability, and we find that a unique large scale vortex may be compatible with our data. The half-light radius of the L-band emitting region is $0.33\pm 0.01$ au, the inclination is ${52^\circ}^{+5^\circ}_{-7^\circ}$, and the position angle is $143^\circ \pm 3^\circ$. Our models predict that a non-negligible fraction of the L-band disk emission originates inside the dust sublimation radius for $μ$m-sized grains. Refractory grains or large ($\gtrsim 10\ μ$m-sized) grains could be the origin for this emission.

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Origins Space Telescope: From First Light to Life -- ESA Voyage 2050 White Paper

The Origins Space Telescope (Origins) is one of four science and technology definition studies selected by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in preparation of the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal survey in the US. Origins will trace the history of our origins from the time dust and heavy elements permanently altered the cosmic landscape to present-day life. It is designed to answer three major science questions: How do galaxies form stars, make metals, and grow their central supermassive black holes from reionization? How do the conditions for habitability develop during the process of planet formation? Do planets orbiting M-dwarf stars support life? Origins operates at mid- to far-infrared wavelengths from ~2.8 to 588 μm, is more than 1000 times more sensitive than prior far-IR missions due to its cold (~4.5 K) aperture and state-of-the-art instruments.

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Disk Evolution Study Through Imaging of Nearby Young Stars (DESTINYS): A close low mass companion to ET Cha

To understand the formation of planetary systems, one needs to understand the initial conditions of planet formation, i.e. the young gas-rich planet forming disks. Spatially resolved high-contrast observations are of particular interest, since substructures in disks, linked to planet formation, can be detected and close companions or even planets in formation embedded in the disk can be revealed. In this study we present the first result of the DESTINYS survey (Disk Evolution Study Through Imaging of Nearby Young Stars). DESTINYS is an ESO/SPHERE large program that aims at studying disk evolution in scattered light, mainly focusing on a sample of low-mass stars (<1$M_\odot$) in nearby (~200 pc) star-forming regions. In this particular study we present the observations of the ET Cha (RECX 15) system, a nearby 'old' classical T Tauri star (5-8 Myr, ~100 pc), which is still strongly accreting. We use SPHERE/IRDIS in H-band polarimetric imaging mode to obtain high contrast images of the ET Cha system to search for scattered light from the circumstellar disk as well as thermal emission from close companions. We additionally employ VLT/NACO total intensity archival data taken in 2003. We report here the discovery of a low-mass (sub)stellar companion with SPHERE/IRDIS to ET Cha. We are estimating the mass of this new companion based on photometry. Depending on the system age it is a 5 Myr, 50 $M_{Jup}$ brown dwarf or an 8 Myr, 0.10 $M_\odot$ M-type pre-main-sequence star. We explore possible orbital solutions and discuss the recent dynamic history of the system. Independent of the precise companion mass we find that the presence of the companion likely explains the small size of the disk around ET Cha. The small separation of the binary pair indicates that the disk around the primary component is likely clearing from the outside in, explaining the high accretion rate of the system.

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VLA cm-wave survey of young stellar objects in the Oph A cluster: constraining extreme UV- and X-ray-driven disk photo-evaporation -- A pathfinder for Square Kilometre Array studies

Observations of young stellar objects (YSOs) in centimeter bands can probe the continuum emission from growing dust grains, ionized winds, and magnetospheric activity, which are intimately connected to the evolution of protoplanetary disks and the formation of planets. We have carried out sensitive continuum observations toward the Ophiuchus A star-forming region using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) at 10 GHz over a field-of-view of 6$'$ with a spatial resolution of $θ_{maj}$ $\times$ $θ_{min}$ $\sim$ 0.4$''$ $\times$ 0.2$''$. We achieved a 5 $μ$Jy beam$^{-1}$ root-mean-square noise level at the center of our mosaic field of view. Among the eighteen sources we detected, sixteen are YSOs (three Class 0, five Class I, six Class II, and two Class III) and two are extragalactic candidates. We find that thermal dust emission generally contributes less that 30% of the emission at 10 GHz. The radio emission is dominated by other types of emission such as gyro-synchrotron radiation from active magnetospheres, free-free emission from thermal jets, free-free emission from the outflowing photo-evaporated disk material, and/or synchrotron emission from accelerated cosmic-rays in jet or protostellar surface shocks. These different types of emission could not be clearly disentangled. Our non-detections towards Class II/III disks suggest that extreme UV-driven photoevaporation is insufficient to explain the disk dispersal, assuming that the contribution of UV photoevaporating stellar winds to radio flux does not evolve with time. The sensitivity of our data cannot exclude photoevaporation due to X-ray photons as an efficient mechanism for disk dispersal. Deeper surveys with the Square Kilometre Array will be able to provide strong constraints on disk photoevaporation.

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ALMA survey of Class II protoplanetary disks in Corona Australis: a young region with low disk masses

In recent years, the disk populations in a number of young star-forming regions have been surveyed with ALMA. Understanding the disk properties and their correlation with those of the central star is critical to understand planet formation. In particular, a decrease of the average measured disk dust mass with the age of the region has been observed. We conducted high-sensitivity continuum ALMA observations of 43 Class II young stellar objects in CrA at 1.3 mm (230 GHz). The typical spatial resolution is 0.3". The continuum fluxes are used to estimate the dust masses of the disks, and a survival analysis is performed to estimate the average dust mass. We also obtained new VLT/X-Shooter spectra for 12 of the objects in our sample. 24 disks are detected, and stringent limits have been put on the average dust mass of the non-detections. Accounting for the upper limits, the average disk mass in CrA is $6\pm3\,\rm M_\oplus$, significantly lower than that of disks in other young (1-3 Myr) star forming regions (e.g. Lupus) and appears consistent with the 5-10 Myr old Upper Sco. The position of the stars in our sample on the HR diagram, however, seems to confirm that that CrA has age similar to Lupus. Neither external photoevaporation nor a lower than usual stellar mass distribution can explain the low disk masses. On the other hand, a low-mass disk population could be explained if the disks are small, which could happen if the parent cloud has a low temperature or intrinsic angular momentum, or if the the angular momentum of the cloud is removed by some physical mechanism such as magnetic braking. In order to fully explain and understand the dust mass distribution of protoplanetary disks and their evolution, it may also be necessary to take into consideration the initial conditions of star and disk formation process, which may vary from region to region, and affect planet formation.

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ALMA Survey of Lupus Protoplanetary Disks II: Gas Disk Radii

We present ALMA Band 6 observations of a complete sample of protoplanetary disks in the young (1-3 Myr) Lupus star-forming region, covering the 1.33 mm continuum and the 12CO, 13CO, and C18O J=2-1 lines. The spatial resolution is 0.25 arcsec with a medium 3-sigma continuum sensitivity of 0.30 mJy, corresponding to M_dust ~ 0.2 M_earth. We apply "Keplerian masking" to enhance the signal-to-noise ratios of our 12CO zero-moment maps, enabling measurements of gas disk radii for 22 Lupus disks; we find that gas disks are universally larger than mm dust disks by a factor of two on average, likely due to a combination of the optically thick gas emission as well as the growth and inward drift of the dust. Using the gas disk radii, we calculate the dimensionless viscosity parameter, alpha_visc, finding a broad distribution and no correlations with other disk or stellar parameters, suggesting that viscous processes have not yet established quasi-steady states in Lupus disks. By combining our 1.33 mm continuum fluxes with our previous 890 micron continuum observations, we also calculate the mm spectral index, alpha_mm, for 70 Lupus disks; we find an anti-correlation between alpha_mm and mm flux for low-mass disks (M_dust < 5), followed by a flattening as disks approach alpha_mm = 2, which could indicate faster grain growth in higher-mass disks, but may also reflect their larger optically thick components. In sum, this work demonstrates the continuous stream of new insights into disk evolution and planet formation that can be gleaned from unbiased ALMA disk surveys.

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Physical properties of dusty protoplanetary disks in Lupus: evidence for viscous evolution?

The formation of planets strongly depends on the total amount as well as on the spatial distribution of solids in protoplanetary disks. Thanks to the improvements in resolution and sensitivity provided by ALMA, measurements of the surface density of mm-sized grains are now possible on large samples of disks. Such measurements provide statistical constraints that can be used to inform our understanding of the initial conditions of planet formation. We analyze spatially resolved observations of 36 protoplanetary disks in the Lupus star forming complex from our ALMA survey at 890 micron, aiming to determine physical properties such as the dust surface density, the disk mass and size and to provide a constraint on the temperature profile. We fit the observations directly in the uv-plane using a two-layer disk model that computes the 890 micron emission by solving the energy balance at each disk radius. For 22 out of 36 protoplanetary disks we derive robust estimates of their physical properties. The sample covers stellar masses between ~0.1 and ~2 Solar masses, and we find no trend between the average disk temperatures and the stellar parameters. We find, instead, a correlation between the integrated sub-mm flux (a proxy for the disk mass) and the exponential cut-off radii (a proxy of the disk size) of the Lupus disks. Comparing these results with observations at similar angular resolution of Taurus-Auriga/Ophiuchus disks found in literature and scaling them to the same distance, we observe that the Lupus disks are generally fainter and larger at a high level of statistical significance. Considering the 1-2 Myr age difference between these regions, it is possible to tentatively explain the offset in the disk mass/disk size relation with viscous spreading, however with the current measurements other mechanisms cannot be ruled out.

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Science with MATISSE

We present an overview of the scientific potential of MATISSE, the Multi Aperture mid-Infrared SpectroScopic Experiment for the Very Large Telescope Interferometer. For this purpose we outline selected case studies from various areas, such as star and planet formation, active galactic nuclei, evolved stars, extrasolar planets, and solar system minor bodies and discuss strategies for the planning and analysis of future MATISSE observations. Moreover, the importance of MATISSE observations in the context of complementary high-angular resolution observations at near-infrared and submillimeter/millimeter wavelengths is highlighted.

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An overview of the mid-infrared spectro-interferometer MATISSE: science, concept, and current status

MATISSE is the second-generation mid-infrared spectrograph and imager for the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) at Paranal. This new interferometric instrument will allow significant advances by opening new avenues in various fundamental research fields: studying the planet-forming region of disks around young stellar objects, understanding the surface structures and mass loss phenomena affecting evolved stars, and probing the environments of black holes in active galactic nuclei. As a first breakthrough, MATISSE will enlarge the spectral domain of current optical interferometers by offering the L and M bands in addition to the N band. This will open a wide wavelength domain, ranging from 2.8 to 13 um, exploring angular scales as small as 3 mas (L band) / 10 mas (N band). As a second breakthrough, MATISSE will allow mid-infrared imaging - closure-phase aperture-synthesis imaging - with up to four Unit Telescopes (UT) or Auxiliary Telescopes (AT) of the VLTI. Moreover, MATISSE will offer a spectral resolution range from R ~ 30 to R ~ 5000. Here, we present one of the main science objectives, the study of protoplanetary disks, that has driven the instrument design and motivated several VLTI upgrades (GRA4MAT and NAOMI). We introduce the physical concept of MATISSE including a description of the signal on the detectors and an evaluation of the expected performances. We also discuss the current status of the MATISSE instrument, which is entering its testing phase, and the foreseen schedule for the next two years that will lead to the first light at Paranal.

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Volatile carbon locking and release in protoplanetary disks. A study of TW Hya and HD 100546

The composition of planetary solids and gases is largely rooted in the processing of volatile elements in protoplanetary disks. To shed light on the key processes, we carry out a comparative analysis of the gas-phase carbon abundance in two systems with a similar age and disk mass, but different central stars: HD 100546 and TW Hya. We combine our recent detections of C$^{0}$ in these disks with observations of other carbon reservoirs (CO, C$^{+}$, C$_{2}$H) and gas mass and warm gas tracers (HD, O$^{0}$), as well as spatially resolved ALMA observations and the spectral energy distribution. The disks are modelled with the DALI 2D physical-chemical code. Stellar abundances for HD 100546 are derived from archival spectra. Upper limits on HD emission from HD 100546 place an upper limit on the total disk mass of $\leq0.1\,M_{\odot}$. The gas-phase carbon abundance in the atmosphere of this warm Herbig disk is at most moderately depleted compared to the interstellar medium, with [C]/[H]$_{\rm gas}=(0.1-1.5)\times 10^{-4}$. HD 100546 itself is a $λ\,$Boötis star, with solar abundances of C and O but a strong depletion of rock-forming elements. In the gas of the T Tauri disk TW Hya, both C and O are strongly underabundant, with [C]/[H]$_{\rm gas}=(0.2-5.0)\times 10^{-6}$ and C/O${>}1$. We discuss evidence that the gas-phase C and O abundances are high in the warm inner regions of both disks. Our analytical model, including vertical mixing and a grain size distribution, reproduces the observed [C]/[H]$_{\rm gas}$ in the outer disk of TW Hya and allows to make predictions for other systems.

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Probing the 2D temperature structure of protoplanetary disks with Herschel observations of high-J CO lines

The gas temperature structure of protoplanetary disks is a key ingredient for interpreting various disk observations and for quantifying the subsequent evolution of these systems. The comparison of low- and mid-$J$ CO rotational lines is a powerful tool to assess the temperature gradient in the warm molecular layer of disks. Spectrally resolved high-$J$ ($J_{\rm u} > 14$) CO lines probe intermediate distances and heights from the star that are not sampled by (sub-)millimeter CO spectroscopy. This paper presents new {\it Herschel}/HIFI and archival PACS observations of $^{12}$CO, $^{13}$CO and \cii \ emission in 4 Herbig AeBe (HD 100546, HD 97048, IRS 48, HD 163296) and 3 T Tauri (AS 205, S CrA, TW Hya) disks. In the case of the T Tauri systems AS 205 and S CrA, the CO emission has a single-peaked profile, likely due to a slow wind. For all other systems, the {\it Herschel} CO spectra are consistent with pure disk emission and the spectrally-resolved lines (HIFI) and the CO rotational ladder (PACS) are analyzed simultaneously assuming power-law temperature and column density profiles, using the velocity profile to locate the emission in the disk. The temperature profile varies substantially from disk to disk. In particular, $T_{\rm gas}$ in the disk surface layers can differ by up to an order of magnitude among the 4 Herbig AeBe systems with HD 100546 being the hottest and HD 163296 the coldest disk of the sample. Clear evidence of a warm disk layer where $T_{\rm gas} > T_{\rm dust}$ is found in all the Herbig Ae disks. The observed CO fluxes and line profiles are compared to predictions of physical-chemical models. The primary parameters affecting the disk temperature structure are the flaring angle, the gas-to-dust mass ratio the scale height and the dust settling.

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Observations and modelling of CO and [CI] in disks. First detections of [CI] and constraints on the carbon abundance

The gas-solid budget of carbon in protoplanetary disks is related to the composition of the cores and atmospheres of the planets forming in them. The key gas-phase carbon carriers CO, C$^{0}$ and C$^{+}$ can now be observed in disks. The gas-phase carbon abundance in disks has not yet been well characterized, we aim to obtain new constraints on the [C]/[H] ratio in a sample of disks, and to get an overview of the strength of [CI] and warm CO emission. We carried out a survey of the CO$\,6$--$5$ and [CI]$\,1$--$0$ and $2$--$1$ lines towards $37$ disks with APEX, and supplemented it with [CII] data from the literature. The data are interpreted using a grid of models produced with the DALI code. We also investigate how well the gas-phase carbon abundance can be determined in light of parameter uncertainties. The CO$\,6$--$5$ line is detected in $13$ out of $33$ sources, the [CI]$\,1$--$0$ in $6$ out of $12$, and the [CI]$\,2$--$1$ in $1$ out of $33$. With deep integrations, the first unambiguous detections of [CI]~$1$--$0$ in disks are obtained, in TW~Hya and HD~100546. Gas-phase carbon abundance reductions of a factor $5$--$10$ or more can be identified robustly based on CO and [CI] detections. The atomic carbon detection in TW~Hya confirms a factor $100$ reduction of [C]/[H]$_{\rm gas}$ in that disk, while the data are consistent with an ISM-like carbon abundance for HD~100546. In addition, BP~Tau, T~Cha, HD~139614, HD~141569, and HD~100453 are either carbon-depleted or gas-poor disks. The low [CI]~$2$--$1$ detection rates in the survey mostly reflect insufficient sensitivity to detect T~Tauri disks. The Herbig~Ae/Be disks with CO and [CII] upper limits below the models are debris disk like systems. A roughly order of magnitude increase in sensitivity compared to our survey is required to obtain useful constraints on the gas-phase [C]/[H] ratio in most of the targeted systems.

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Probing the radial temperature structure of protoplanetary disks with Herschel/HIFI

Herschel/HIFI spectroscopic observations of CO J=10-9, CO J=16-15 and [CII] towards HD 100546 are presented. The objective is to resolve the velocity profile of the lines to address the emitting region of the transitions and directly probe the distribution of warm gas in the disk. The spectra reveal double-peaked CO line profiles centered on the systemic velocity, consistent with a disk origin. The J=16-15 line profile is broader than that of the J=10-9 line, which in turn is broader than those of lower J transitions (6-5, 3-2, observed with APEX), thus showing a clear temperature gradient of the gas with radius. A power-law flat disk model is used to fit the CO line profiles and the CO rotational ladder simultaneously, yielding a temperature of T_0=1100 \pm 350 K (at r_0 = 13 AU) and an index of q=0.85 \pm 0.1 for the temperature radial gradient. This indicates that the gas has a steeper radial temperature gradient than the dust (mean q_{dust} ~ 0.5), providing further proof of the thermal decoupling of gas and dust at the disk heights where the CO lines form. The [CII] line profile shows a strong single-peaked profile red-shifted by 0.5 km s-1 compared to the systemic velocity. We conclude that the bulk of the [CII] emission has a non-disk origin (e.g., remnant envelope or diffuse cloud).

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Adaptable Radiative Transfer Innovations for Submillimetre Telescopes (ARTIST) - Dust polarisation module (DustPol)

We present a new publicly available tool (DustPol) aimed to model the polarised thermal dust emission. The module DustPol, which is publicly available, is part of the ARTIST (Adaptable Radiative Transfer Innovations for Submillimetre Telescopes) package, which also offers tools for modelling the polarisation of line emission together with a model library and a Python-based user interface. DustPol can easily manage analytical as well as pre-gridded models to generate synthetic maps of the Stokes I, Q, and U parameters. These maps are stored in FITS format which is straightforwardly read by the data reduction software used, e.g., by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA). This turns DustPol into a powerful engine for the prediction of the expected polarisation features of a source observed with ALMA or the Planck satellite as well as for the interpretation of existing submillimetre observations obtained with other telescopes. DustPol allows the parameterisation of the maximum degree of polarisation and we find that, in a prestellar core, if there is depolarisation, this effect should happen at densities of 10^6 cm-3 or larger. We compare a model generated by DustPol with the observational polarisation data of the low-mass Class 0 object NGC 1333 IRAS 4A, finding that the total and the polarised emission are consistent.

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Water cooling of shocks in protostellar outflows: Herschel-PACS map of L1157

In the framework of the Water in Star-forming regions with Herschel (WISH) key program, maps in water lines of several outflows from young stars are being obtained, to study the water production in shocks and its role in the outflow cooling. This paper reports the first results of this program, presenting a PACS map of the o-H2O 179 um transition obtained toward the young outflow L1157. The 179 um map is compared with those of other important shock tracers, and with previous single-pointing ISO, SWAS, and Odin water observations of the same source that allow us to constrain the water abundance and total cooling. Strong H2O peaks are localized on both shocked emission knots and the central source position. The H2O 179 um emission is spatially correlated with emission from H2 rotational lines, excited in shocks leading to a significant enhancement of the water abundance. Water emission peaks along the outflow also correlate with peaks of other shock-produced molecular species, such as SiO and NH3. A strong H2O peak is also observed at the location of the proto-star, where none of the other molecules have significant emission. The absolute 179 um intensity and its intensity ratio to the H2O 557 GHz line previously observed with Odin/SWAS indicate that the water emission originates in warm compact clumps, spatially unresolved by PACS, having a H2O abundance of the order of 10^-4. This testifies that the clumps have been heated for a time long enough to allow the conversion of almost all the available gas-phase oxygen into water. The total water cooling is ~10^-1 Lo, about 40% of the cooling due to H2 and 23% of the total energy released in shocks along the L1157 outflow.

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Radiation thermo-chemical models of protoplanetary disks II. Line diagnostics

Methods. We use the recently developed disk code ProDiMo to calculate the physico-chemical structure of protoplanetary disks and apply the Monte-Carlo line radiative transfer code RATRAN to predict observable line profiles and fluxes. We consider a series of Herbig Ae type disk models ranging from 10^-6 M_Sun to 2.2 10^-2 M_Sun (between 0.5 and 700 AU) to discuss the dependency of the line fluxes and ratios on disk mass for otherwise fixed disk parameters. Results. We find the [CII] 157.7 mum line to originate in LTE from the surface layers of the disk, where Tg > Td . The total emission is dominated by surface area and hence depends strongly on disk outer radius. The [OI] lines can be very bright (> 10^-16 W/m^2) and form in slightly deeper and closer regions under non-LTE conditions. The high-excitation [OI] 145.5 mum line, which has a larger critical density, decreases more rapidly with disk mass than the 63.2 mum line. Therefore, the [OI] 63.2 mum/145.5 mum ratio is a promising disk mass indicator, especially as it is independent of disk outer radius for Rout > 200 AU. CO is abundant only in deeper layers A_V >~ 0.05. For too low disk masses (M_disk <~10^-4 M_Sun) the dust starts to become transparent, and CO is almost completely photo-dissociated. For masses larger than that the lines are an excellent independent tracer of disk outer radius and can break the outer radius degeneracy in the [OI] 63.2 mum/[CII]157.7 mum line ratio. Conclusions. The far-IR fine-structure lines of [CII] and [OI] observable with Herschel provide a promising tool to measure the disk gas mass, although they are mainly generated in the atomic surface layers. In spatially unresolved observations, none of these lines carry much information about the inner, possibly hot regions < 30 AU.

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