arXiv subjects

Thomas Vidal

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas Vidal.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2018

Sulphur chemistry in the L1544 pre-stellar core

The L1544 pre-stellar core has been observed as part of the ASAI IRAM 30m Large Program as well as follow-up programs. These observations have revealed the chemical richness of the earliest phases of low-mass star-forming regions. In this paper we focus on the twenty-one sulphur bearing species (ions, isotopomers and deuteration) that have been detected in this spectral-survey through fifty one transitions: CS, CCS, C3S, SO, SO2, H2CS, OCS, HSCN, NS, HCS+, NS+ and H2S. We also report the tentative detection (4 {\sigma} level) for methyl mercaptan (CH3SH). LTE and non-LTE radiative transfer modelling have been performed and we used the nautilus chemical code updated with the most recent chemical network for sulphur to explain our observations. From the chemical modelling we expect a strong radial variation for the abundances of these species, which mostly are emitted in the external layer where non thermal desorption of other species has previously been observed. We show that the chemical study cannot be compared to what has been done for the TMC-1 dark cloud, where the abundance is supposed constant along the line of sight, and conclude that a strong sulphur depletion is necessary to fully reproduce our observations of the prototypical pre-stellar core L1544.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2017

First detection of interstellar S2H

We present the first detection of gas phase S2H in the Horsehead, a moderately UV-irradiated nebula. This confirms the presence of doubly sulfuretted species in the interstellar medium and opens a new challenge for sulfur chemistry. The observed S2H abundance is ~5x10$^{-11}$, only a factor 4-6 lower than that of the widespread H2S molecule. H2S and S2H are efficiently formed on the UV-irradiated icy grain mantles. We performed ice irradiation experiments to determine the H2S and S2H photodesorption yields. The obtained values are ~1.2x10$^{-3}$ and <1x10$^{-5}$ molecules per incident photon for H2S and S2H, respectively. Our upper limit to the S2H photodesorption yield suggests that photo-desorption is not a competitive mechanism to release the S2H molecules to the gas phase. Other desorption mechanisms such as chemical desorption, cosmic-ray desorption and grain shattering can increase the gaseous S2H abundance to some extent. Alternatively, S2H can be formed via gas phase reactions involving gaseous H2S and the abundant ions S+ and SH+. The detection of S2H in this nebula could be therefore the result of the coexistence of an active grain surface chemistry and gaseous photo-chemistry.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2017

A new study of the chemical structure of the Horsehead nebula: the influence of grain-surface chemistry

A wide variety of molecules have recently been detected in the Horsehead nebula photodissociation region (PDR) suggesting that: (i) gas-phase and grain chemistries should both contribute to the formation of organic molecules, and (ii) far-ultraviolet (FUV) photodesorption may explain the release into the gas phase of grain surface species. In order to tackle these specific problems and more generally in order to better constrain the chemical structure of these types of environments we present a study of the Horsehead nebula gas-grain chemistry. To do so we used the 1D astrochemical gas-grain code Nautilus with an appropriate physical structure computed with the Meudon PDR Code and compared our modeled outcomes with published observations and with previously modeled results when available. The use of a large set of chemical reactions coupled with the time-dependent code Nautilus allows us to reproduce most of the observations well, including those of the first detections in a PDR of the organic molecules HCOOH, CH2CO, CH3CHO and CH3CCH, which are mostly associated with hot cores. We also provide some abundance predictions for other molecules of interest. Understanding the chemistry behind the detection of these organic molecules is crucial to better constrain the environments these molecules can probe.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2016

Detection of CH3SH in protostar IRAS 16293-2422

The nature of the main sulphur reservoir in star forming regions is a long standing mystery. The observed abundance of sulphur-bearing species in dense clouds is only about 0.1 per cent of the same quantity in diffuse clouds. Therefore, the main sulphur species in star forming regions of the interstellar medium are still unknown. IRAS 16293-2422 is one of the regions where production of S-bearing species is favourable due to its conditions which allows the evaporation of ice mantles. We carried out observations in the 3 mm band towards the solar type protostar IRAS 16293-2422 with the IRAM 30m telescope. We observed a single frequency setup with the EMIR heterodyne 3 mm receiver with an Lower Inner (LI) tuning frequency of 89.98 GHz. Several lines of the complex sulphur species CH3SH were detected. Observed abundances are compared with simulations using the NAUTILUS gas-grain chemical model. Modelling results suggest that CH3SH has the constant abundance of 4e-9 (compared to H2) for radii lower than 200 AU and is mostly formed on the surfaces. Detection of CH3SH indicates that there may be several new families of S-bearing molecules (which could form starting from CH3SH) which have not been detected or looked for yet.

astro-ph.GA↗