Understanding the physical phenomena involved in the earlierst stages of protostellar evolution requires knowledge of the heating and cooling processes that occur in the surroundings of a young ...stellar object. Our aims are to quantify the far-infrared line emission from low-mass protostars and the contribution of different atomic and molecular species to the gas cooling budget, to determine the spatial extent of the emission, and to investigate the underlying excitation conditions. Analysis of the line cooling will help us characterize the evolution of the relevant physical processes as the protostar ages. Far-infrared Herschel-PACS spectra of 18 low-mass protostars of various luminosities and evolutionary stages are studied in the context of the WISH key program. The PACS data probe at least two physical components. The Hsub 2O and CO emission very likely arises in non-dissociative shocks along the outflow walls with a range of pre-shock densities. Consistent with previous studies, the ratio of total far-infrared line emission over bolometric luminosity decreases with the evolutionary state.
Context. The circumstellar environments of Herbig Be stars in the far-infrared are poorly characterised, mainly because they are often embedded and rather distant. The analysis of far-infrared ...spectroscopy allows us to make a major step forward by covering multiple rotational lines of molecules, e.g. CO, that are useful probes of the physical conditions of the gas. Aims. We characterise the gas and dust in the discs and environments of Herbig Be stars, and we compare the results with those of their lower-mass counterparts, the Herbig Ae stars. Methods. We report and analyse far-infrared observations of two Herbig Be stars, R Mon and PDS 27, obtained with the Herschel instruments PACS and SPIRE. We construct spectral energy distributions and derive the infrared excess. We extract line fluxes from the PACS and SPIRE spectra and construct rotational diagrams in order to estimate the excitation temperature of the gas. We derive CO, O I and C I luminosities to determine the physical conditions of the gas, and the dominant cooling mechanism. Results. We confirm that the Herbig Be stars are surrounded by remnants from their parental clouds, with an IR excess that mainly originates in a disc. In R Mon we detect O I, C I, C II, CO (26 transitions), water and OH, while in PDS 27 we only detect C I and CO (8 transitions). We attribute the absence of OH and water in PDS 27 to UV photo-dissociation and photo-evaporation. From the rotational diagrams, we find several components for CO; we derive Trot949 ± 90 K, 358 ± 20 K and 77 ± 12 K for R Mon; 96 ± 12 K and 31 ± 4 K for PDS 27; and 25 ± 8 K and 27 ± 6 K for their respective compact neighbours. The forsterite feature at 69 μm was not detected in either of the sources, probably due to the lack of (warm) crystalline dust in a flat disc. We find that cooling by molecules is dominant in the Herbig Be stars, while this is not the case in Herbig Ae stars where cooling by O I dominates. Moreover, we show that in the Herbig Be star R Mon, outflow shocks are the dominant gas heating mechanism, while in Herbig Ae stars it is stellar. Conclusions. The outflow of R Mon contributes to the observed line emission by heating the gas in the central spaxel/beam covering the disc and in the immediate surroundings, as well as in those spaxels/beams covering the parabolic shell around it. PDS 27, a B2 star, has dispersed a large part of its gas content and/or destroyed molecules; this is likely given its intense UV field.
In molecular outflows from forming low-mass protostars, most oxygen is expected to be locked up in water. However, Herschel observations have shown that typically an order of magnitude or more of the ...oxygen is still unaccounted for. To test if the oxygen is instead in atomic form, SOFIA-GREAT observed the R1 position of the bright molecular outflow from NGC 1333-IRAS4A. The O i 63 μm line is detected and spectrally resolved. From an intensity peak at +15 km s-1, the intensity decreases until +50 km s-1. The profile is similar to that of high-velocity (HV) H2O and CO 16–15, the latter observed simultaneously with O i. A radiative transfer analysis suggests that ~15% of the oxygen is in atomic form toward this shock position. The CO abundance is inferred to be ~10-4 by a similar analysis, suggesting that this is the dominant oxygen carrier in the HV component. These results demonstrate that a large portion of the observed O i emission is part of the outflow. Further observations are required to verify whether this is a general trend.
Context. Far-infrared (FIR) line emission provides key information about the gas cooling and heating due to shocks and UV radiation associated with the early stages of star formation. Gas cooling via ...FIR lines might, however, depend on metallicity. Aims. We aim to quantify the FIR line emission and determine the spatial distribution of the CO rotational temperature, ultraviolet (UV) radiation field, and H2 number density toward the embedded cluster Gy 3–7 in the CMa–l224 star-forming region, whose metallicity is expected to be intermediate between that of the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Solar neighborhood. By comparing the total luminosities of CO and O I toward Gy 3–7 with values found for low- and high-mass protostars extending over a broad range of metallicities, we also aim to identify the possible effects of metallicity on the FIR line cooling within our Galaxy. Methods. We studied SOFIA/FIFI-LS spectra of Gy 3–7, covering several CO transitions from J = 14–13 to 31-30, the OH doublet at 79 µm, the O I 63.2 and 145.5 µm, and the C II 158 µm lines. The field of view covers a 2 0 × 1 0 region with a resolution of ∼7 00–1800 . Results. The spatial extent of CO high-J (Jup ≥14) emission resembles that of the elongated 160 µm continuum emission detected with Herschel, but its peaks are offset from the positions of the dense cores. The O I lines at 63.2 µm and 145.5 µm follow a similar pattern, but their peaks are found closer to the positions of the cores. The CO transitions from J = 14–13 to J = 16–15 are detected throughout the cluster and show a median rotational temperature of 170 ± 30 K on Boltzmann diagrams. Comparisons to other protostars observed with Herschel show a good agreement with intermediate-mass sources in the inner Galaxy. Assuming an origin of the O I and high-J CO emission in UV-irradiated C−shocks, we obtained pre-shock H2 number densities of 104–105 cm−3 and UV radiation field strengths of 0.1–10 Habing fields (G0).
Conclusions. Far-IR line observations reveal ongoing star formation in Gy 3–7, dominated by intermediate-mass Class 0/I young stellar objects. The ratio of molecular-to-atomic far-IR line emission shows a decreasing trend with bolometric luminosities of the protostars. However, it does not indicate that the low-metallicity has an impact on the line cooling in Gy 3–7.
During the embedded phase of pre-main sequence stellar evolution, a disk forms from the dense envelope while an accretion-driven outflow carves out a cavity within the envelope. Highly excited ...(E′ = 1000 − 3000 K) H2O emission in spatially unresolved Spitzer/IRS spectra of a low-mass Class 0 object, NGC 1333 IRAS 4B, has previously been attributed to the envelope-disk accretion shock. However, the highly excited H2O emission could instead be produced in an outflow. As part of the survey of low-mass sources in the Water in Star Forming Regions with Herschel (WISH-LM) program, we used Herschel/PACS to obtain a far-IR spectrum and several Nyquist-sampled spectral images to determine the origin of excited H2O emission from NGC 1333 IRAS 4B. The spectrum has high signal-to-noise in a rich forest of H2O, CO, and OH lines, providing a near-complete census of far-IR molecular emission from a Class 0 protostar. The excitation diagrams for the three molecules all require fits with two excitation temperatures. The highly excited component of H2O emission is characterized by subthermal excitation of ~1500 K gas with a density of ~3 × 106 cm-3, conditions that also reproduce the mid-IR H2O emission detected by Spitzer. On the other hand, a high density, low temperature gas can reproduce the H2O spectrum observed by Spitzer but underpredicts the H2O lines seen by Herschel. Nyquist-sampled spectral maps of several lines show two spatial components of H2O emission, one centered at ~5′′ (1200 AU) south of the central source at the position of the blueshifted outflow lobe and a heavily extincted component centered on-source. The redshifted outflow lobe is likely completely obscured, even in the far-IR, by the optically thick envelope. Both spatial components of the far-IR H2O emission are consistent with emission from the outflow. In the blueshifted outflow lobe over 90% of the gas-phase O is molecular, with H2O twice as abundant than CO and 10 times more abundant than OH. The gas cooling from the IRAS 4B envelope cavity walls is dominated by far-IR H2O emission, in contrast to stronger O I and CO cooling from more evolved protostars. The high H2O luminosity may indicate that the shock-heated outflow is shielded from UV radiation produced by the star and at the bow shock.
Context. Protostars interact with their surroundings through jets and winds impinging on the envelope and creating shocks, but the nature of these shocks is still poorly understood. Aims. Our aim is ...to survey far-infrared molecular line emission from a uniform and significant sample of deeply-embedded low-mass young stellar objects (YSOs) in order to characterize shocks and the possible role of ultraviolet radiation in the immediate protostellar environment. Methods. Herschel/PACS spectral maps of 22 objects in the Perseus molecular cloud were obtained as part of the William Herschel Line Legacy (WILL) survey. Line emission from H2O, CO, and OH is tested against shock models from the literature. Results. Observed line ratios are remarkably similar and do not show variations with physical parameters of the sources (luminosity, envelope mass). Most ratios are also comparable to those found at off-source outflow positions. Observations show good agreement with the shock models when line ratios of the same species are compared. Ratios of various H2O lines provide a particularly good diagnostic of pre-shock gas densities, nH ~ 105 cm-3, in agreement with typical densities obtained from observations of the post-shock gas when a compression factor on the order of 10 is applied (for non-dissociative shocks). The corresponding shock velocities, obtained from comparison with CO line ratios, are above 20 km s-1. However, the observations consistently show H2O-to-CO and H2O-to-OH line ratios that are one to two orders of magnitude lower than predicted by the existing shock models. Conclusions. The overestimated model H2O fluxes are most likely caused by an overabundance of H2O in the models since the excitation is well-reproduced. Illumination of the shocked material by ultraviolet photons produced either in the star-disk system or, more locally, in the shock, would decrease the H2O abundances and reconcile the models with observations. Detections of hot H2O and strong OH lines support this scenario.
Context. In the deeply embedded stage of star formation, protostars start to heat and disperse their surrounding cloud cores. The evolution of these sources has traditionally been traced through dust ...continuum spectral energy distributions (SEDs), but the use of CO excitation as an evolutionary probe has not yet been explored due to the lack of high-J CO observations. Aims. The aim is to constrain the physical characteristics (excitation, kinematics, column density) of the warm gas in low-mass protostellar envelopes using spectrally resolved Herschel data of CO and compare those with the colder gas traced by lower excitation lines. Methods. Herschel-HIFI observations of high-J lines of 12CO, 13CO, and C18O (up to Ju = 10, Eu up to 300 K) are presented toward 26 deeply embedded low-mass Class 0 and Class I young stellar objects, obtained as part of the Water In Star-forming regions with Herschel (WISH) key program. This is the first large spectrally resolved high-J CO survey conducted for these types of sources. Complementary lower J CO maps were observed using ground-based telescopes, such as the JCMT and APEX and convolved to matching beam sizes. Results. The 12CO 10–9 line is detected for all objects and can generally be decomposed into a narrow and a broad component owing to the quiescent envelope and entrained outflow material, respectively. The 12CO excitation temperature increases with velocity from ~60 K up to ~130 K. The median excitation temperatures for 12CO, 13CO, and C18O derived from single-temperature fits to the Ju = 2–10 integrated intensities are ~70 K, 48 K and 37 K, respectively, with no significant difference between Class 0 and Class I sources and no trend with Menv or Lbol. Thus, in contrast to the continuum SEDs, the spectral line energy distributions (SLEDs) do not show any evolution during the embedded stage. In contrast, the integrated line intensities of all CO isotopologs show a clear decrease with evolutionary stage as the envelope is dispersed. Models of the collapse and evolution of protostellar envelopes reproduce the C18O results well, but underproduce the 13CO and 12CO excitation temperatures, due to lack of UV heating and outflow components in those models. The H2O 110 − 101/CO 10–9 intensity ratio does not change significantly with velocity, in contrast to the H2O/CO 3–2 ratio, indicating that CO 10–9 is the lowest transition for which the line wings probe the same warm shocked gas as H2O. Modeling of the full suite of C18O lines indicates an abundance profile for Class 0 sources that is consistent with a freeze-out zone below 25 K and evaporation at higher temperatures, but with some fraction of the CO transformed into other species in the cold phase. In contrast, the observations for two Class I sources in Ophiuchus are consistent with a constant high CO abundance profile. Conclusions. The velocity resolved line profiles trace the evolution from the Class 0 to the Class I phase through decreasing line intensities, less prominent outflow wings, and increasing average CO abundances. However, the CO excitation temperature stays nearly constant. The multiple components found here indicate that the analysis of spectrally unresolved data, such as provided by SPIRE and PACS, must be done with caution.
Aims. Our aim is to study the response of the gas-to-energetic processes associated with high-mass star formation and compare it with previously published studies on low- and intermediate-mass young ...stellar objects (YSOs) using the same methods. The quantified far-IR line emission and absorption of CO, H2O, OH, and O i reveals the excitation and the relative contribution of different atomic and molecular species to the gas cooling budget. Methods. Herschel/PACS spectra covering 55–190 μm are analyzed for ten high-mass star forming regions of luminosities Lbol ~ 104−106 L⊙ and various evolutionary stages on spatial scales of ~104 AU. Radiative transfer models are used to determine the contribution of the quiescent envelope to the far-IR CO emission. Results. The close environments of high-mass protostars show strong far-IR emission from molecules, atoms, and ions. Water is detected in all 10 objects even up to high excitation lines, often in absorption at the shorter wavelengths and in emission at the longer wavelengths. CO transitions from J = 14 − 13 up to typically 29 − 28 (Eu/kB ~ 580−2400 K) show a single temperature component with a rotational temperature of Trot ~ 300 K. Typical H2O excitation temperatures are Trot ~250 K, while OH has Trot ~ 80 K. Far-IR line cooling is dominated by CO (~75%) and, to a smaller extent, by O i (~20%), which becomes more important for the most evolved sources. H2O is less important as a coolant for high-mass sources because many lines are in absorption. Conclusions. Emission from the quiescent envelope is responsible for ~45–85% of the total CO luminosity in high-mass sources compared with only ~10% for low-mass YSOs. The highest− J lines (Jup ≥ 20) originate most likely in shocks, based on the strong correlation of CO and H2O with physical parameters (Lbol, Menv) of the sources from low- to high-mass YSOs. The excitation of warm CO described by Trot ~ 300 K is very similar for all mass regimes, whereas H2O temperatures are ~100 K high for high-mass sources compared with low-mass YSOs. The total far-IR cooling in lines correlates strongly with bolometric luminosity, consistent with previous studies restricted to low-mass YSOs. Molecular cooling (CO, H2O, and OH) is ~4 times greater than cooling by oxygen atoms for all mass regimes. The total far-IR line luminosity is about 10-3 and 10-5 times lower than the dust luminosity for the low- and high-mass star forming regions, respectively.
ABSTRACT
We analyse 870 $\mu$m Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) dust continuum detections of 41 canonically selected $z$ ≃ 3 Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs), as well as 209 ALMA-undetected LBGs, in ...follow-up of SCUBA-2 mapping of the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey (UDS) field. We find that our ALMA-bright LBGs lie significantly off the local IRX-beta relation and have relatively bluer rest-frame UV slopes (as parametrized by β), given their high values of the ‘infrared excess’ (IRX ≡ LIR/LUV), relative to the average ‘local’ IRX-β relation. We attribute this finding in part to the young ages of the underlying stellar populations but we find that the main reason behind the unusually blue UV slopes are the relatively shallow slopes of the corresponding dust attenuation curves. We show that, when stellar masses, M*, are being established via SED fitting, it is absolutely crucial to allow the attenuation curves to vary (rather than fixing it on Calzetti-like law), where we find that the inappropriate curves may underestimate the resulting stellar masses by a factor of ≃2–3× on average. In addition, we find these LBGs to have relatively high specific star-formation rates (sSFRs), dominated by the dust component, as quantified via the fraction of obscured star formation $(f_{\rm obs}\equiv {\rm SFR_{\rm IR}/{\rm SFR}_{\rm UV+IR}})$. We conclude that the ALMA-bright LBGs are, by selection, massive galaxies undergoing a burst of a star formation (large sSFRs, driven, for example, by secular or merger processes), with a likely geometrical disconnection of the dust and stars, responsible for producing shallow dust attenuation curves.
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