Search

There is evidence that the star formation process is linked to the intricate net of filaments in molecular clouds, which may be also due to gas compression from external triggers. We studied the southern region of the Perseus NGC 1333 molecular cloud, known to be heavily shaped by similar external triggers, to shed light on the process that perturbed the filament where the Class 0 IRAS4 protostars lie. We use new IRAM-NOEMA observations of SiO and CH3OH, both known to trace violent events as shocks, toward IRAS 4A as part of the Large Program Seeds Of Life in Space (SOLIS). We detected three parallel elongated ($>$6000 au) structures, called fingers, with narrow line profiles (~1.5 $km s^{-1}$) peaked at the cloud systemic velocity, tracing gas with high density (5-20 $10^5 cm^{-3}$) and high temperature (80-160 K). They are chemically different, with the northern finger traced by both SiO and CH3OH ([CH3OH]/[SiO]~160-300), while the other two only by SiO ([CH3OH]/[SiO]$$5000 yr, would be consistent with the observations if a substantial fraction of silicon, frozen onto the grain mantles, is released by the shocks.We suggest that the shock train is due to an expanding gas bubble, coming behind NGC 1333 from the southwest and clashing against the filament, where IRAS 4A lies. Finally, we propose a solution to the two-decades long debate on the nature and origin of the widespread narrow SiO emission observed in the south part of NGC 1333, namely that it is due to unresolved trains of shocks., Comment: accepted to MNRAS, stac083

We report a comprehensive study of the cyanopolyyne chemistry in the prototypical prestellar core L1544. Using the 100m Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) we observe 3 emission lines of HC$_3$N, 9 lines of HC$_5$N, 5 lines of HC$_7$N, and 9 lines of HC$_9$N. HC$_9$N is detected for the first time towards the source. The high spectral resolution ($\sim$ 0.05 km s$^{-1}$) reveals double-peak spectral line profiles with the redshifted peak a factor 3-5 brighter. Resolved maps of the core in other molecular tracers indicates that the southern region is redshifted. Therefore, the bulk of the cyanopolyyne emission is likely associated with the southern region of the core, where free carbon atoms are available to form long chains, thanks to the more efficient illumination of the interstellar field radiation. We perform a simultaneous modelling of the HC$_5$N, HC$_7$N, and HC$_9$N lines, to investigate the origin of the emission. To enable this analysis, we performed new calculation of the collisional coefficients. The simultaneous fitting indicates a gas kinetic temperature of 5--12 K, a source size of 80$\arcsec$, and a gas density larger than 100 cm$^{-3}$. The HC$_5$N:HC$_7$N:HC$_9$N abundance ratios measured in L1544 are about 1:6:4. We compare our observations with those towards the the well-studied starless core TMC-1 and with the available measurements in different star-forming regions. The comparison suggests that a complex carbon chain chemistry is active in other sources and it is related to the presence of free gaseous carbon. Finally, we discuss the possible formation and destruction routes in the light of the new observations., Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure, 3 tables

Introduction Comets are the leftovers from the formation of the Solar System. Understanding their composition allow us to investigate the physical and chemical processes occurring at the early stages of its formation. In this contribution we analyze high resolution spectra of comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) obtained with the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS-N) echelle spectrograph at the 3.6 m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG). C/2020 F3 was discovered on 27 March 2020 as a long-period comet, the brightest one observed in the northern hemisphere since the Hale-Bopp in 1997. Its remarkable brightness offered a unique opportunity to investigate its composition through high-resolution spectroscopy, which is otherwise challenging on these targets due to their usual faintness. Our observations already allowed the identification of 4488 cometary emission lines belonging to C2, C3, CN, CH, NH2, Na I and [OI] [1]. We here follow up the molecular identifications by characterizing the gaseous environment of C2020/F3 through the analysis of the molecules’ production rates. Dataset and Methods We analyze one HARPS-N spectra of C/2020 F3 obtained on 26 July, at a heliocentric distance of 0.72 AU, covering the wavelengths between 383-693 nm at a spectral resolving power of 115000. We reduced the spectrum by performing absolute calibration, sky subtraction and dust-continuum normalization using IRAF routines and observations of the spectrophotometric standard HR5501 and the solar analog Land 107-684. The calibrated spectra were used in combination with the identified line identification [1] to measure the fluxes of given bands of molecules CN (388.3 nm band), C2 (516.5 nm band), C3 (405.0 nm band), NH2 (577.4 nm band) and OI (630.0 nm line). For each emission line or band, the flux was measured in IRAF through a fit of multiple gaussian profiles, centered at the catalog wavelengths. Cometary production rates are then estimated using a Haser model [2] which parameters were derived from literature studies (e.g., [3]) Results We estimate production rates of Q[CN]=2.2*1026 , Q[C2]=2.28*1026 , Q[C3]=2.15*1027 and finally Q[NH2]=1.08*1027 . We estimate a H2O production rate of Q[H2O]=2.89*1029 , using the OI emission line at 630 nm, therefore assuming that all the flux of this line comes from dissociation of water. Our estimate is in agreement with independent estimates from the SOHO/SWAN instrument[4]. A detailed analysis of the production rate and their comparison with other comets will be presented at the conference. References [1] P.Cambianica, et al., 2021, A&A, 656, A160. [2] Haser, L. 1957Bull. Soc. R. Sci. Liege, 43 (1957), pp. 740-750 [3] Langland-Shula, L., Smith, G. H.,2011, Icarus, Volume 213, Issue 1, 2011, 280-322, 0019-1035 [4] M. R. Combi et al 2021 ApJL 907 L38

We have observed the low-mass protostellar source, IRAS 15398$-$3359, at a resolution of 0.$''$2-0.$''$3, as part of the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array Large Program FAUST, to examine the presence of a hot corino in the vicinity of the protostar. We detect nine CH$_3$OH lines including the high excitation lines with upper state energies up to 500 K. The CH$_3$OH rotational temperature and the column density are derived to be 119$^{+20}_{-26}$ K and 3.2$^{+2.5}_{-1.0}\times$10$^{18}$ cm$^{-2}$, respectively. The beam filling factor is derived to be 0.018$^{+0.005}_{-0.003}$, indicating that the emitting region of CH$_3$OH is much smaller than the synthesized beam size and is not resolved. The emitting region of three high excitation lines, 18$_{3,15}-18_{2,16}$, A ($E_u=$447 K), 19$_{3,16}-19_{2,17}$, A ($E_u=$491 K), and 20$_{3,17}-20_{2,18}$, A ($E_u=$537 K), is located within the 50 au area around the protostar, and seems to have a slight extension toward the northwest. Toward the continuum peak, we also detect one emission line from CH$_2$DOH and two features of multiple CH$_3$OCHO lines. These results, in combination with previous reports, indicate that IRAS 15398$-$3359 is a source with hybrid properties showing both hot corino chemistry rich in complex organic molecules on small scales $\sim$10 au) and warm carbon-chain chemistry (WCCC) rich in carbon-chain species on large scales ($\sim$100-1000 au). A possible implication of the small emitting region is further discussed in relation to the origin of the hot corino activity., 20pages, 3figures

We present ALMA high-angular resolution ($\sim$ 50 au) observations of the Class I binary system SVS13-A. We report images of SVS13-A in numerous interstellar complex organic molecules: CH$_{\rm 3}$OH, $^{13}$CH$_{\rm 3}$OH, CH$_{\rm 3}$CHO, CH$_{\rm 3}$OCH$_{\rm 3}$, and NH$_{\rm 2}$CHO. Two hot corinos at different velocities are imaged in VLA4A (V$_{sys}$= +7.7 km s$^{-1}$) and VLA4B (V$_{sys}$= +8.5 km s$^{-1}$). From a non-LTE analysis of methanol lines we derive a gas density of 3 $\times$ 10$^8$ cm$^{-3}$, and gas temperatures of 140 K and 170 K for VLA4A and VLA4B, respectively. For the other species the column densities are derived from a LTE analysis. Formamide, which is the only N-bearing species detected in our observations, is more prominent around VLA4A, while dimethyl ether, methanol and acetaldehyde are associated with both VLA4A and VLA4B. We derive in the two hot corinos abundance ratios of $\sim$ 1 for CH$_{\rm 3}$OH, $^{13}$CH$_{\rm 3}$OH, and CH$_{\rm 3}$OCH$_{\rm 3}$, $\sim$ 2 for CH$_{\rm 3}$CHO, and $\sim$ 4 for NH$_{\rm 2}$CHO. The present dataset supports a chemical segregation between the different species inside the binary system. The emerging picture is that of an onion-like structure of the two SVS13-A hot corinos, caused by the different binding energies of the species, also supported by ad hoc quantum chemistry calculations. In addition, the comparison between molecular and dust maps suggests that the interstellar complex organic molecules emission originates from slow shocks produced by accretion streamers impacting the VLA4A and VLA4B disks and enriching the gas-phase component., Comment: 20 pages, 14 figures

Ariel, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey, was adopted as the fourth medium-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision programme to be launched in 2029. During its 4-year mission, Ariel will study what exoplanets are made of, how they formed and how they evolve, by surveying a diverse sample of about 1000 extrasolar planets, simultaneously in visible and infrared wavelengths. It is the first mission dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal structures of hundreds of transiting exoplanets, enabling planetary science far beyond the boundaries of the Solar System. The payload consists of an off-axis Cassegrain telescope (primary mirror 1100 mm x 730 mm ellipse) and two separate instruments (FGS and AIRS) covering simultaneously 0.5-7.8 micron spectral range. The satellite is best placed into an L2 orbit to maximise the thermal stability and the field of regard. The payload module is passively cooled via a series of V-Groove radiators; the detectors for the AIRS are the only items that require active cooling via an active Ne JT cooler. The Ariel payload is developed by a consortium of more than 50 institutes from 16 ESA countries, which include the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and a NASA contribution., Comment: Ariel Definition Study Report, 147 pages. Reviewed by ESA Science Advisory Structure in November 2020. Original document available at: https://www.cosmos.esa.int/documents/1783156/3267291/Ariel_RedBook_Nov2020.pdf/

Formamide (NH2CHO) is considered an important prebiotic molecule because of its potential to form peptide bonds. It was recently detected in the atmosphere of the HH 212 protostellar disk on the Solar-System scale where planets will form. Here we have mapped it and its potential parent molecules HNCO and H2CO, along with other molecules CH3OH and CH3CHO, in the disk atmosphere, studying its formation mechanism. Interestingly, we find a stratified distribution of these molecules, with the outer emission radius increasing from ~ 24 au for NH2CHO and HNCO, to 36 au for CH3CHO, to 40 au for CH3OH, and then to 48 au for H2CO. More importantly, we find that the increasing order of the outer emission radius of NH2CHO, CH3OH, and H2CO is consistent with the decreasing order of their binding energies, supporting that they are thermally desorbed from the ice mantle on dust grains. We also find that HNCO, which has much lower binding energy than NH2CHO, has almost the same spatial distribution, kinematics, and temperature as NH2CHO, and is thus more likely a daughter species of desorbed NH2CHO. On the other hand, we find that H2CO has a more extended spatial distribution with different kinematics from NH2CHO, thus questioning whether it can be the gas-phase parent molecule of NH2CHO., Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures

Introduction: Millimeter and centimeter observations are discovering an increasing number of interstellar complex organic molecules (iCOMs) in a large variety of star-forming sites from the earliest stages of star formation to protoplanetary disks. To correctly interpret the distribution and abundances of iCOMs observed along the formation process of a Sun-like star (i.e. in pre-stellar dense cores1,2, hot corinos around protostars3,4, in the associated jets and outflows5,6, and protoplanetary disks7), we need to first comprehend their formation processes and the mechanism responsible for their release in gas-phase. In this context, it is pivotal to understand the influence of the solid phase interactions between iCOMs and grain surface in the thermal desorption process and the subsequent presence of molecular species in the gas phase. Thermal desorption can be characterized through laboratory experiments using interstellar ice analogs deposited on grains similar to interstellar ones deriving important parameters such as the desorption temperatures and energies. Up to now, temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) experiments have been carried out mainly from graphite and amorphous water ice surfaces8,9,10,11. As far as we know, TPD experiments from grain surfaces are lacking in the literature, although mineral matrices can selectively adsorb, protect, and allow the iCOMs concentration on their surface. Molecules can diffuse inside the grains and so, the presence of grains can influence the desorption and release of the iCOMs in the gas phase. Laboratory measurements: We report our new recently published laboratory results12 on TPD experiments of astrophysical relevant ice mixtures of water, acetonitrile (CH3CN), and acetaldehyde (CH3COH) from micrometric grains of silicate olivine ((Mg,Fe)2SiO4) used as interstellar dust analog on which the icy mixtures were condensed at 17 K inside the ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber (P~6.68 × 10-10 mbar). The ice mixtures condensed on olivine dust were heated at a constant rate, so the molecules diffused and desorbed from the dusty sample, and in situ TPD analysis was made. Results: We found that in the presence of grains, only a fraction of acetaldehyde and acetonitrile desorbs at about 100 K and 120 K respectively, while 40% of the molecules are retained by fluffy grains of the order of 100 μm up to temperatures of 200 K. In contrast with the typical assumption that all molecules are desorbed in regions with temperatures higher than 100 K, this result implies that about 40% of the molecules can survive on the grains enabling the delivery of volatiles towards regions with temperatures as high as 200 K. This may be important in protoplanetary disks where the submicrometric interstellar grains begin to agglomerate into fluffy grains of hundreds of microns. The diffusion of molecules on the silicate surface is a valuable process enabling the permanence of the ices in the inner part of the disk. This implies that O-rich and N-rich volatiles ice can survive up to ∼ 200 K, broadening the snowlines of O- and N-bearing molecules, such as CH3CN and CH3COH. The presence of dust grains in the protoplanetary disk can therefore determine the approach of the snowlines towards the star and allow the presence of water and volatile species in Earth-like planets forming region. These studies offer a necessary support to interpret observational data and may help our understanding of iCOMs formation providing an estimate of the fraction of molecules released at various temperatures. G. A. Blake, E. C. Sutton, C.R. Masson, T.G. Phillips, ApJ. 1987, 315 E. Herbst & E. F. van Dishoeck, ARA&A. 2009, 47 S. Cazaux, A. G. G. M. Tielens, C. Ceccarelli et al., ApJ. 2003, 593 C. Ceccarelli, P. Caselli, E. Herbst, A. G. G. M. Tielens & E. Caux, Protostars and Planets V. 2007, 47 R. Bachiller, & M. Pérez Gutiérrez, ApJ. 1997, 48 C. Codella, B. Lefloch, C. Ceccarelli et al., A&A. 2010, 518 J. Lee, S. Lee, G. Baek et al., Nature Astronomy. 2019, 3 M. P. Collings, M. A. Anderson, R. Chen et al., MNRAS. 2004, 354 T. Hama, N. Watanabe, A. Kouchi & M. Yokoyama, ApJL. 2011, 738 J. Shi, G. A. Grieves & T. M. Orlando, ApJ. 2015, 804 H. Chaabouni, S. Diana, T. Nguyen & F. Dulieu, A&A. 2018, 612 M. A. Corazzi, J. R. Brucato, G. Poggiali, L. Podio, D. Fedele & C. Codella, accepted on ApJ. 2021

Formamide (NH$_2$CHO) has been identified as a potential precursor of a wide variety of organic compounds essential to life, and many biochemical studies propose it likely played a crucial role in the context of the origin of life on our planet. The detection of formamide in comets, which are believed to have --at least partially-- inherited their current chemical composition during the birth of the Solar System, raises the question whether a non-negligible amount of formamide may have been exogenously delivered onto a very young Earth about four billion years ago. A crucial part of the effort to answer this question involves searching for formamide in regions where stars and planets are forming today in our Galaxy, as this can shed light on its formation, survival, and chemical re-processing along the different evolutionary phases leading to a star and planetary system like our own. The present review primarily addresses the chemistry of formamide in the interstellar medium, from the point of view of (i) astronomical observations, (ii) experiments, and (iii) theoretical calculations. While focusing on just one molecule, this review also more generally reflects the importance of joining efforts across multiple scientific disciplines in order to make progress in the highly interdisciplinary science of astrochemistry., Review, 5 figures

To understand the origin of the diversity observed in exoplanetary systems, it is crucial to characterize the early stages of their formation, represented by Solar-type protostars. Likely, the gaseous chemical content of these objects directly depends on the composition of the dust grain mantles formed before the collapse. Directly retrieving the ice mantle composition is challenging, but it can be done indirectly by observing the major components, such as NH3 and CH3OH at cm wavelengths, once they are released into the gas-phase during the warm protostellar stage. We observed several CH3OH and NH3 lines toward three Class 0 protostars in NGC1333 (IRAS 4A1, IRAS 4A2, and IRAS 4B), at high angular resolution (1"; ~300 au) with the VLA interferometer at 24-26 GHz. Using a non-LTE LVG analysis, we derived a similar NH3/CH3OH abundance ratio in the three protostars (, accepted in ApJ Letters

A first step towards understanding planetary formation is the characterisation of the structure and evolution of protoplanetary discs. A variety of planetary systems has been discovered in recent years and it likely depends on the early history of their formation. Thus understanding the chemical composition of early solar-like protostars is crucial. To be able to study the lines in detail though, a good knowledge of the dust properties and in particular the optical depth is needed in order to interpreted the lines correctly. In this talk I want to present our results of the class I source Elias29 as part of the FAUST (fifty au study of the chemistry in the disk/envelope system of solar-like protostars) collaboration. The goal of FAUST is to quantify the chemical composition of the envelope/disk system of solar-lie class 0 and I protostars. With the high spatial resolution of 50 au in band 3 and band 6 ALMA data we can spatially resolve the envelope and the disk on this source and calculate the dust properties of the two components.

Understanding how molecular complexity varies in Sun-like star forming regions is mandatory to comprehend whether the chemical composition of the protostellar stages is inherited by protoplanetary disks and planets. In this perspective, our ambitious overall goal is to follow the chemical evolution from the earliest protostellar stages to the relics of our pristin Solar System, i.e. comets. We investigate the chemical composition of Class I protostars, with a typical age of 105 yr. Class I sources represent a bridge between Class 0 protostars (about 104 yr), where the bulk of the material that eventually form the protostar is still in the envelope, and the Class II protoplanetary disks (106 yr). The importance of the Class I stage has been recently strengthened by recent ALMA images showing that planet formation occurs already in disks with ages < 1 Myr. Unfortunately, only very few Class I sources, e.g. SVS13-A and Ser-17, have been chemically characterized through spectral survey at millimeter wavelengths. Therefore, we are still far to conclude if Class I protostars are also a bridge from a chemical point of view.In this context, and in the framework of the H2020 MSCA ITN Project AstroChemical Origins (www.aco-itn.org), we present a chemical census of 4 Class I sources: L1551-IRS5, L1489-IRS (in the Taurus star forming region) and B5-IRS1, L1455-IRS1 (in Perseus). We used IRAM 30m single-dish observations at 1.3 mm sampling spatial scales of 1500-2500 au. We detect up to 80 lines (depending on the source) due to 27 species: from simple molecules (e.g. S-bearing: OCS, H2S, CCS, H2CS, N-bearing: CN, HNCO, C-chains: c-C3H2, c-C3H, D-species: CCD, DCN, D2CO, CH2DOH, ions: N2D+, DCO+) to the so called interstellar Complex Organic Molecules (iCOMs), which can be considered as the bricks of a prebiotic chemistry (H2CO, H2CCO, CH3OH, CH3CN, CH3CHO, CH3CCH, HCOOCH3). All the sources are associated with high-velocity CO, H2CO, and SO outflows. In addition, our observations show a chemical differentiation, that can be summarized as follows: (1) we detect hot corino chemistry in one source, L1551 -IRS5, revealed by iCOMs as well as OCS, H2S, which could be the main S-bearing carriers on icy grains; (2) the envelopes of all the protostars are rich of carbon-chains molecules; (3) we find that the iCOMs of L1551 have similar abundance ratio, within one order of magnitude, as Class 0 and Class I hot corinos previously observed. We also compare the iCOMs abundance ratios as measured in the Class I source L1551-IRS5 with those measured in comets Hale-Bopp, Lemmon, Lovejoy, and 67P to understand if the cometary composition is inherited from the previous evolutionary stages. We find that the iCOMs abundance ratio (e.g. CH3CHO/HCOOCH3) at the Class 0 and Class I protostellar stages is comparable with that of comets, suggesting that cometary material could be inherited from the early stages of the star forming process leading to a Sun-like star. These results are a basis to future follow-up interferometric observations aimed to obtain a full inventory of the chemistry of Class I sources and to reconstruct the chemical route from Class 0 protostars to protoplanetary disks and planets.

Phosphorus is one of the most important elements in biochemistry together with carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. Therefore, P-bearing compounds with some prebiotic potential and their possible formation pathways in extraterrestrial environments are attracting a lot of interest. In recent years, phosphorus has been clearly identified in the in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (1), while only a bunch of P-bearing molecules (namely PO, PN, CP, C2P and HCP) have been observed in the gas phase of circumstellar envelopes around evolved stars (2-7) and only two simple species have been detected in star forming regions, that is, PO and PN (8-11). If we focus only on solar-type star forming regions, only two detections are available, that is PN and PO toward the shocked region L1157-B1 (12) and the Class I protostar B1-b (13). Phosphorus chemistry in the conditions of the interstellar medium is poorly understood and the interstellar reservoir of this element is strongly debated. Since the first experimental work on ion-molecule reactions by Anicich and coworkers (14), PO has been indicated as the main reservoir of phosphorus and HPO+ as its major precursor. PO can also be transformed to PN by gas-phase chemistry (15). Thirty years ago, a series of theoretical investigation on ion-molecule reactions has been performed by Largo et al. (16-18) in order to explain the formation of P-O, P-N, P-C bonds. In spite of those efforts, the chemistry of interstellar phosphorus and its connections to the P-compounds detected in small bodies of the Solar System remains mostly unexplored and poorly characterized. For this reason, we have undertaken a systematic investigation of possible gas-phase formation routes of simple P-molecules by means of electronic structure and kinetic calculations. This approach is made necessary by the fact that P is a difficult species to deal with in laboratory experiments. In this work we present a new theoretical analysis of the reaction P+ + H2O and P+ + NH3 at a higher level of theory than those employed by Largo et al. in 1991. More specifically, we make use of DFT calculations for geometry optimization and frequency analysis coupled to a CCSD(T) reevaluation of the energy for each identified stationary point of the reaction potential energy surface. The data coming from electronic structure calculations will be used to perform a kinetic analysis using a Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) code implemented for this purpose in order to derive the rate coefficients and branching ratios. A possible formation mechanism is proposed for the formation of both PO and PN. In the figure, the potential energy surface for the reaction of P+ with a water molecule is reported. This process leads to the formation of the POH+ ion which can later transfer a proton to molecules like NH3 which have a large proton affinity. [1] Altwegg K. et al., Prebiotic chemicals—amino acid and phosphorus—in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, Sci. Adv., 2016, 2 : e1600285. [2] Turner, B. E. & Bally, J., Detection of Interstellar PN: The First Identified Phosphorus Compound in the Interstellar Medium, 1987, ApJL, 321, L75. [3] Ziurys L.M., Detection of Interstellar PN: The First Phosphorus-bearing Species Observed in Molecular Clouds, 1987, ApJL, 321, L81. [4] Guelin M. et al., Free CP in IRC +10216, 1990, ApJL, 230, L9-L11. [5] Agúndez M. et al., Discovery of Phosphaethyne (HCP) in Space: Phosphorus Chemistry in Circumstellar Envelopes, APJ, 662, ApJ, 2, L91-L94. [6] Tenenbaum E.D. et al., Identification of Phosphorus Monoxide (X2Πr) in VY Canis Majoris: Detection of the First PO Bond in Space, 2007, ApJ, 666, 1, L29-L32. [7] Halfen D.T. et al.,Detection of the CCP Radical (X2Πr) in IRC +10216: A New Interstellar Phosphorus-containing Species, 2008, ApJL, 667, 2, L101. [8] Rivilla V.M. et al., Phosphorus-bearing molecules in the Galactic Center, 2018, MNRAS, 475, 1, L30-L34. [9] Rivilla V.M et al., ALMA and ROSINA detections of phosphorus-bearing molecules: the interstellar thread between star-forming regions and comets, 2020, MNRAS, 492, 1, 1180-1198. [10] Rivilla V.M., The first detections of the key prebiotic molecule PO in star-forming regions, 2018, IAU Symposium, 332, 409-414. [11] Rivilla V.M., The First Detections of the Key Prebiotic Molecule PO in Star-forming Regions, 2016, ApJ, 826, 2, 161. [12] Lefloch B. et al., Phosphorus-bearing molecules in solar-type star-forming regions: first PO detection, 2016, MNRAS 462, 3937–3944. [13] Bergner J.B. et al., Detection of Phosphorus-bearing Molecules toward a Solar-type Protostar, 2019, The ApJ Lett., 884, 2, L36. [14] Thorne L.R et al., The chemistry of Phosphorus in Dense Interstellar Clouds, 1984, ApJ, 280, 139-143. [15] Millar T.J. et al., An efficient gas phase synthesis for interstellar PN, 1987, Mon. Not. R. Aster. Soc., 229, 41-44. [16] Largo A. et al., Theoretical Studies of Possible Processes for the Interstellar Production of Phosphorus Compounds. Reaction of P+ with Water, 1991, J. Phys. Chem., 95, 5443-5445. [17] Largo A. et al., Theoretical Sttudies of Possible Processes for the Interstellar Production of Phosphorus Compounds. Reaction of P+ with Methane, 1991, J. Phys. Chem., 95, 6553-6557. [18] Largo A. et al., Theoretical Sttudies of Possible Processes for the Interstellar Production of Phosphorus Compounds. Reaction of P+ with Ammonia, 1991, J. Phys. Chem., 95, 170-175.

There is growing observational evidence that giant planet formation happens early, within a million years of the coalescence of the protoplanetary disk. Ionization rate is one of the most important parameters controlling both the chemical and dynamical processes in these disks. What few observational constrains on ionization currently exists suggest overall low ionization, limiting the processes able to take place. This is seemingly in conflict with chemical models which demonstrate the importance of ionization for the chemical processing of volatile carbon and observations which suggest such processing is ubiquitous and happens quickly. I will present new NOEMA observations which, when combined with chemical modeling, are indicative of enhanced ionization rates in the envelopes of three Class I protostars. I will then discuss the potential impact of this early enhancement on the chemical composition of the material available to forming planets.

The role of the pre-solar chemistry in the chemical composition of Solar System bodies is far to be understood. Did they inherit at least part of their composition from the earliest stages of star formation? During each step of the process leading to the formation of a Sun-like star and its planetary system, the molecular complexity increases from simple species up to interstellar Complex Organic Molecules (iCOMs, O-, N-, S-bearing species whit at least 6 atoms). In turn, iCOMs can be considered as bricks that can be used to assemble pre-biotic molecules. In this context, the study of the molecular complexity of Class 0 objects, where protostars are still deeply embedded in their parental core and still accreting their mass, is mandatory. As a matter of fact, protostellar radiation heats the surrounding medium creating the so-called hot-corinos, i.e. the regions of about 100 au with temperatures of at least 100 K, hot enough to (i) evaporate dust mantles, and (ii) trigger a warm gas phase-chemistry. As a consequence, the iCOMs abundances bloom, dramatically enriching the gas phase. The chemistry of the protostellar environments represents the first stage, and it needs to be compared with those of more evolved phase including relics of our pristine Solar System, such as comets.The investigation of star-forming regions has enormously benefited from the recent advent of the IRAM-NOEMA and ALMA (sub-) mm-interferometers, which allowed the observers to reach Solar System scales. It is of paramount importance to combine high-sensitivity spectral surveys to collect large numbers of lines for each iCOM (for reliable identifications and to analyse excitation conditions) as well as to image their spatial distribution to investigate their association with different ingredients of the Sun-like star formation recipe (e.g. warm envelopes and cavities opened from hot jets, accretion disks, disk winds). The overall goal is to analyse the protostellar disk, i.e. the region where a Solar System will form billions of years later. The imaging of these regions with molecules simpler than iCOMs, such as CO or CS is indeed paradoxically hampered by their high abundances and consequently high line opacities which do not allow the observers to disentangle all the emitting components at these small scales.In this respect, we will report recent results of a prototypical object such as IRAS4A, showing how complementing images obtained in the cm-spectral regime are to mimimise iCOMs emission hampering due to dust opacity. Finally, we will focus on the protostellar disk HH212, observed with a spatial resolution down to about 10 au. A large number of iCOMs, such as CH3OH, CH3CHO, HCOOCH3, CH3CH2OH, NH2CHO, have been imaged: their emission is clearly associated with the upper and lower rings in the outer part of the disk imaged using continuum emission. Indeed, the geometry of these features has led this source to be called a “space hamburger” in the popular press. We will discuss the possible explanations: (i) the disk has a vertically extended gaseous atmosphere (the “methanol buns”) and no gaseous methanol on the disk midplane (the “dusty meat”); (ii) the optically-thick disk midplane obscures iCOMs’ emission. The answer is essential to understand the gas composition in the equatorial plane, where planets will form.

Detection of hot corinos in Solar-like protostars has been so far mostly limited to Class 0 objects, hampering our understanding of their origin and evolution. Recent evidence suggests that planet formation probably starts already in Class I protostars, representing a key step in our understanding of their chemical composition at the planet formation scale. Therefore, understanding the fate of hot corinos in Class I protostars has become of paramount importance. In this context, we report the discovery of a hot corino at the heart of the prototypical Class I source L1551 IRS5, obtained via ALMA observations as part of the Large Program FAUST (Fifty AU Study of the chemistry in the disk/envelope system of Solar-like protostars). More specifically, FAUST is the first ALMA Large Program based on astrochemistry and is designed to survey the chemical composition of a sample of 13 Class 0 and I protostars at the planet-formation scale. We detected in L1551 IRS 5 several emission lines from interstellar complex organic molecules (iCOMs) such as methanol and its most abundant isotopologues, as well as methyl formate and ethanol. The line emission is bright toward the north component (N), although a hot corino in the south component, cannot be excluded. The non-LTE analysis of the methanol lines towards N provides constraints on the gas temperature (~ 100 K), density (≥ 1.5 x 108 cm-3) and emitting size (~0.15”, i.e. ~ 10 au in radius). The lines are predicted to be optically thick, the 13CH3OH line having an opacity ≥ 2. The methyl formate and ethanol column densities relative to methanol are ≤ 0.03 and ≤ 0.015, respectively, compatible with those measured in Class 0 sources. Thus, the present observations towards L1551 IRS5 agree with little chemical evolution in hot corinos from Class 0 to I.

How have planets formed in the Solar System? And what chemical composition they inherited from their natal environment? Is the chemical composition passed unaltered from the earliest stages of the formation of the Sun to its disk and then to the planets which assembled in the disk? Or does it reflects chemical processes occurring in the disk and/or during the planet formation process? And what was the role of comets in the delivery of volatiles and prebiotic compounds to early Earth? A viable way to answer these questions is to observe protoplanetary disks around young Sun-like stars and compare their chemical composition with that of the early Solar System, which is imprinted in comets. The impacting images recently obtained by millimetre arrays of antennas such as ALMA provided the first observational evidence of ongoing planet formation in 0.1-1 million years old disks, through rings and gaps in their dust and gas distribution. The chemical composition of the forming planets and small bodies clearly depends on the location and timescale for their formation and is intimately connected to the spatial distribution and abundance of the various molecular species in the disk. The chemical characterisation of disks is therefore crucial. This field, however, is still in its infancy, because of the small sizes of disks (~100 au) and to the low gas-phase abundance of molecules (abundances with respect to H2 down to 10-12), which requires an unprecedented combination of angular resolution and sensitivity. I will show the first pioneering results obtained as part of the ALMA chemical survey of protoplanetary disks in the Taurus star forming region (ALMA-DOT program). Thanks to the ALMA images at ~20 au resolution, we recovered the radial distribution and abundance of diatomic molecules (CO and CN), S-bearing molecules (CS, SO, SO2, H2CS), as well as simple organics (H2CO and CH3OH) which are key for the formation of prebiotic compounds. Enhanced H2CO emission in the cold outer disk, outside the CO snowline, suggests that organic molecules may be efficiently formed in disks on the icy mantles of dust grain. This could be the dawn of ice chemistry in the disk, producing ices rich of complex organic molecules (COMs) which could be incorporated by the bodies forming in the outer disk region, such as comets. The next step is the comparison of the molecules radial distribution and abundance in disks with the chemical composition of comets, which are the leftover building blocks of giant planet cores and other planetary bodies. The first pioneering results in this direction have been obtained thanks to the ESA’s Rosetta mission, which allowed obtaining in situ measurements of the COMs abundance on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The comparison with three protostellar solar analogs observed on Solar System scales has shown comparable COMs abundance, implying that the volatile composition of comets and planetesimals may be partially inherited from the protostellar stage. The advent of new mission, devoted to sample return such as AMBITION will allow us to do a step ahead in this direction.

Planet-forming disks are not isolated systems. Their interaction with the surrounding medium affects their mass budget and chemical content. In the context of the ALMA-DOT program, we obtained high-resolution maps of assorted lines from six disks that are still partly embedded in their natal envelope. In this work, we examine the SO and SO$_2$ emission that is detected from four sources: DG Tau, HL Tau, IRAS 04302+2247, and T Tau. The comparison with CO, HCO$^+$, and CS maps reveals that the SO and SO$_2$ emission originates at the intersection between extended streamers and the planet-forming disk. Two targets, DG Tau and HL Tau, offers clear cases of inflowing material inducing an accretion shock on the disk material. The measured rotational temperatures and radial velocities are consistent with this view. In contrast to younger Class 0 sources, these shocks are confined to the specific disk region impacted by the streamer. In HL Tau, the known accreting streamer induces a shock in the disk outskirt, and the released SO and SO$_2$ molecules spiral toward the star in a few hundreds years. These results suggest that shocks induced by late accreting material may be common in the disks of young star-forming regions with possible consequences on the chemical composition and mass content of the disk. They also highlight the importance of SO and SO$_2$ line observations to probe accretion shocks from a larger sample., 18 pages, 13 figures, accepted by A$\&$A

Dimethyl ether is one of the most abundant interstellar complex organic molecules. Yet its formation route remains elusive. In this work, we have performed electronic structure and kinetics calculations to derive the rate coefficients for two ion-molecule reactions recently proposed as a gas-phase formation route of dimethyl ether in interstellar objects, namely CH3OH + CH3OH_2^+ → (CH3)2OH+ + H2O followed by (CH3)2OH+ + NH3 → CH3OCH3 + NH_4^+. A comparison with previous experimental rate coefficients for the reaction CH3OH + CH3OH_2^+ sustains the accuracy of the present calculations and allows a more reliable extrapolation at the low temperatures of interest in interstellar objects (10-100 K). The rate coefficient for the reaction (CH3)2OH+ + NH3 is, instead, provided for the first time ever. The rate coefficients derived in this work essentially confirm the prediction by Taquet, Wirström & Charnley concerning dimethyl ether formation in hot cores/corinos. Nevertheless, this formation route cannot be efficient in cold objects (like pre-stellar cores) where dimethyl ether is also detected, because ammonia has a very low abundance in those environments.

The reaction between atomic silicon and the mercapto radical has been computationally investigated by means of electronic structure and kinetics calculations to establish its possible role in the formation of interstellar SiS. According to our kinetics estimates based on the electronic structure calculations of the Si+SH potential energy surface, the reaction is very fast reaching the gas-kinetics limit. Therefore, the title reaction is an efficient formation route of interstellar SiS provided that silicon atoms and mercapto radicals are present. Implications for the observation of an anomalously high abundance of SiS in the shocked region around a Sun-like protostar (L1157-B1) are also presented.

We present an overview of the ALMA chemical survey of disk-outflow sources in Taurus (ALMA-DOT), a campaign devoted to the characterization of the molecular emission from partly embedded, young stars. The project aims at better understanding the gaseous products that are delivered to planets by means of high-resolution maps of assorted lines probing disks at the time of the planet formation (less than 1 Myr). Nine different molecules are surveyed by our observations of six Class I/flat-spectrum sources. A series of accompanying articles analyze specific targets and molecules. Here we describe the sample and provide a general overview of the results, focusing on the spatial distribution, column densities, and abundance ratios of H$_2$CO, CS, and CN. The results of this work are a first step toward the characterization of the disk chemical evolution that need to be complemented by further observations of less exceptional disks and customized thermo-chemical modeling., Accepted for publication by A&A, 16 pages, 9 figures

In a previous study of the L1157 B1 shocked cavity, a comparison between NH$_3$(1$_0$-$0_0$) and H$_2$O(1$_{\rm 10}$--1$_{\rm 01}$) transitions showed a striking difference in the profiles, with H$_2$O emitting at definitely higher velocities. This behaviour was explained as a result of the high-temperature gas-phase chemistry occurring in the postshock gas in the B1 cavity of this outflow. If the differences in behaviour between ammonia and water are indeed a consequence of the high gas temperatures reached during the passage of a shock, then one should find such differences to be ubiquitous among chemically rich outflows. In order to determine whether the difference in profiles observed between NH$_3$ and H$_2$O is unique to L1157 or a common characteristic of chemically rich outflows, we have performed Herschel-HIFI observations of the NH$_3$(1$_0$-0$_0$) line at 572.5 GHz in a sample of 8 bright low-mass outflow spots already observed in the H$_2$O(1$_{\rm 10}$--1$_{\rm 01}$) line within the WISH KP. We detected the ammonia emission at high-velocities at most of the outflows positions. In all cases, the water emission reaches higher velocities than NH$_3$, proving that this behaviour is not exclusive of the L1157-B1 position. Comparisons with a gas-grain chemical and shock model confirms, for this larger sample, that the behaviour of ammonia is determined principally by the temperature of the gas., Comment: Accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Silicon sulfide, SiS, has been recently detected in a shocked region around a Sun-like protostar (L1157-B1) with an anomalously high abundance with respect to the more common SiO. This has challenged our comprehension of silicon chemistry in the interstellar medium. In this paper, the reaction H+SiS2 has been computationally investigated by means of electronic structure and kinetic calculations to establish its role in the conversion of interstellar SiS2 into SiS by the abundant H atoms. The calculated reaction rate coefficients between 70–100 K are high enough to conclude that SiS2 cannot be considered a reservoir species of silicon or sulphur in interstellar objects and that, if formed, SiS2 is rapidly converted into SiS+HS by the reaction with atomic hydrogen.

The formation of asteroids, comets and planets occurs in the interior of protoplanetary disks during the early phase of star formation. Consequently, the chemical composition of the disk might shape the properties of the emerging planetary system. In this context, it is crucial to understand whether and what organic molecules are synthesized in the disk. In this Letter, we report the first detection of formic acid (HCOOH) towards the TW Hydrae protoplanetary disk. The observations of the trans-HCOOH 6$_{(1,6)-5(1,5)}$ transition were carried out at 129~GHz with ALMA. We measured a disk-averaged gas-phase t-HCOOH column density of $\sim$ (2-4)$\times$10$^{12}$~cm$^{-2}$, namely as large as that of methanol. HCOOH is the first organic molecules containing two oxygen atoms detected in a protoplanetary disk, a proof that organic chemistry is very active even though difficult to observe in these objects. Specifically, this simplest acid stands as the basis for synthesis of more complex carboxylic acids used by life on Earth., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, published online in ApJL on 16th July 2018

We present here a systematic search for cyanopolyynes in the shock region L1157-B1 and its associated protostar L1157-mm in the framework of the Large Program "Astrochemical Surveys At IRAM" (ASAI), dedicated to chemical surveys of solar-type star forming regions with the IRAM 30m telescope. Observations of the millimeter windows between 72 and 272 GHz permitted the detection of HC$_3$N and its $^{13}$C isotopologues, and HC$_5$N (for the first time in a protostellar shock region). In the shock, analysis of the line profiles shows that the emission arises from the outflow cavities associated with L1157-B1 and L1157-B2. Molecular abundances and excitation conditions were obtained from analysis of the Spectral Line Energy Distributions under the assumption of Local Thermodynamical Equilibrium or using a radiative transfer code in the Large Velocity Gradient approximation. Towards L1157mm, the HC$_3$N emission arises from the cold envelope ($T_{rot}=10$ K) and a higher-excitation region ($T_{rot}$= $31$ K) of smaller extent around the protostar. We did not find any evidence of $^{13}$C or D fractionation enrichment towards L1157-B1. We obtain a relative abundance ratio HC$_3$N/HC$_5$N of 3.3 in the shocked gas. We find an increase by a factor of 30 of the HC$_3$N abundance between the envelope of L1157-mm and the shock region itself. Altogether, these results are consistent with a scenario in which the bulk of HC$_3$N was produced by means of gas phase reactions in the passage of the shock. This scenario is supported by the predictions of a parametric shock code coupled with the chemical model UCL_CHEM., Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Main Journal

Magnetic fields play a fundamental role in star formation processes and the best method to evaluate their intensity is is to measure the Zeeman effect of atomic and molecular lines. However, a direct measurement of the Zeeman spectral pattern from interstellar molecular species is challenging due to the high sensitivity and high spectral resolution required. So far, the Zeeman effect has been detected unambiguously in star forming regions for very few non-masing species, such as OH and CN. We decided to investigate the ability of sulfur monoxide (SO), which is one of the most abundant species in star forming regions, for probing the intensity of magnetic fields via Zeeman effect. The Zeeman effect for several rotational transitions of SO in the (sub-)mm spectral regions has been investigated by using a frequency-modulated, computer-controlled spectrometer, and by applying a magnetic field parallel to the radiation source. To support the experimental determination of the g factors of SO, a systematic quantum-chemical investigation of these parameters for both SO and O_2 has been carried out. An effective experimental-computational strategy for providing accurate g factors as well as for identifying the rotational transitions showing the strongest Zeeman effect has been presented. Our investigation supports SO as a good candidate for probing magnetic fields in high-density star forming regions.

We report on a systematic search for oxygen-bearing Complex Organic Molecules (COMs) in the Solar-like protostellar shock region L1157-B1, as part of the IRAM Large Program "Astrochemical Surveys At IRAM" (ASAI). Several COMs are unambiguously detected, some for the first time, such as ketene H$_2$CCO, dimethyl ether (CH$_3$OCH$_3$) and glycolaldehyde (HCOCH$_2$OH), and others firmly confirmed, such as formic acid (HCOOH) and ethanol (C$_2$H$_5$OH). Thanks to the high sensitivity of the observations and full coverage of the 1, 2 and 3mm wavelength bands, we detected numerous (10--125) lines from each of the detected species. Based on a simple rotational diagram analysis, we derive the excitation conditions and the column densities of the detected COMs. Combining our new results with those previously obtained towards other protostellar objects, we found a good correlation between ethanol, methanol and glycolaldehyde. We discuss the implications of these results on the possible formation routes of ethanol and glycolaldehyde., Comment: 5 pages; 1 table; 3 figures; to appear in MNRAS

We present the results of a line identification analysis using data from the IRAM Plateau de Bure Inferferometer, focusing on six massive star-forming hot cores: G31.41+0.31, G29.96-0.02, G19.61-0.23, G10.62-0.38, G24.78+0.08A1 and G24.78+0.08A2. We identify several transitions of vibrationally excited methyl formate (HCOOCH$_3$) for the first time in these objects as well as transitions of other complex molecules, including ethyl cyanide (C$_2$H$_5$CN), and isocyanic acid (HNCO). We also postulate a detection of one transition of glycolaldehyde (CH$_2$(OH)CHO) in two new hot cores. We find G29.96-0.02, G19.61-0.23, G24.78+0.08A1 and 24.78+0.08A2 to be chemically very similar. G31.41+0.31, however, is chemically different: it manifests a larger chemical inventory and has significantly larger column densities. We suggest that it may represent a different evolutionary stage to the other hot cores in the sample, or it may surround a star with a higher mass. We derive column densities for methyl formate in G31.41+0.31, using the rotation diagram method, of $\times$10$^{17}$ cm$^{-2}$ and a T$_{rot}$ of $\sim$170 K. For G29.96-0.02, G24.78+0.08A1 and G24.78+0.08A2, glycolaldehyde, methyl formate and methyl cyanide all seem to trace the same material and peak at roughly the same position towards the dust emission peak. For G31.41+0.31, however, glycolaldehyde shows a different distribution to methyl formate and methyl cyanide and seems to trace the densest, most compact inner part of hot cores., Accepted to MNRAS

The mechanisms leading to the formation of disks around young stellar objects (YSOs) and to the launching of the associated jets are crucial to the understanding of the earliest stages of star and planet formation. HH 212 is a privileged laboratory to study a pristine jet-disk system. Therefore we investigate the innermost region ($, Astronomy & Astrophysics Letter, in press

We give a brief review of recent work on outflows and infall in regions of high mass star formation.

The HH 212 protostellar system, in Orion B, has been mapped thanks to ALMA-Band 7 Cycle 1 and Cycle 4 observations of dueterated water (HDO) and acetaldehyde (CH$_3$CHO) emission with an angular resolution down to $\sim$0.15 arcsec (60 au). Many emission lines due to 14 CH$_3$CHO and 1 HDO transitions at high excitation ($E_{\rm u}$ between 163 K and 335 K) have been imaged in the inner $\sim$ 70 au region. The local thermal equilibrium analysis of the CH$_3$CHO emission leads to a temperature of 78$\pm$14 K and a column density of 7.6$\pm$3.2 $\times$ 10$^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$, which, when $N_{\rm H_2}$ of 10$^{24}$ cm$^{-2}$ is assumed, leads to an abundance of $X_{\rm CH_3CHO}$ $\simeq$ 8 $\times$ 10$^{-9}$. The large velocity gradient analysis of the HDO emission also places severe constraints on the volume density, n$_{\rm H_2}$ $\geq$ 10$^8$ cm$^{-3}$. The line profiles are 5--7 km s$^{-1}$ wide, and CH$_3$CHO and HDO both show a $\pm$ 2 km s$^{-1}$ velocity gradient over a size of $\sim$ 70 au (blue-shifted emission towards the north-west and red-shifted emission towards the south-east) along the disc equatorial plane, in agreement with what was found so far using other molecular tracers. The kinematics of CH$_3$CHO and HDO are consistent with the occurrence of a centrifugal barrier, that is, the infalling envelope-rotating disc ring, which is chemically enriched through low-velocity accretion shocks. The emission radius is $\sim$ 60 au, in good agreement with what was found before for another interstellar complex organic molecule such as NH$_2$CHO. We support a vertical structure for the centrifugal barrier, suggesting the occurrence of two outflowing, expanding, and rotating rings above and below (of about 40-45 au) the optically thick equatorial disc plane. It is tempting to speculate that these rings could probe the basis of a wind launched from this region., Comment: Astronomy & Astrophysics, in press

International audience; Context: L1157-mm is a low-mass protostar driving an outflow which is considered the proto-type of the so-called chemically active outflows. In particular, the blue-shifted lobe B1 stands out for its rich mm-wave spectrum. Aims: Our aim is to infer the physical conditions of the molecular gas within L1157-B1. Methods: We carried out CH3CN(8{K}-7{K}) observations at 2 mm with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer to map L1157-B1. Results: The CH3CN image shows a clumpy structure superimposed to the classical B1 arch-like shape, displaying a unique continuous structure tracing the propagation of a large bow shock. The CH3CN spatial distribution well agrees with that of CH3OH, one of the most abundant species evaporated from dust grain mantles. Thanks to the present CH3CN observations at unprecedented spatial resolution, we determine for the first time the temperature distribution of the B1 bow shock. We obtain values between 57 and 132 K, with the highest temperature at the shock apex, thus confirming the association of CH3CN with gas affected by the passage of a shock wave. The N_CH_3CN column densities are ≃8-40 × 1012 cm-2, depending on the position, leading to CH3CN/CH3OH abundance ratios ≃0.2-1.3 × 10-3, i.e. values on average smaller than those found in hot-corinos. This suggests that a significant amount of CH3CN is formed in the gas phase: in the shocked L1157-B1 regions the CH3CN abundance may not have reached its maximum yet.

Context. Molecular outflows from high-mass young stellar objects provide an excellent way to study the star formation process, and investigate if they are scaled-up versions of their low-mass counterparts. Aims. We selected the nearby massive star forming region IRAS 17233−3606 in order to study the kinematics and physics along the molecular outflow(s) originating from this source. Methods. We observed IRAS 17233−3606 in CO, a typical tracer of gas associated with molecular outflow, with the Submillimeter Array in the (2−1) transition, and with the APEX telescope in the higher excitation (6–5) line. Additional infrared H2 observations were performed with the UKIRT telescope. The CO data were analysed using a LVG approach. Results. Our data resolve the previously detected molecular outflow into at least three different components, one of them with a high collimation factor (∼4), and characterised by emission at extremely high velocities (|v − vLSR| > 120 km s −1 ). The estimate of the kinematical outflow parameters are typical of massive YSOs, and in agreement with the measured bolometric luminosity of the source. The kinematic ages of the flows are in the range 10 2 −10 3 yr, and therefore point to young objects that still have not reached

Context. G24.78+0.08 is a massive star-forming region where three large massive disk-like rotating structures (toroids), namely Al, A2 and C, have been found around massive (proto)stars. In particular, while G24 Al has been extensively investigated through multiwavelength surveys, G24 A2 has been hitherto less studied. Aims. We carry out a detailed investigation of G24 A2 and speculate the scenario of the environment in the vicinity of the central exciting object(s). Methods. We have carried out mid-infrared imaging observations of the G24.78+0.08 region at 11.9 and 18.7 μm using the VISIR located on the VLT. In addition, the radio continuum VLA observations at 1.3 cm as well as the NH 3 (2,2) line emission have been investigated. Results. Compact mid-infrared emission is observed only from one source in the G24.78+0.08 region and this is likely to be associated with G24 A2. The radio continuum measurements show a faint compact source which is resolved out at higher angular resolutions (60 mas); the diameter D of the radio emitting region is estimated to be 1000 AU < D < 2000 AU. The spectral index (∼1) points towards the possibility of this emission being from an ionised jet or an H II region with a density gradient. The NH 3 (2,2) emission from the main component is optically thick and appears self-absorbed at blue-shifted velocities. The velocity distributions of the NH 3 lines can be explained by a motion which is a combination of rotation and expansion. Based on these observations, we speculate that the expansion is due to the outflow (seen in CO) with A2 being the likely origin of this outflow. The comparison of various properties of G24 Al and G24 A2 like rotation, mass of cores, infrared emission, excitation temperature, suggests that G24 A2 and G24 Al possibly harbour similar young stellar objects, but the toroid associated with G24 A2 is more inclined than that of G24 Al.

Using the OVRO, Nobeyama, and IRAM mm-arrays, we searched for ``disk''-outflow systems in three high-mass (proto)star forming regions: G16.59-0.05, G23.01-0.41, and G28.87+0.07. These were selected from a sample of NH3 cores associated with OH and H2O maser emission and with no or very faint continuum emission. Our imaging of molecular line (including rotational transitions of CH3CN and 3mm dust continuum emission revealed that these are compact, massive, and hot molecular cores (HMCs), that is likely sites of high-mass star formation prior to the appearance of UCHII regions. All three sources turn out to be associated with molecular outflows from CO and/or HCO+ J=1--0 line imaging. In addition, velocity gradients of 10 -- 100 km/s per pc in the innermost densest regions of the G23.01 and G28.87 HMCs are identified along directions roughly perpendicular to the axes of the corresponding outflows. All the results suggest that these cores might be rotating about the outflow axis, although the contribution of rotation to gravitational equilibrium of the HMCs appears to be negligible. Our analysis indicates that the 3 HMCs are close to virial equilibrium due to turbulent pressure support. Comparison with other similar objects where rotating toroids have been identified so far shows that in our case rotation appears to be much less prominent; this can be explained by the combined effect of unfavorable projection, large distance, and limited angular resolution with the current interferometers., Accepted by ApJ main journal, the paper with the original quality figures are available from http://subarutelescope.org/staff/rsf/publication.html

We present high spatial resolution maps, obtained with the Plateau de Bure Interferometer, of the blue lobe of the L1157 outflow. We observed four lines at 3 mm, namely CH3OH (2_K-1_K), HC3N (11-10), HCN (1-0) and OCS (7-6). Moreover, the bright B1 clump has also been observed at better spatial resolution in CS (2-1), CH3OH (2_1-1_1)A-, and 34SO (3_2-2_1). These high spatial resolution observations show a very rich structure in all the tracers, revealing a clumpy structure of the gas superimposed to an extended emission. In fact, the three clumps detected by previous IRAM-30m single dish observations have been resolved into several sub-clumps and new clumps have been detected in the outflow. The clumps are associated with the two cavities created by two shock episodes driven by the precessing jet. In particular, the clumps nearest the protostar are located at the walls of the younger cavity with a clear arch-shape form while the farthest clumps have slightly different observational characteristics indicating that they are associated to the older shock episode. The emission of the observed species peaks in different part of the lobe: the east clumps are brighter in HC3N (11-10), HCN (1-0) and CS (2-1) while the west clumps are brighter in CH3OH(2_K-1_K), OCS (7-6) and 34SO (3_2-2_1). This peak displacement in the line emission suggests a variation of the physical conditions and/or the chemical composition along the lobe of the outflow at small scale, likely related to the shock activity and the precession of the outflow. In particular, we observe the decoupling of the silicon monoxide and methanol emission, common shock tracers, in the B1 clump located at the apex of the bow shock produced by the second shock episode.

The Arcetri/Bologna H2O maser group has been monitoring the 1.3-cm water maser emission from a sample of 43 star-forming regions (SFRs) and 22 late-type stars for about 20 years at a sampling rate of 4-5 observations each year, using the 32-m Medicina Radio Telescope (HPBW 1.′9 at 22 GHz). For the late-type stars we observe representative samples of OH/IR-stars, Mira's, semi-regular variables, and supergiants. The SFR-sample spans a large interval in FIR luminosity of the associated Young Stellar Object (YSO), from 20 L⊙ to 1.5 × 106 L⊙, and offers a unique data base for the study of the long-term (years) variability of the maser emission in regions of star formation.This presentation concerns only the masers in SFRs. The information obtained from single-dish monitoring is complementary to what is extracted from higher-resolution (VLA and VLBI) observations, and can better explore the velocity domain and the long-term variability therein.We characterize the variability of the sources in various ways and we study how it depends on the luminosity and other properties of the associated YSO and its environment.

Context. The molecular and continuum surveys at NIR and (sub-)mmwavelengths recently performed in the large and distant ( ≥ 1 kpc) Bok globules CB3 and CB34 are the framework of the present paper. With this multi-wavelength approach, it is possible to trace the hot jets and cold outflows driven by the (proto-)stars, to investigate how they interact with the surrounding medium, and to assess that in these globules star formation is a continuous process and not a unique event. Aims. With the present work we continue our survey of a sample of large globules by investigating CB205. The aim is to carefully map the outflow motions and to locate the driving sources. The occurrence of outflows is used to identify the earliest star-forming regions. Methods. Our analysis has been performed through JCMT observations at (sub)millimeter wavelengths of the continuum (850 and 450 μ m) and CO(2–1) and (3–2) line emission. Results. The continuum maps reveal three Class 0 candidates located in the western region of the globule, without NIR counterparts. The line maps show a complex scenario for the high velocity components with different clumps at different velocities. The outflow activity is concentrated around the Class 0 candidates. On the other hand, the NIR objects are associated with lower velocity outflow clumps. Conclusions. The present results confirm that for CB205, star formation is propagating through the globule. The western part hosts the latest formation episode with Class 0 candidates feeding multiple outflows. We suggest that the eastern region, which is associated with a NIR cluster, reflects a later evolutionary phase, when the outflow is fading.

We investigate the origin of the small, chemically rich molecular clumps observed along the main axis of chemically rich outflows such as CB3 and L1157. We develop a chemical model where we explore the chemical evolution of these clumps, assuming they are partially pre-existing to the outflow, or alternatively newly formed by the impact of the outflow on the surrounding medium. The effects of the impact of the outflow are reproduced by density and temperature changes in the clump. We find that the observed abundances of CH3OH, SO and SO2 are best reproduced by assuming a scenario where the dense molecular gas observed is probably pre-existing in the interstellar medium before the formation of their exciting (proto)stars and that the clumpiness and the rich chemistry of the clumps are a consequence of a pre-existing density enhancement and of its interaction with the outflow., Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, accepted by MNRAS; corrected label in figure 5

The preliminary results from a multiline mm-wave survey of H2S and SO2 emission towards the Cepheus A star forming region are presented. Large scale maps (≃ 5′x4′) and high- resolution line profiles which clearly indicate the occurrence of multiple H2S and SO2 outflows are reported. In particular, a 0.6 pc long outflow flowing towards South from the CepA-East position has been discovered. In addition, besides the well known regions CepA-East and CepA-West other four clumps of shocked gas have been detected. These clumps exhibit distinct H2S/SO2 ratios, suggesting different chemical compositions for different regions and show that in Cepheus A the mass loss has strongly modified the chemistry of the quiescent gas.

International audience; The physics of the youngest protostars, e.g. Class 0 objects, remains poorly understood. For instance, the processes by which the angular momentum present in the parent core is conserved during the main collapse phase, e.g. during the formation of the protostar in the inner envelope, are still largely unknown. Solving this long-standing "angular momentum problem" is of paramount importance for our understanding of solar-type star formation. To this end, we started a comprehensive study of a large sample of Class 0 protostars, observed with the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer. The CALYPSO (Continuum And Line Young ProtoStellar Object) survey aims at characterizing 17 nearby protostars and is the most complete sub-arcsecond resolution survey of Class 0 objects carried out so far in the millimeter bands. Here, we describe the details of this ambitious observing program.

We present spectrally resolved Herschel/HIFI observations of the young multiple system T Tau in atomic and molecular lines. While CO, H2O, [C II], and SO lines trace the envelope and the outflowing gas up to velocities of 33 km/s with respect to systemic, the CN 5-4 hyperfine structure lines at 566.7, 566.9 GHz show a narrow double-peaked profile centered at systemic velocity, consistent with an origin in the outer region of the compact disk of T Tau N. Disk modeling of the T Tau N disk with the thermo-chemical code ProDiMo produces CN line fluxes and profiles consistent with the observed ones and constrain the size of the gaseous disk (R_out = 110 (+10, -20) AU) and its inclination (i = 25 \pm 5 degree). The model indicates that the CN lines originate in a disk upper layer at 40-110 AU from the star, which is irradiated by the stellar UV field and heated up to temperatures of 50-700 K. With respect to previously observed CN 2-1 millimeter lines, the CN 5-4 lines appear to be less affected by envelope emission, due to their larger critical density and excitation temperature. Hence, high-J CN lines are a unique confusion-free tracer of embedded disks, such as the disk of T Tau N., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication on ApJ Letters

L1157-mm powers a molecular outflow that is well-known for its shock-induced chemical activity in several hot-spots. We have studied the molecular emission toward L1157-mm searching for a jet component responsible for these spots. We used the IRAM 30m telescope to observe the vicinity of L1157-mm in several lines of SiO. The SiO(5-4) and SiO(6-5) spectra toward L1157-mm present blue and red detached components about 45 km/s away from the ambient cloud. These extremely high-velocity (EHV) components are similar to those found in the L1448 and IRAS 04166+2706 outflows, and probably arise from a molecular jet driven by L1157-mm. Observations of off-center positions indicate that the jet is unresolved in SiO(5-4) (, 6 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

HCO+ has been detected for the first time towards the star Cygnus OB2 No. 12 through emission of the 1–0 rotational transition at 89 GHz. The CO(J=2−1) transition has also been observed. The observations are consistent with a model of dense regions embedded in a low-density clump gas. If actually present, the dense component would have an aggregate size L1300 au, in agreement with estimates of small-scale density fluctuations observed along diffuse lines of sight.

Theory predicts and observations confirm that low-mass stars (like the Sun) in their early life grow by accreting gas from the surrounding material. But for stars ~ 10 times more massive than the Sun (~10 M_sun), the powerful stellar radiation is expected to inhibit accretion and thus limit the growth of their mass. Clearly, stars with masses >10 M_sun exist, so there must be a way for them to form. The problem may be solved by non-spherical accretion, which allows some of the stellar photons to escape along the symmetry axis where the density is lower. The recent detection of rotating disks and toroids around very young massive stars has lent support to the idea that high-mass (> 8 M_sun) stars could form in this way. Here we report observations of an ammonia line towards a high-mass star forming region. We conclude from the data that the gas is falling inwards towards a very young star of ~20 M_sun, in line with theoretical predictions of non-spherical accretion., 11 pages, 2 figures

Aims. The aim of this paper is to study deuterated water in the solar-type protostars NGC1333 IRAS4A and IRAS4B, to compare their HDO abundance distribution with other star-forming regions, and to constrain their HDO/H2O ratios. Methods. Using the Herschel/HIFI instrument as well as ground-based telescopes, we observed several HDO lines covering a large excitation range (Eup/k=22-168 K) towards these protostars and an outflow position. Non-LTE radiative transfer codes were then used to determine the HDO abundance profiles in these sources. Results. The HDO fundamental line profiles show a very broad component, tracing the molecular outflows, in addition to a narrower emission component and a narrow absorbing component. In the protostellar envelope of NGC1333 IRAS4A, the HDO inner (T>100 K) and outer (T, 16 pages, 13 figures

We investigate on the spatial and velocity distribution of H2O along the L1448 outflow, its relationship with other tracers, and its abundance variations, using maps of the o-H2O 1_{10}-1_{01} and 2_{12}-1_{01} transitions taken with the Herschel-HIFI and PACS instruments, respectively. Water emission appears clumpy, with individual peaks corresponding to shock spots along the outflow. The bulk of the 557 GHz line is confined to radial velocities in the range \pm 10-50 km/s but extended emission associated with the L1448-C extreme high velocity (EHV) jet is also detected. The H2O 1_{10}-1_{01}/CO(3-2) ratio shows strong variations as a function of velocity that likely reflect different and changing physical conditions in the gas responsible for the emissions from the two species. In the EHV jet, a low H2O/SiO abundance ratio is inferred, that could indicate molecular formation from dust free gas directly ejected from the proto-stellar wind. We derive averaged Tkin and n(H2) values of about 300-500 K and 5 10^6 cm-3 respectively, while a water abundance with respect to H2 of the order of 0.5-1 10^{-6} along the outflow is estimated. The fairly constant conditions found all along the outflow implies that evolutionary effects on the timescales of outflow propagation do not play a major role in the H2O chemistry. The results of our analysis show that the bulk of the observed H2O lines comes from post-shocked regions where the gas, after being heated to high temperatures, has been already cooled down to a few hundred K. The relatively low derived abundances, however, call for some mechanism to diminish the H2O gas in the post-shock region. Among the possible scenarios, we favor H2O photodissociation, which requires the superposition of a low velocity non-dissociative shock with a fast dissociative shock able to produce a FUV field of sufficient strength., 16 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication on Astronomy & Astrophysics

Studies of molecular outflows in high-mass young stellar objects reveal important information about the formation process of massive stars. We therefore selected the close-by IRAS 17233-3606 massive star-forming region to perform SiO observations with the SMA interferometer in the (5-4) line and with the APEX single-dish telescope in the (5-4) and (8-7) transitions. In this paper, we present a study of one of the outflows in the region, OF1, which shows several properties similar to jets driven by low-mass protostars, such as HH211 and HH212. It is compact and collimated, and associated with extremely high velocity CO emission, and SiO emission at high velocities. We used a state-of-the-art shock model to constrain the pre-shock density and shock velocity of OF1. The model also allowed us to self-consistently estimate the mass of the OF1 outflow. The shock parameters inferred by the SiO modelling are comparable with those found for low-mass protostars, only with higher pre-shock density values, yielding an outflow mass in agreement with those obtained for molecular outflows driven by early B-type young stellar objects. Our study shows that it is possible to model the SiO emission in high-mass star-forming regions in the same way as for shocks from low-mass young stellar objects., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

In the framework of the Herschel-WISH key program, several ortho-H2O and para-H2O emission lines, in the frequency range from 500 to 1700 GHz, were observed with the HIFI instrument in two bow-shock regions (B2 and R) of the L1157 cloud. The primary aim is to analyse water emission lines as a diagnostic of the physical conditions in the blue (B2) and red-shifted (R) lobes to compare the excitation conditions. A total of 5 ortho- and para-H216O plus one o-H218O transitions were observed in B2 and R with a wide range of excitation energies (27 K=300 K). The presence of the broad red-shifted wings and multiple peaks in the spectra of the R region, prompted the modelling of two components. High velocities are associated with relatively low temperatures (~100K),NH2O{\simeq}5{\times}1012-5{\times}1013 cm-2 and densities nH2{\simeq}106-108 cm-3.Lower velocities are associated with higher excitation conditions with Tkin>=300 K, very dense gas (nH2 ~108 cm-3) and low column density (NH2O, 9 pages, 8 figures, A&A in press