arXiv subjects

N. M. Murillo

Publications and source records attributed to N. M. Murillo.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Exploring the survivability of higher-order multiple protostellar systems -- The case of VLA1623

Higher-order protostellar systems ($\geq$3 components) are commonly observed in the early stages of low-mass star formation. A persistent question in star formation and evolution is whether these higher-order protostellar systems survive as gravitationally bound systems or dissolve into binaries over time. We explore this question with a case study of the embedded quadruple protostellar system VLA1623 and its observational constraints, assuming that the components A1, A2, B, and W are gravitationally bound. Using $N$-body simulations, we run a grid of models considering gravity, mass accretion onto protostars, the presence of the protostellar cloud core, and its dispersal. The simulations are integrated over a period of 8 Myr to take into account the evolution from the protostellar phase (Class 0 and I, 1 Myr), through the pre-main sequence (Class II and III, 2 -- 3 Myr), and into the main sequence (4 Myr). Our results show that VLA1623 has a probability of 30% to remain as a gravitationally-bound quadruple system up to 8 Myr from the current state. There is also a 25--30% probability of VLA1623 dissolving into a triple system. This suggests that the dissolution of quadruple protostellar systems contributes to the formation of stable triple (proto)stellar systems. Components A1 and A2 are the most likely to be ejected, while W has a lower probability of being ejected from the system. The stability of VLA1623 depends on a combination of component mass ratios wrt the primary, separations, and eccentricities.

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arXiv2025

The factors that influence protostellar multiplicity II. Gas temperature and mass in Perseus with APEX

Protostellar multiplicity is a common outcome of the star formation process. To fully understand the formation and evolution of these systems, the physical parameters of the molecular gas together with the dust must be systematically characterized. Using observations of molecular gas tracers, we characterize the physical properties of cloud cores in the Perseus molecular cloud (average distance of 295 pc) at envelope scales (5000-8000 AU). We used Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) and Nobeyama 45m Radio Observatory (NRO) observations of DCO$^+$, H$_2$CO and c-C$_3$H$_2$ in several transitions to derive the physical parameters of the gas toward 31 protostellar systems in Perseus. Gas kinetic temperature was obtained from DCO$^+$, H$_2$CO and c-C$_3$H$_2$ line ratios. Column densities and gas masses were then calculated for each species and transition. Gas kinetic temperature and gas masses were compared with bolometric luminosity, envelope dust mass, and multiplicity to search for statistically significant correlations. Gas kinetic temperature derived from DCO$^+$, H$_2$CO and c-C$_3$H$_2$ line ratios have average values of 14 K, 26 and 16 K, respectively, with a range of 10-26 K for DCO$^+$ and c-C$_3$H$_2$. The gas kinetic temperature obtained from H$_2$CO line ratios have a range of 13-82 K. Column densities of all three molecular species are on the order of 10$^{11}$ to 10$^{14}$ cm$^{-2}$, resulting in gas masses of 10$^{-11}$ to 10$^{-9}$ M$_{\odot}$. Statistical analysis of the physical parameters finds: i) similar envelope gas and dust masses for single and binary protostellar systems; ii) multiple (>2 components) protostellar systems tend to have slightly higher gas and dust masses than binaries and single protostars; iii) a continuous distribution of gas and dust masses is observed regardless of separation between components in protostellar systems.

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arXiv2024

The protostars in Orion: Characterizing the properties of their magnetized envelopes

We present a study connecting the physical properties of protostellar envelopes to the morphology of the envelope-scale magnetic field. We used the ALMA polarization observations of 61 young prtostars at 0.87 mm on $\sim400-3000$ au scales from the {\em B}-field Orion Protostellar Survey to infer the envelope-scale magnetic field, and used the dust emission to measure the envelope properties on comparable scales. We find that protostars showing standard-hourglass-field morphology tend to have larger masses and lower velocity dispersions in their envelopes, whereas systems with spiral-field morphologies have higher velocity dispersion. Combining with the disk properties taken from the Orion VLA/ALMA Nascent Disk and Multiplicity survey, we connect envelope properties to fragmentation. Our results show that the fragmentation level is positively correlated with the angle dispersion of the magnetic field, suggesting that the envelope fragmentation tends to be suppressed by the magnetic field. We also find that protostars exhibiting standard hourglass magnetic field structure tend to have a smaller disk and smaller angle dispersion of the magnetic field than other field configurations, specially the rotated hourglass, but also the spiral and others, suggesting a more effective magnetic braking in the standard hourglass morphology of magnetic fields. Nevertheless, significant misalignment between the magnetic field and outflow axes tends to reduce magnetic braking, leading to the formation of larger disks.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

The factors that influence protostellar multiplicity I: Gas temperature, density, and mass in Perseus with Nobeyama

Protostellar multiplicity is common at all stages and mass ranges. However, the factors that determine the multiplicity of protostellar systems have not been systematically characterized through their molecular gas. Nobeyama 45m Radio Observatory OTF maps of HCN, HNC, HCO$^+$, and N$_2$H$^+$ (J = 1--0) toward five subregions in Perseus, complemented with single pointing APEX observations of HNC (J = 4--3) are used to derive physical parameters of the dense gas. Both observations have angular resolutions of $\sim$18", equivalent to $\sim$5000 AU scales at the distance of Perseus. Kinetic gas temperature is derived from the $I$(HCN)/$I$(HNC) J = 1--0 ratio, and H$_2$ density is obtained from the HNC J=4--3/J=1--0 ratio. These parameters are used to obtain the N$_2$H$^+$ and HCO$^+$ gas masses. The inferred and derived parameters are compared to source parameters. Inferred mean kinetic gas temperature ($I$(HCN)/$I$(HNC) J=1--0 ratio; ranging between 15 and 26 K), and H$_2$ volumetric density (HNC J=4--3/J=1--0; 10$^5$ -- 10$^6$ cm$^{-3}$) do not show correlations with multiplicity in Perseus. The derived gas and dust masses, 1.3 to 16 $\times~10^{-9}$ M$_{\odot}$ for the N$_2$H$^+$ gas mass, 0.1 to 25 M$_{\odot}$ for envelope dust masses (850 $μ$m), and 0.8 to 10 $\times~10^{-10}$ M$_{\odot}$ for the HCO$^+$ gas mass, are correlated to multiplicity and number of protostellar components. The warm gas masses are a factor of 16 lower than the cold gas masses. This work shows that gas and dust mass is correlated to multiplicity at $\sim$5000 AU scales in Perseus. Higher order multiples tend to have higher gas and dust masses in general, while close binaries (separations $\leq$7") and single protostars have similar gas and dust mass distributions. On the other hand, H$_2$ density and kinetic gas temperature do not show any correlation with multiplicity.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

A deep search for large complex organic species toward IRAS16293-2422 B at 3 mm with ALMA

Complex organic molecules (COMs) have been detected ubiquitously in protostellar systems. However, at shorter wavelengths (~0.8mm) it is more difficult to detect larger molecules than at longer wavelengths (~3mm) because of the increase of millimeter dust opacity, line confusion, and unfavorable partition function. We aim to search for large molecules (>8 atoms) in the ALMA Band 3 spectrum of IRAS 16293-2422 B. We search for more than 70 molecules and identify as many lines as possible in the spectrum. The spectral settings were set to specifically target three-carbon species such as propanol and glycerol. We identify lines of 31 molecules including many oxygen-bearing COMs such as CH3OH and c-C2H4O and a few nitrogen- and sulfur-bearing ones such as HOCH2CN and CH3SH. The largest detected molecules are gGg-(CH2OH)2 and CH3COCH3. We do not detect glycerol or propanol but provide upper limits for them which are in line with previous laboratory and observational studies. The line density in Band 3 is only ~2.5 times lower in frequency space than in Band 7. From the detected lines in Band 3 at a $\gtrsim 6σ$ level, ~25-30% of them could not be identified indicating the need for more laboratory data of rotational spectra. We find similar column densities and column density ratios of COMs (within a factor ~2) between Band 3 and Band 7. The effect of dust optical depth for IRAS 16293-2422 B at an off-source location on column densities and column density ratios is minimal. Moreover, for warm protostars, long wavelength spectra are not only crowded, but also take longer integration times to reach the same sensitivity limit. The 3mm search has not yet resulted in detection of larger and more complex molecules in warm sources. A full deep ALMA Band 2-3 (i.e., 3-4 mm) survey is needed to assess whether low frequency data have the potential to reveal more complex molecules in warm sources.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Hot methanol in the [BHB2007] 11 protobinary system: hot corino versus shock origin? : FAUST V

Methanol is a ubiquitous species commonly found in the molecular interstellar medium. It is also a crucial seed species for the building-up of the chemical complexity in star forming regions. Thus, understanding how its abundance evolves during the star formation process and whether it enriches the emerging planetary system is of paramount importance. We used new data from the ALMA Large Program FAUST (Fifty AU STudy of the chemistry in the disk/envelope system of Solar-like protostars) to study the methanol line emission towards the [BHB2007] 11 protobinary system (sources A and B), where a complex structure of filaments connecting the two sources with a larger circumbinary disk has been previously detected. Twelve methanol lines have been detected with upper energies in the range [45-537] K along with one 13CH3OH transition. The methanol emission is compact and encompasses both protostars, separated by only 28 au and presents three velocity components, not spatially resolved by our observations, associated with three different spatial regions, with two of them close to 11B and the third one associated with 11A. A non-LTE radiative transfer analysis of the methanol lines concludes that the gas is hot and dense and highly enriched in methanol with an abundance as high as 1e-5. Using previous continuum data, we show that dust opacity can potentially completely absorb the methanol line emission from the two binary objects. Although we cannot firmly exclude other possibilities, we suggest that the detected hot methanol is resulting from the shocked gas from the incoming filaments streaming towards [BHB2007] 11 A and B, respectively. Higher spatial resolution observations are necessary to confirm this hypothesis.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

The ALMA-PILS survey: Gas dynamics in IRAS 16293$-$2422 and the connection between its two protostars

[Abridged] The majority of stars form in binary or higher order systems. The Class 0 protostellar system IRAS16293-2422 contains two protostars, 'A' and 'B', separated by ~600 au and embedded in a single, 10^4 au scale envelope. Their relative evolutionary stages have been debated. We aim to study the relation and interplay between the two protostars A and B at spatial scales of 60 to ~1000 au. We selected molecular gas line transitions of CO, H2CO, HCN, CS, SiO, and CCH from the ALMA-PILS spectral imaging survey (329-363 GHz) and used them as tracers of kinematics, density, and temperature in the IRAS16293-2422 system. The angular resolution of the PILS data set allows us to study these quantities at a resolution of 0.5 arcsec (60 au [..]). Line-of-sight velocity maps of both optically thick and optically thin molecular lines reveal: (i) new manifestations of previously known outflows emanating from protostar A; (ii) a kinematically quiescent bridge of dust and gas spanning between the two protostars, with an inferred density between 4 10^4 and 3 10^7 cm^-3; and (iii) a separate, straight filament seemingly connected to protostar B seen only in CCH, with a flat kinematic signature. Signs of various outflows, all emanating from source A, are evidence of high-density and warmer gas; none of them coincide spatially and kinematically with the bridge. We hypothesize that the bridge arc is a remnant of filamentary substructure in the protostellar envelope material from which protostellar sources A and B have formed. One particular morphological structure appears to be due to outflowing gas impacting the quiescent bridge material. The continuing lack of clear outflow signatures unambiguously associated to protostar B and the vertically extended shape derived for its disk-like structure lead us to conclude that source B may be in an earlier evolutionary stage than source A.

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arXiv2018

Exploring DCO$^+$ as a tracer of thermal inversion in the disk around the Herbig Ae star HD163296

We aim to reproduce the DCO$^+$ emission in the disk around HD163296 using a simple 2D chemical model for the formation of DCO$^+$ through the cold deuteration channel and a parametric treatment of the warm deuteration channel. We use data from ALMA in band 6 to obtain a resolved spectral imaging data cube of the DCO$^+$ $J$=3--2 line in HD163296 with a synthesized beam of 0."53$\times$ 0."42. We adopt a physical structure of the disk from the literature that reproduces the spectral energy distribution. We then apply a simplified chemical network for the formation of DCO$^+$ that uses the physical structure of the disk as parameters along with a CO abundance profile, a constant HD abundance and a constant ionization rate. Finally, from the resulting DCO$^+$ abundances, we calculate the non-LTE emission using the 3D radiative transfer code LIME. The observed DCO$^+$ emission is reproduced by a model with cold deuteration producing abundances up to $1.6\times 10^{-11}$. Warm deuteration, at a constant abundance of $3.2\times 10^{-12}$, becomes fully effective below 32 K and tapers off at higher temperatures, reproducing the lack of DCO$^+$ inside 90 AU. Throughout the DCO$^+$ emitting zone a CO abundance of $2\times 10^{-7}$ is found, with $\sim$99\% of it frozen out below 19 K. At radii where both cold and warm deuteration are active, warm deuteration contributes up to 20\% of DCO$^+$, consistent with detailed chemical models. The decrease of DCO$^+$ at large radii is attributed to a temperature inversion at 250 AU, which raises temperatures above values where cold deuteration operates. Increased photodesorption may also limit the radial extent of DCO$^+$. The corresponding return of the DCO$^+$ layer to the midplane, together with a radially increasing ionization fraction, reproduces the local DCO$^+$ emission maximum at $\sim$260 AU.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2018

Probing midplane CO abundance and gas temperature with DCO$^+$ in the protoplanetary disk around HD 169142

This work aims to understand which midplane conditions are probed by the DCO$^+$ emission in the disk around the Herbig Ae star HD 169142. We explore the sensitivity of the DCO$^+$ formation pathways to the gas temperature and the CO abundance. The DCO$^+$ $J$=3-2 transition was observed with ALMA at a spatial resolution of 0.3". The HD 169142 DCO$^+$ radial intensity profile reveals a warm, inner component at radii <30 AU and a broad, ring-like structure from ~50-230 AU with a peak at 100 AU just beyond the millimeter grain edge. We modeled DCO$^+$ emission in HD 169142 with a physical disk structure adapted from the literature, and employed a simple deuterium chemical network to investigate the formation of DCO$^+$ through the cold deuterium fractionation pathway via H$_2$D$^+$. Contributions from the warm deuterium fractionation pathway via CH$_2$D$^+$ are approximated using a constant abundance in the intermediate disk layers. Parameterized models show that alterations to the midplane gas temperature and CO abundance of the literature model are both needed to recover the observed DCO$^+$ radial intensity profile. The best-fit model contains a shadowed, cold midplane in the region z/r < 0.1 with an 8 K decrease in gas temperature and a factor of five CO depletion just beyond the millimeter grain edge, and a 2 K decrease in gas temperature for r > 120 AU. The warm deuterium fractionation pathway is implemented as a constant DCO$^+$ abundance of 2.0$\times$10$^{-12}$ between 30-70 K. The DCO$^+$ emission probes a reservoir of cold material in the HD 169142 outer disk that is not revealed by the millimeter continuum, the SED, nor the emission from the 12CO, 13CO, or C18O $J$=2-1 lines.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2015

Disentangling the jet emission from protostellar systems. The ALMA view of VLA1623

Context: High-resolution studies of class 0 protostars represent the key to constraining protostar formation models. VLA16234-2417 represents the prototype of class 0 protostars, and it has been recently identified as a triple non-coeval system. Aim: We aim at deriving the physical properties of the jets in VLA16234-2417 using tracers of shocked gas. Methods: ALMA Cycle 0 Early Science observations of CO(2-1) in the extended configuration are presented in comparison with previous SMA CO(3-2) and Herschel-PACS [OI}] 63 micron observations. Gas morphology and kinematics were analysed to constrain the physical structure and origin of the protostellar outflows. Results: We reveal a collimated jet component associated with the [OI] 63 micron emission at about 8'' (about 960 AU) from source B. This newly detected jet component is inversely oriented with respect to the large-scale outflow driven by source A, and it is aligned with compact and fast jet emission very close to source B (about 0.3'') rather than with the direction perpendicular to the A disk. We also detect a cavity-like structure at low projected velocities, which surrounds the [OI] 63 micron emission and is possibly associated with the outflow driven by source A. Finally, no compact outflow emission is associated with source W. Conclusions: Our high-resolution ALMA observations seem to suggest there is a fast and collimated jet component associated with source B. This scenario would confirm that source B is younger than A, that it is in a very early stage of evolution, and that it drives a faster, more collimated, and more compact jet with respect to the large-scale slower outflow driven by A. However, a different scenario of a precessing jet driven by A cannot be firmly excluded from the present observations.

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