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Ryoichi Nishi

Publications and source records attributed to Ryoichi Nishi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

JASMINE: Near-Infrared Astrometry and Time Series Photometry Science

Japan Astrometry Satellite Mission for INfrared Exploration (JASMINE) is a planned M-class science space mission by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. JASMINE has two main science goals. One is the Galactic archaeology with Galactic Center Survey, which aims to reveal the Milky Way's central core structure and formation history from Gaia-level (~25 $μ$as) astrometry in the Near-Infrared (NIR) Hw-band (1.0-1.6 $μ$m). The other is the Exoplanet Survey, which aims to discover transiting Earth-like exoplanets in the habitable zone from NIR time-series photometry of M dwarfs when the Galactic center is not accessible. We introduce the mission, review many science objectives, and present the instrument concept. JASMINE will be the first dedicated NIR astrometry space mission and provide precise astrometric information of the stars in the Galactic center, taking advantage of the significantly lower extinction in the NIR. The precise astrometry is obtained by taking many short-exposure images. Hence, the JASMINE Galactic center survey data will be valuable for studies of exoplanet transits, asteroseismology, variable stars and microlensing studies, including discovery of (intermediate mass) black holes. We highlight a swath of such potential science, and also describe synergies with other missions.

astro-ph.IM

Nobeyama 45-m mapping observations toward nearby molecular clouds, Orion A, Aquila Rift, and M17: Project overview

We carried out mapping observations toward three nearby molecular clouds, Orion A, Aquila Rift, and M17, using a new 100 GHz receiver, FOREST, on the Nobeyama 45-m telescope. In the present paper, we describe the details of the data obtained such as intensity calibration, data sensitivity, angular resolution, and velocity resolution. Each target contains at least one high-mass star-forming region. The target molecular lines were $^{12}$CO ($J = 1 - 0$), $^{13}$CO ($J = 1 - 0$), C$^{18}$O ($J = 1 - 0$), N$_2$H$^+$ ($J=1-0$), and CCS ($J_N=8_7-7_6$), with which we covered the density range of 10$^2$ cm$^{-3}$ to 10$^6$ cm$^{-3}$ with an angular resolution of $\sim 20\arcsec$ and a velocity resolution of $\sim$ 0.1 km s$^{-1}$. Assuming the representative distances of 414 pc, 436 pc, and 2.1 kpc, the maps of Orion A, Aquila Rift, and M17 cover most of the densest parts with areas of about 7 pc $\times$ 15 pc, 7 pc $\times$ 7 pc, and 36 pc $\times$ 18 pc, respectively. On the basis of the $^{13}$CO column density distribution, the total molecular masses are derived to be $3.86 \times 10^4 M_\odot$, $2.67 \times 10^4 M_\odot$, and $8.1\times 10^5 M_\odot$ for Orion A, Aquila Rift, and M17, respectively. For all the clouds, the H$_2$ column density exceeds the theoretical threshold for high-mass star formation of $\gtrsim$ 1 g cm$^{-2}$, only toward the regions which contain current high-mass star-forming sites. For other areas, further mass accretion or dynamical compression would be necessary for future high-mass star formation. This is consistent with the current star formation activity. Using the $^{12}$CO data, we demonstrate that our data have enough capability to identify molecular outflows, and for Aquila Rift, we identify 4 new outflow candidates. The scientific results will be discussed in details in separate papers.

astro-ph.GA

Nobeyama 45-m Mapping Observations toward Orion A. III. Multi-Line Observations toward an Outflow-shocked Region, OMC-2 FIR

We present the results of mapping observations toward an outflow-shocked region, OMC-2 FIR 4 using the Nobeyama 45-m telescope. We observed the area in $^{13}$CO ($J=1-0$), C$^{18}$O ($J=1-0$), N$_2$H$^+$ ($J=1-0$), CCS ($J_N=8_7-7_6$), HCO$^+$ ($J=1-0$), H$^{13}$CO$^+$ ($J=1-0$), HN$^{13}$C ($J=1-0$), H$^{13}$CN ($J=1-0$), DNC ($J=1-0$), N$_2$D$^+$ ($J=1-0$), and DC$_3$N ($J=9-8$). We detected a dense molecular clump that contains FIR 4/5. We also detected in $^{13}$CO blueshifted and redshifted components driven presumably by protostellar outflows in this region. The axes of the FIR 3 and VLA 13 outflows, projected on the plane of the sky, appear to point toward the FIR 4 clump, suggesting that the clump may be compressed by protostellar outflows from Class I sources, FIR 3 and VLA 13. Applying the hyperfine fit of N$_2$H$^+$ lines, we estimated the excitation temperature to be $\sim$ 20 K. The high excitation temperature is consistent with the fact that the clump contains protostars. The CCS emission was detected in this region for the first time. Its abundance is estimated to be a few $\times 10^{-12}$, indicating that the region is chemically evolved at $\sim 10^5$ years, which is comparable to the typical lifetime of the Class I protostars. This timescale is consistent with the scenario that star formation in FIR 4 is triggered by dynamical compression of the protostellar outflows. The [HNC]/[HCN] ratio is evaluated to be $\sim 0.5$ in the dense clump and the outflow lobes, whereas it is somewhat larger in the envelope of the dense clump. The small [HNC]/[HCN] ratio indicates that the HNC formation was prevented due to high temperatures. Such high temperatures seem to be consistent with the scenario that either protostellar radiation or outflow compression, or both, affected the thermal properties of this region.

astro-ph.SR

Evidence For Cloud-Cloud Collision and Parsec-Scale Stellar Feedback Within the L1641-N Region

We present high spatial resolution $^{12}$CO ($J=1-0$) images taken by the Nobeyama 45m telescope toward a $48' \times 48'$ area including the L1641-N cluster. The effective spatial resolution of the maps is $21"$, corresponding to 0.04 pc at a distance of 400 pc. A recent 1.1 mm dust continuum map reveals that the dense gas is concentrated in several thin filaments. We find that a few dust filaments are located at the parts where $^{12}$CO ($J=1-0$) emission drops sharply. Furthermore, the filaments have two-components with different velocities. The velocity difference between the two-components is about 3 km s$^{-1}$, corresponding to a Mach number of 10, significantly larger than the local turbulent velocity in the cloud. These facts imply that the collision of the two components (hereafter, the cloud-cloud collision) possibly contributed to the formation of these filaments. Since the two components appear to overlap toward the filaments on the plane of the sky, the collision may have occurred almost along the line of sight. Star formation in the L1641-N cluster was probably triggered by such a collision. We also find several parsec-scale CO shells whose centers are close to either the L1641-N cluster or V 380 Ori cluster. We propose that these shells were created by multiple winds and/or outflows from cluster YSOs, i.e., "protocluster winds." One exceptional dust filament located at the western cloud edge lies along a shell; it is presumably a part of the expanding shell. Both the cloud-cloud collision and protocluster winds are likely to influence the cloud structure and kinematics in this region.

astro-ph.SR

The Molecular Outflows in the rho Ophiuchi Main Cloud: Implications For Turbulence Generation

We present the results of CO (J=3-2) and CO (J=1-0) mapping observations toward the active cluster forming clump, L1688, in the rho Ophiuchi molecular cloud. From the CO (J=3-2) and CO (J=1-0) data cubes, we identify five outflows, whose driving sources are VLA 1623, EL 32, LFAM 26, EL 29, and IRS 44. Among the identified outflows, the most luminous outflow is the one from the prototypical Class 0 source, VLA 1623. We also discover that the EL 32 outflow located in the Oph B2 region has very extended blueshifted and redshifted lobes with wide opening angles. This outflow is most massive and have the largest momentum among the identified outflows in the CO (J=1-0) map. We estimate the total energy injection rate due to the molecular outflows identified by the present and previous studies to be about 0.2 L_solar, larger than or at least comparable to the turbulence dissipation rate [~(0.03 - 0.1) L_solar]. Therefore, we conclude that the protostellar outflows are likely to play a significant role in replenishing the supersonic turbulence in this clump.

astro-ph.SR

Physical Properties of Dense Cores in the Rho Ophiuchi Main Cloud and A Significant Role of External Pressures in Clustered Star Formation

Using the archive data of the H13CO+ (J=1-0) line emission taken with the Nobeyama 45 m radio telescope with a spatial resolution of about 0.01pc, we have identified 68 dense cores in the central dense region of the rho Ophiuchi main cloud. The H13CO+ data also indicates that the fractional abundance of H13CO+ relative to H2 is roughly inversely proportional to the square root of the H2 column density with a mean of 1.72 x 10^{-11}. The mean radius, FWHM line width, and LTE mass of the identified cores are estimated to be 0.045 +- 0.011 pc, 0.49 +- 0.14 km/s, and 3.4 +- 3.6 Msolar, respectively. The majority of the identified cores have subsonic internal motions. The virial ratio, the ratio of the virial mass to the LTE mass, tends to decrease with increasing the LTE mass and about 60 percent of the cores have virial ratios smaller than 2, indicating that these cores are not transient structures but self-gravitating. The detailed virial analysis suggests that the surface pressure often dominates over the self-gravity and thus plays a crucial role in regulating core formation and evolution. By comparing the rho Oph cores with those in the Orion A molecular cloud observed with the same telescope, we found that the statistical properties of the core physical quantities are similar between the two clouds if the effect of the different spatial resolutions is corrected. The line widths of the rho Oph cores appear to be nearly independent of the core radii over the range of 0.01 - 0.1 pc and deviate upwards from the Heyer & Brunt relation. This may be evidence that turbulent motions are driven by protostellar outflows in the cluster environment.

astro-ph.SR

Primordial Molecular Emission in Population III Galaxies

We study formation of molecules in primordial prestellar clumps and evaluate the line luminosities to assess detectability by next-generation facilities. If the initial H_2 fraction is sufficiently high, HD becomes an important coolant in the clumps. The luminosity from such HD cooling clumps is lower than that from H_2 cooling ones because of lower temperature (<100K). As for Li reactions, we include the three-body LiH formation approximately. The Li molecular fraction remains very low (<10^{-3}) throughout the evolution owing to the high dissociative reaction rate of LiH +H -> Li + H_2. LiH does not become an important coolant in any density range. The luminous emission lines from the prestellar cores include H_2 rovibrational lines: 1-0 Q(1), 1-0 O(3), 1-0 O(5), and pure rotational lines: 0-0 S(3), 0-0 S(4), 0-0 S(5). The next-generation facilities SPICA and JWST are able to detect H_2 emission in a large pre-galactic cloud that forms metal-free stars at a high rate of \sim 10^3 M_s/yr at redshift z<10. We also derive an analytical expression for the luminosity that reproduces the numerical results.

astro-ph

H_2 Line Emission Associated with the Formation of the First Stars

Molecular hydrogen line radiation emitted in formation events of first-generation stars are evaluated in a discussion of its detectability by future observational facilities. H_2 luminosity evolution from the onset of prestellar collapse until the formation of a \sim 100 M_{\odot} protostar is followed. Calculations are extended not only to the early phase of the runaway collapse but also to the later phase of accretion, whose observational features have not been studied before. Contrary to the runaway collapse phase, where the pure-rotational lines are always dominant, in the accretion phase rovibrational line emission becomes prominent. The maximum luminosity is also attained in the accretion phase for strong emission lines. The peak intensity of the strongest rovibrational line reaches \sim 10^{-29} (W/m^2), corresponding to the flux density of 10^{-5} (μJy), for a source at the typical redshift of first-generation star formation, 1+z=20. Although the redshifted rovibrational H_2 emission from such an epoch falls in the wavelength range of the next-generation infrared satellite, Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics, for exceeding the detection threshold 10^7 such protostars are required to reach the maximum luminosity simultaneously in a pregalactic cloud. It is improbable that this condition is satisfied in a realistic scenario of early structure formation.

astro-ph

Mechanism of Magnetic Flux Loss in Molecular Clouds

We investigate the detailed processes working in the drift of magnetic fields in molecular clouds. To the frictional force, whereby the magnetic force is transmitted to neutral molecules, ions contribute more than half only at cloud densities $n_{\rm H} < 10^4 {\rm cm}^{-3}$, and charged grains contribute more than 90% at $n_{\rm H} > 10^6 {\rm cm}^{-3}$. Thus grains play a decisive role in the process of magnetic flux loss. Approximating the flux loss time $t_B$ by a power law $t_B \propto B^{-γ}$, where $B$ is the mean field strength in the cloud, we find $γ\approx 2$, characteristic to ambipolar diffusion, only at $n_{\rm H} < 10^7 {\rm cm}^{-3}$. At higher densities, $γ$ decreases steeply with $n_{\rm H}$, and finally at $n_{\rm H} \approx n_{\rm dec} \approx {\rm a few} \times 10^{11} {\rm cm}^{-3}$, where magnetic fields effectively decouple from the gas, $γ<< 1$ is attained, reminiscent of Ohmic dissipation, though flux loss occurs about 10 times faster than by Ohmic dissipation. Ohmic dissipation is dominant only at $n_{\rm H} > 1 \times 10^{12} {\rm cm}^{-3}$. While ions and electrons drift in the direction of magnetic force at all densities, grains of opposite charges drift in opposite directions at high densities, where grains are major contributors to the frictional force. Although magnetic flux loss occurs significantly faster than by Ohmic dissipation even at very high densities as $n_{\rm H} \approx n_{\rm dec}$, the process going on at high densities is quite different from ambipolar diffusion in which particles of opposite charges are supposed to drift as one unit.

astro-ph

Self-Regulation of Star Formation in Low Metallicity Clouds

We investigate the process of self-regulated star formation via photodissociation of hydrogen molecules in low metallicity clouds. We evaluate the influence region's scale of a massive star in low metallicity gas clouds whose temperatures are between 100 and 10000 Kelvin. A single O star can photodissociate hydrogen molecules in the whole of the host cloud. If metallicity is smaller than about 10^{-2.5} of the solar metallicity, the depletion of coolant of the the host cloud is very serious so that the cloud cannot cool in a free-fall time, and subsequent star formation is almost quenched. On the contrary, if metallicity is larger than about 10^{-1.5} of the solar metallicity, star formation regulation via photodissociation is not efficient. The typical metallicity when this transition occurs is about 1/100 of the solar metallicity. This indicates that stars do not form efficiently before the metallicity becomes larger than about 1/100 of the solar metallicity and we considered that this value becomes the lower limit of the metallicity of luminous objects such as galaxies.

astro-ph

On the Thermal Instability in a Contracting Gas Cloud and Formation of a Bound Cluster

We perform linear analysis of thermal instability in a contracting large cloud filled with warm HI gas and investigate the effect of metallicity and radiation flux. When the cloud reaches critical density n_f, the cloud fragments into cool, dense condensations because of thermal instability. For a lower metallicity gas cloud, the value of n_f is high. Collision between condensations will produce self-gravitating clumps and stars thereafter. From the result of calculation, we suggest that high star formation efficiency and bound cluster formation are realized in low-metallicity and/or strong-radiation environments.

astro-ph

On the Decelerating Shock Instability of Plane-Parallel Slab with Finite Thickness

Dynamical stability of the shock compressed layer with finite thickness is investigated. It is characterized by self-gravity, structure, and shock condition at the surfaces of the compressed layer. At one side of the shocked layer, its surface condition is determined via the ram pressure, while at the other side the thermal pressure supports its structure. When the ram pressure dominates the thermal pressure, we expect deceleration of the shocked layer. Especially, in this paper, we examine how the stratification of the decelerating layer has an effect on its dynamical stability. Performing the linear perturbation analysis, a {\it more general} dispersion relation than the previous one obtained by one of the authors is derived. It gives us an interesting information about the stability of the decelerating layer. Importantly, the DSI (Decelerating Shock Instability) and the gravitational instability are always incompatible. We also consider the evolution effect of the shocked layer. In the early stages of its evolution, only DSI occurs. On the contrary, in the late stages, it is possible for the shocked layer to be unstable for the DSI (in smaller scale) and the gravitational instability (in larger scale). Furthermore, we find there is a stable range of wavenumbers against both the DSI and the gravitational instability between respective unstable wavenumber ranges. These stable modes suggest the ineffectiveness of DSI for the fragmentation of the decelerating slab.

astro-ph

Formation and Disruption of Cosmological Low Mass Objects

We investigate the evolution of cosmological low mass (low virial temperature) objects and the formation of the first luminous objects. First, the `cooling diagram' for low mass objects is shown. We assess the cooling rate taking into account the contribution of H_2, which is not in chemical equilibrium generally, with a simple argument of time scales. The reaction rates and the cooling rate of H_2 are taken from the recent results by Galli & Palla (1998). Using this cooling diagram, we also estimate the formation condition of luminous objects taking into account the supernova (SN) disruption of virialized clouds. We find that the mass of the first luminous object is several times 10^7 solar mass, because smaller objects may be disrupted by the SNe before they become luminous. Metal pollution of low mass (Ly-alpha) clouds also discussed. The resultant metallicity of the clouds is about 1/1000 of the solar metallicity.

astro-ph

Photodissociative Regulation of Star Formation in Metal-Free Pregalactic Clouds

We study the H2 photodissociation regions around OB stars in primordial gas clouds whose virial temperatures are between a few hundred and a few thousand Kelvin. In such small objects, a single O star can photodissociate a mass equal to that of the cloud itself. As a result, the clouds deplete their molecular coolant and cannot cool in a free-fall time, and subsequent star formation is totally quenched. This indicates that stars do not form efficiently in small objects and that these objects contribute little to the reionization of the universe.

astro-ph

Thermal and Dynamical Evolution of Primordial Gas Clouds - On the Formation of First Luminous Objects -

We investigate the thermal and dynamical evolution of primordial gas clouds in the universe after decoupling. Comparing the time-scale of dynamical evolution with that of fragmentation, we can estimate the typical fragmentation scale. We propose the following scenario of the formation process of first luminous objects consisting of large number stars. First, by pancake collapse of the overdensity regions in the expanding universe or collision between clouds in potential wells, quasi-plane shocks form. If the shock-heated temperature is higher than about $10^4$ K, the postshock gas cools down to several hundred K by \Hbun line cooling, and the shock-compressed layer fragments into filamentary clouds. The filamentary cloud collapses dynamically once more and fragments into cloud cores. Finally, a primordial star forms in a cloud core. We show that the minimum mass of the first star is essentially determined by the Chandrasekhar mass. Also, we investigate the dynamical collapse of cloud cores by numerical simulation and show that the evolution paths of the central regions of the cores depend only very weakly on the total core mass. After mass accretion, a massive star may be formed in a core, since the estimated mass accretion rate is very large. In such a case, it may be possible for many massive stars form almost simultaneously. Then the clouds can be luminous objects. On the other hand, if the shock-heated temperature is lower, effective star formation is delayed significantly.

astro-ph

Formation of Primordial Protostars

The evolution of collapsing metal free protostellar clouds is investigated for various masses and initial conditions. We perform hydrodynamical calculations for spherically symmetric clouds taking account of radiative transfer of the molecular hydrogen lines and the continuum, as well as of chemistry of the molecular hydrogen. The collapse is found to proceed almost self-similarly like Larson-Penston similarity solution. In the course of the collapse, efficient three-body processes transform atomic hydrogen in an inner region of $\sim 1 M_{\sun}$ entirely into molecular form. However, hydrogen in the outer part remains totally atomic although there is an intervening transitional layer of several solar masses, where hydrogen is in partially molecular form. No opaque transient core is formed although clouds become optically thick to H$_{2}$ collision-induced absorption continuum, since H$_{2}$ dissociation follows successively. When the central part of the cloud reaches stellar densities ($\sim 10^{-2} {\rm g cm^{-3}}$), a very small hydrostatic core ($\sim 5 \times 10^{-3} M_{\sun}$) is formed and subsequently grows in mass as the ambient gas accretes onto it. The mass accretion rate is estimated to be $3.7 \times 10^{-2} M_{\sun} {\rm yr^{-1}} (M_{\ast}/M_{\sun})^{-0.37}$, where $M_{\ast}$ is instantaneous mass of the central core, by using a similarity solution which reproduces the evolution of the cloud before the core formation.

astro-ph

Back Reaction to the Spectrum of Magnetic Field in the Kinetic Dynamo Theory --- Modified Kulsrud and Anderson Equation ---

We take account of the lowest order back reaction on the fluid and modify the Kulsrud and Anderson equation $\partial_t{\cal E}_M= 2 γ{\cal E}_M$ obtained in the kinetic dynamo theory, where ${\cal E}_M$ is the energy density of the magnetic field. Furthermore, we apply our present result to some astrophysical stages where the magnetic field is expected to be amplified by the dynamo mechanism.

astro-ph

Evolution of Primordial Protostellar Clouds --- Quasi-Static Analysis ---

The contraction processes of metal-free molecular clouds of starlike mass (or cloud cores) are investigated. We calculate radiative transfer of the H_2 lines and examine quasi-static contraction with radiative cooling. Comparing two time-scales, the free-fall time t_ff and the time-scale of quasi-static contraction t_qsc (nearly equal to t_cool, the cooling time) of these cores, we find that the ratio of the two time-scales t_ff/t_qsc, i.e., the efficiency of cooling, becomes larger with contraction even under the existence of cold and opaque envelopes. In particular, for fragments of primordial filamentary clouds, for which t_ff is nearly equal to t_qsc at the fragmentation epoch, they collapse dynamically in the free-fall time-scale. This efficiency of cooling is unique to line cooling.

astro-ph