Context. Protoplanetary disks generally exhibit strong line emission from the CO fundamental v = 1-0 ro-vibrational band around 4.7 μm. The lines are usually interpreted as being formed in the Keplerian disk, as opposed to other kinematic components of the young stellar system. Aims. This paper investigates a set of disks that show CO emission line profiles characterized by a single, narrow peak and a broad base extending to >50 km s −1 , not readily explained by just Keplerian motions of gas in the inner disk. Methods. High resolution (R = 10 5 ) M-band spectroscopy has been obtained using CRIRES at the Very Large Telescope in order to fully resolve fundamental ro-vibrational CO emission line profiles around 4.7 μm. Results. Line profiles with a narrow peak and broad wings are found for 8 disks among a sample of ∼50 disks around T Tauri stars with CO emission. The lines are very symmetric, have high line/continuum ratios and have central velocity shifts of <5 km s −1 relative to the stellar radial velocity. The disks in this subsample are accreting onto their central stars at high rates relative to the parent sample. All 8 disks show CO emission lines from the v = 2 vibrational state and 4/8 disks show emission up to v = 4. Excitation analyses of the integrated line fluxes reveal a significant difference between typical rotational (∼300-800 K) and vibrational (∼1700 K) temperatures, suggesting that the lines are excited, at least in part, by UV-fluorescence. For at least one source, the narrow and broad components show different excitation temperatures, but generally the two component fits have similar central velocities and temperature. Analysis of their spatial distribution shows that the lines are formed within a few AU of the central star. Conclusions. It is concluded that these broad centrally peaked line profiles are inconsistent with the double peaked profiles expected from just an inclined disk in Keplerian rotation. Models in which the low velocity emission arises from large disk radii are excluded based on the small spatial distribution. Alternative non-Keplerian line formation mechanisms are discussed, including thermally and magnetically launched winds and funnel flows. The most likely interpretation is that the broad-based centrally peaked line profiles originate from a combination of emission from the inner part (
We present an analysis of high-resolution spectroscopy of several bright T Tauri stars using the VLT/CRIRES and Keck/NIRSPEC spectrographs, revealing the first detections of emission from HCN and C 2 H 2 in circumstellar disks at near-infrared wavelengths. Using advanced data reduction techniques we achieve a dynamic range with respect to the disk continuum of ∼ 500 at 3 µm, revealing multiple emission features of H 2 O, OH, HCN, and C 2 H 2 . We also present stringent upper limits for two other molecules thought to be abundant in the inner disk, CH 4 and NH 3 . Line profiles for the different detected molecules are broad but centrally peaked in most cases, even for disks with previously determined inclinations of greater than 20 • , suggesting that the emission has both a Keplerian and non-Keplerian component as observed previously for CO emission. We apply two different modeling strategies to constrain the molecular abundances and temperatures: we use a simplified single-temperature LTE slab model with a Gaussian line profile to make line identifications and determine a best-fit temperature and initial abundance ratios, and we compare these values with constraints derived from a detailed disk radiative transfer model assuming LTE excitation but utilizing a realistic temperature and density structure. Abundance ratios from both sets of models are consistent with each other and consistent with expected values from theoretical chemical models, and analysis of the line shapes suggests the molecular emission originates from within a narrow region in the inner disk (R < 1 AU). 1
Aims. Given their photospheric origin and refractive nature, SiS molecules can provide major constraints on the relative roles of dust condensation and non-equilibrium processes in regulating the chemistry in circumstellar envelopes around evolved stars. Methods. New SiS multi-transition (sub-)millimetre line observations of a sample of AGB stars with varying photospheric C/O-ratios and mass-loss rates are presented. A combination of low-and high-energy lines are important in constraining the circumstellar distribution of SiS molecules. A detailed radiative transfer modelling of the observed SiS line emission is performed, including assessment of the effect of thermal dust grains in the excitation analysis. Results. We find that the circumstellar fractional abundance of SiS in these environments has a strong dependence on the photospheric C/O-ratio as expected from chemical models. The carbon stars (C/O > 1) have a mean fractional abundance of 3.1 × 10 −6 , about one order of magnitude higher than that found for the M-type AGB stars (C/O < 1) where the mean value is 2.7 × 10 −7 . These numbers are in reasonable agreement with photospheric LTE chemical models. SiS appears to behave similarly to SiO in terms of photodissociation in the outer part of the circumstellar envelope. In contrast to previous results for the related molecule SiO, there is no strong correlation of the fractional abundance with density in the CSE, as would be the case if freeze-out onto dust grains were important. However, possible time-variability of the line emission in the lower J transitions and the sensitivity of the line emission to abundance gradients in the inner part of the CSE may mask a correlation with the density of the wind. There are indications that the SiS fractional abundance could be significantly higher closer to the star which, at least in the case of M-type AGB stars, would require non-equilibrium chemical processes.
Context. Repeating fast radio bursts (FRBs) present excellent opportunities to identify FRB progenitors and host environments, as well as decipher the underlying emission mechanism. Detailed studies of repeating FRBs might also hold clues to the origin of FRBs as a population. Aims. We aim to detect bursts from the first two repeating FRBs: FRB 121102 (R1) and FRB 180814.J0422+73 (R2), and characterise their repeat statistics. We also want to significantly improve the sky localisation of R2 and identify its host galaxy. Methods. We use the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope to conduct extensive follow-up of these two repeating FRBs. The new phased-array feed system, Apertif, allows covering the entire sky position uncertainty of R2 with fine spatial resolution in a single pointing. The data were searched for bursts around the known dispersion measures of the two sources. We characterise the energy distribution and the clustering of detected R1 bursts. Results. We detected 30 bursts from R1. The non-Poissonian nature is clearly evident from the burst arrival times, consistent with earlier claims. Our measurements indicate a dispersion measure of 563.5(2) pc cm −3 , suggesting a significant increase in DM over the past few years. Assuming a constant position angle across the burst, we place an upper limit of 8% on the linear polarisation fraction for the brightest burst in our sample. We did not detect any bursts from R2. Conclusions. A single power-law might not fit the R1 burst energy distribution across the full energy range or widely separated detections. Our observations provide improved constraints on the clustering of R1 bursts. Our stringent upper limits on the linear polarisation fraction imply a significant depolarisation, either intrinsic to the emission mechanism or caused by the intervening medium, at 1400 MHz that is not observed at higher frequencies. The non-detection of any bursts from R2, despite nearly 300 hrs of observations, implies either a highly clustered nature of the bursts, a steep spectral index, or a combination of both assuming the source is still active. Another possibility is that R2 has turned off completely, either permanently or for an extended period of time.
Context. Over the last few years, the chemistry of molecules other than CO in the planet-forming zones of disks is starting to be explored with Spitzer and high-resolution ground-based data. However, these studies have focused only on a few simple molecules. Aims. The aim of this study is to put observational constraints on the presence of more complex organic and sulfur-bearing molecules predicted to be abundant in chemical models of disks and to simulate high resolution spectra in view of future missions. Methods. High signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) Spitzer spectra of the near edge-on disks IRS 46 and GV Tau are used to search for midinfrared absorption bands of various molecules. These disks are good laboratories because absorption studies do not suffer from low line/continuum ratios that plague emission data. Simple local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) slab models are used to infer column densities (or upper limits) and excitation temperatures. Results. Mid-infrared bands of HCN, C 2 H 2 and CO 2 are clearly detected toward both sources. The HCN and C 2 H 2 absorption arises in warm gas with excitation temperatures of 400−700 K, whereas the CO 2 absorption originates in cooler gas of ∼250 K. Column densities and their ratios are comparable for the two sources. No other absorption features are detected at the 3σ level. Column density limits of the majority of molecules predicted to be abundant in the inner disk -C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 6 , C 6 H 6 , C 3 H 4 , C 4 H 2 , CH 3 , HNC, HC 3 N, CH 3 CN, NH 3 and SO 2 -are determined and compared with disk models. Conclusions. The inferred abundance ratios and limits with respect to C 2 H 2 and HCN are roughly consistent with models of the chemistry in high temperature gas. Models of UV irradiated disk surfaces generally agree better with the data than pure X-ray models. The limit on NH 3 /HCN implies that evaporation of NH 3 -containing ices is only a minor contributor. The inferred abundances and their limits also compare well with those found in comets, suggesting that part of the cometary material may derive from warm inner disk gas. The high resolution simulations show that future instruments on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs), the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) and the Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA) can probe up to an order of magnitude lower abundance ratios and put important new constraints on the models, especially if pushed to high S/Ns.
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