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    Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources (HEXOS): Methanol as a probe of physical conditions in Orion KL


    Wang, S., Bergin, E.A., Crockett, N.R., Goldsmith, P.F., Lis, D.C., Pearson, J.C., Schilke, P., Bell, T.A., Comito, C., Blake, G.A., Caux, E., Ceccarelli, C., Cernicharo, J., Daniel, F., Dubernet, M.-L., Emprechtinger, M., Encrenaz, P., Gerin, M., Giesen, T.F., Goicoechea, J.R., Gupta, H., Herbst, E., Joblin, C., Johnstone, D., Langer, W.D., Latter, W.B., Lord, S.D., Maret, S., Martin, P.G., Melnick, G.J., Menten, K.M., Morris, P., Muller, H.S.P., Murphy, J.Anthony, Neufeld, D.A., Ossenkopf, V., Perault, M., Phillips , T.G., Plume, R., Qin, S.-L., Schlemmer, S., Stutzki, J., Trappe, Neil, van der Tak, F.F.S., Vastel, C., Yorke, H.W., Yu, S. and Zmuidzinas, J. (2011) Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources (HEXOS): Methanol as a probe of physical conditions in Orion KL. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 527 (A95). pp. 1-8. ISSN 0004-6361

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    Abstract

    We have examined methanol emission from Orion KL with the Herschel/HIFI instrument, and detected two methanol bands centered at 524 GHz and 1061 GHz. The 524 GHz methanol band (observed in HIFI band 1a) is dominated by the isolated ΔJ = 0, K = −4 → −3, vt = 0 Q branch, and includes 25 E-type and 2 A-type transitions. The 1061 GHz methanol band (observed in HIFI band 4b) is dominated by the ΔJ = 0, K = 7 → 6, vt = 0 Q branch transitions which are mostly blended. We have used the isolated E-type vt = 0 methanol transitions to explore the physical conditions in the molecular gas.With HIFI’s high velocity resolution, the methanol emission contributed by different spatial components along the line of sight toward Orion KL (hot core, low velocity flow, and compact ridge) can be distinguished and studied separately. The isolated transitions detected in these bands cover a broad energy range (upper state energy ranging from 80 K to 900 K), which provides a unique probe of the thermal structure in each spatial component. The observations further show that the compact ridge is externally heated. These observations demonstrate the power of methanol lines as probes of the physical conditions in warm regions in close proximity to young stars.
    Item Type: Article
    Additional Information: © ESO 2011 The original publication is available at DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201015079
    Keywords: ISM; abundances; molecules; Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources; HEXOS;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Science and Engineering > Experimental Physics
    Item ID: 4026
    Depositing User: Dr. Anthony Murphy
    Date Deposited: 05 Dec 2012 16:31
    Journal or Publication Title: Astronomy & Astrophysics
    Publisher: EDP Sciences
    Refereed: Yes
    Related URLs:
    URI: https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/4026
    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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