No Arabic abstract
Using the Yebes 40m and IRAM 30m radio telescopes, we detected a series of harmonically related lines with a rotational constant B0=4460.590 +/- 0.001 MHz and a distortion constant D0=0.511 +/- 0.005 kHz towards the cold dense core TMC-1. High-level-of-theory ab initio calculations indicate that the best possible candidate is protonated tricarbon monoxide, HC3O+. We have succeeded in producing this species in the laboratory and observed its J = 2-1 and 3-2 rotational transitions. Hence, we report the discovery of HC3O+ in space based on our observations, theoretical calculations, and laboratory experiments. We derive an abundance ratio N(C3O)/N(HC3O+) = 7. The high abundance of the protonated form of C3O is due to the high proton affinity of the neutral species. The chemistry of O-bearing species is modelled, and predictions are compared to the derived abundances from our data for the most prominent O-bearing species in TMC-1.
We report the detection, for the first time in space, of a new non-functionalised hydrocarbon cycle in the direction of TMC-1: o-C6H4 (ortho-benzyne). We derive a column density for this hydrocarbon cycle of (5 +/- 1)e11 cm-2. The abundance of this species is around 30 times lower than that of cyclopentadiene and indene. We compare the abundance of benzyne with that of other pure hydrocarbons, cycles or chains, and find that it could be formed from neutral-radical reactions such as C2H + CH2CHCCH and C + C5H5, and possibly through C4H + C2H4, C3H + CH2CCH2, and C3H2 + C3H3. Hence, the rich content of hydrocarbon cycles observed in TMC-1 could arise through a bottom-up scenario involving reactions of a few radicals with the abundant hydrocarbons recently revealed by the QUIJOTE line survey.
Deuterated species are unique and powerful tools in astronomy since they can probe the physical conditions, chemistry, and ionization level of various astrophysical media. Recent observations of several deuterated species along with some of their spin isomeric forms have rekindled the interest for more accurate studies on deuterium fractionation. This paper presents the first publicly available chemical network of multiply deuterated species along with spin chemistry implemented on the latest state-of-the-art gas-grain chemical code `NAUTILUS. D/H ratios for all deuterated species observed at different positions of TMC-1 are compared with the results of our model, which considers multiply deuterated species along with the spin chemistry of light hydrogen bearing species H2, H2+, H3+ and their isotopologues. We also show the differences in the modeled abundances of non-deuterated species after the inclusion of deuteration and spin chemistry in the model. Finally, we present a list of potentially observable deuterated species in TMC-1 awaiting detection.
Context. Several sulfur-bearing molecules are observed in the interstellar medium and in comets, in strong contrast to protoplanetary disks where only CS, H$_2$CS and SO have been detected so far. Aims. We combine observations and chemical models to constrain the sulfur abundances and their sensitivity to physical and chemical conditions in the DM Tau protoplanetary disk. Methods. We obtained $0.5^{}$ ALMA observations of DM Tau in Bands 4 and 6 in lines of CS, SO, SO$_2$, OCS, CCS, H$_2$CS and H$_2$S, achieving a $sim 5$ mJy sensitivity. Using the non-LTE radiative transfer code RADEX and the forward-modeling tool DiskFit, disk-averaged CS column densities and upper limits for the other species were derived. Results. Only CS was detected with a derived column density of $sim 2-6 times 10^{12}$ cm$^{-2}$. We report a first tentative detection of SO$_2$ in DM Tau. The upper limits range between $sim 10^{11}$ and $10^{14}$ cm$^{-2}$ for the other S-bearing species. The best-fit chemical model matching these values requires a gas-phase C/O ratio of > 1 at $r sim 50-100$ au. With chemical modeling we demonstrate that sulfur-bearing species could be robust tracers of the gas-phase C/O ratio, surface reaction rates, grain size and UV intensities. Conclusions. The lack of detections of a variety of sulfur-bearing molecules in DM Tau other than CS implies a dearth of reactive sulfur in the gas phase, either through efficient freeze-out or because most of the elemental sulfur is in other large species, as found in comets. The inferred high CS/SO and CS/SO$_2$ ratios require a non-solar C/O gas-phase ratio of > 1, consistent with the recent observations of hydrocarbon rings in DM Tau. The stronger depletion of oxygen-bearing S-species compared to CS is likely linked to the low observed abundances of gaseous water in DM Tau and points to a removal mechanism of oxygen from the gas.
We report the detection of the oxygen-bearing complex organic molecules propenal (C2H3CHO), vinyl alcohol (C2H3OH), methyl formate (HCOOCH3), and dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3) toward the cyanopolyyne peak of the starless core TMC-1. These molecules are detected through several emission lines in a deep Q-band line survey of TMC-1 carried out with the Yebes 40m telescope. These observations reveal that the cyanopolyyne peak of TMC-1, which is the prototype of cold dark cloud rich in carbon chains, contains also O-bearing complex organic molecules like HCOOCH3 and CH3OCH3, which have been previously seen in a handful of cold interstellar clouds. In addition, this is the first secure detection of C2H3OH in space and the first time that C2H3CHO and C2H3OH are detected in a cold environment, adding new pieces in the puzzle of complex organic molecules in cold sources. We derive column densities of (2.2 +/- 0.3)e11 cm-2, (2.5 +/- 0.5)e12 cm-2, (1.1 +/- 0.2)e12 cm-2, and (2.5 +/- 0.7)e12 cm-2 for C2H3CHO, C2H3OH, HCOOCH3, and CH3OCH3, respectively. Interestingly, C2H3OH has an abundance similar to that of its well known isomer acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), with C2H3OH/CH3CHO ~ 1 at the cyanopolyyne peak. We discuss potential formation routes to these molecules and recognize that further experimental, theoretical, and astronomical studies are needed to elucidate the true mechanism of formation of these O-bearing complex organic molecules in cold interstellar sources.
We report the detection, for the first time in space, of cyano thioformaldehyde (HCSCN) and propynethial (HCSCCH) towards the starless core TMC-1. Cyano thioformaldehyde presents a series of prominent a- and b-type lines, which are the strongest previously unassigned features in our Q-band line survey of TMC-1. Remarkably, HCSCN is four times more abundant than cyano formaldehyde (HCOCN). On the other hand, HCSCCH is five times less abundant than propynal (HCOCCH). Surprisingly, we find an abundance ratio HCSCCH/HCSCN of 0.25, in contrast with most other ethynyl-cyanide pairs of molecules for which the CCH-bearing species is more abundant than the CN-bearing one. We discuss the formation of these molecules in terms of neutral-neutral reactions of S atoms with CH2CCH and CH2CN radicals as well as of CCH and CN radicals with H2CS. The calculated abundances for the sulphur-bearing species are, however, significantly below the observed values, which points to an underestimation of the abundance of atomic sulphur in the model or to missing formation reactions, such as ion-neutral reactions.