Lis, D.C. and Phillips, T.G. and Goldsmith, P.F. and Neufeld, D.A. and Herbst, E. and Comito, C. and Schilke, P. and Muller, H.S.P. and Bergin, E.A. and Gerin, M. and Bell, T.A. and Emprechtinger, M. and Black, J. and Blake, G.A. and Boulanger, F. and Caux, E. and Ceccarelli, C. and Cernicharo, J. and Coutens, A. and Crockett, N.R. and Daniel, F. and Dartois, E. and De Luca, M. and Dubernet, M.-L. and Encrenaz, P. and Falgarone, E. and Geballe, T.R. and Godard, B. and Giesen, T.F. and Goicoechea, J.R. and Gry, C. and Gupta, H. and Hennebelle, P. and Hily-Blant, P. and Kolos, R. and Krelowski, J. and Joblin, C. and Johnstone, D. and Kazmierczak, M. and Lord, S.D. and Maret, S. and Martin, P.G. and Martin-Pintado, J. and Melnick, G.J. and Menten, K.M. and Monjel, R. and Mookerjea, B. and Morris, P. and Murphy, J.Anthony and Ossenkopf, V. and Pearson, J.C. and Perault, M. and Persson, C. and Plume, R. and Qin, S.-L. and Salez, M. and Schlemmer, S. and Schmidt, M. and Sonnentrucker, P. and Stutzki, J. and Teyssier, D. and Trappe, Neil and van der Tak, F.F.S. and Vastel, C. and Wang, S. and Yorke, H.W. and Yu, S. and Zmuidzinas, J. and Boogert, A. and Erickson, N. and Karpov, A. and Kooi, J. and Maiwald, F.W. and Schieder, R. and Zaal, P. (2010) Herschel/HIFI measurements of the ortho/para ratio in water towards Sagittarius B2(M) and W31C. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 521 (L26). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0004-6361

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Abstract

We present Herschel/HIFI observations of the fundamental rotational transitions of ortho- and para-H16 2 O and H18 2 O in absorption towards Sagittarius B2(M) and W31C. The ortho/para ratio in water in the foreground clouds on the line of sight towards these bright continuum sources is generally consistent with the statistical high-temperature ratio of 3, within the observational uncertainties. However, somewhat unexpectedly, we derive a low ortho/para ratio of 2.35±0.35, corresponding to a spin temperature of ∼27 K, towards Sagittarius B2(M) at velocities of the expanding molecular ring. Water molecules in this region appear to have formed with, or relaxed to, an ortho/para ratio close to the value corresponding to the local temperature of the gas and dust.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© ESO 2010 The original publication is available at DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201015072
Keywords:	astrochemistry; ISM; abundances; molecules; molecular processes; submillimeter; Herschel/HIFI;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Experimental Physics
Item ID:	4024
Depositing User:	Dr. Anthony Murphy
Date Deposited:	05 Dec 2012 16:17
Journal or Publication Title:	Astronomy & Astrophysics
Publisher:	EDP Sciences
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://www.aanda.org/ http://publications.edpsciences.org/
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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