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At least 19 records
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NASA NTRS2010

Comparative Spectra of Oxygen-Rich Versus Carbon-Rich Circumstellar Shells: VY Canis Majoris and IRC(plus)10216 at 215-285 GHz

A sensitive (1sigma rms at 1 MHz resolution approx.3 mK) 1 mm spectral line survey (214.5-285.5 GHz) of VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa) and IRC +10216 has been conducted to compare the chemistries of oxygen- and carbon-rich circumstellar envelopes. This study was carried out using the Submillimeter Telescope of the Arizona Radio Observatory with a new Atacama Large Millimeter Array type receiver. This survey is the first to chemically characterize an O-rich circumstellar shell at millimeter wavelengths. In VY CMa, 128 emission features were detected arising from 18 different molecules; and in IRC +10216, 720 lines were observed, assigned to 32 different species. The 1 mm spectrum of VY CMa is dominated by SO, and SiS; in IRC +10216, C4H and SiC2 are the most recurrent species. Ten molecules were common to both sources: CO, SiS, SiO, CS, CN, HCN, HNC, NaCl, PN, and HCO(+). Sulfur plays an important role in VY CMa, but saturated/ unsaturated carbon dominates the molecular content of IRC +102.16, producing CH2NH, for example. Although the molecular complexity of IRC +10216 is greater, VY CMa supports a unique "inorganic" chemistry leading to the oxides PO, AlO, and AlOH. Only diatomic and triatomic compounds were observed in VY CMa, while species with four or more atoms are common in IRC +10216, reflecting carbon's ability to form multiple strong bonds, unlike oxygen. In VY CMa, a new water maser (v2 = 2) has been found, as well as vibrationally excited NaCl. Toward IRC +10216, vibrationally excited CCH was detected for the first time.

Tenebaum, E. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The dust around the carbon star IRC +10216

Mass loss from late-type stars is important both in the evolution of these objects and for replenishment of the interstellar medium with processed material. Because the outflows are cool and dense, grains form. The present investigation is concerned with the nature of the extinction of the grains in the carbon star IRC+10216. The basic method employed involves the study of the extinction as a function of wavelength around IRC+10216. By a comparison with different models, it is then possible to infer which grain model is more likely to be correct. It is concluded that the dust around IRC+10216 is composed of relatively small grains. The grains are either amorphous carbon or graphite similar to that described by Mezger et al. (1982), but not like the graphite described by Mitchell and Robinson (1980). In particular, the grains around IRC + 10216 are relatively efficient emitters in the infrared. If this result is true of carbon stars in general, it means that the carbon grains present in the interstellar medium are much cooler than often believed.

Jura, M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A 43GHz VLBI mapping of SiO maser emission associated with Orion-KL IRC-2

A milliarcsecond resolution spot map of the SiO maser emission associated with IRC-2 in Orion-KL is presented. The two dominant groups of spectral features, near V(LRS) = -6 and 16 km/s, were observed in the 43 GHz, v = 1 to 0 transition of SiO, using a Mark III VLBI system. The 74 km baseline ran from Haystack Observatory in Westford, Massachusetts to Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory (FCRAO) in New Salem, Massachusetts. Five distinct maser features were observed: -8.5 to -6.5 km/s; -5 to -1.5 km/s; 12 to 13.5 km/s; 16.5 to 19 km/s; and 20 to 21 km/s (stellar velocity = 5 km/s). The relative positions were established, from an analysis of fringe phases, to an accuracy of about 5 milliarcseconds. All the features lay within an area of radius 0.08 arcseconds or 6x10(14) cm, at a distance of 500 pc. Previous interferometric studies were only able to measure the gross separation between the red and the blue shifted groups. Our measurement of the separation between these two gropus is consistent with those of the previous studies, indicating the persistence of these two centers of activity. The absolute positions of the masers with respect to IRC-2 are only known to an accuracy of about 1 arcsecond. It is assumed that IRC-2 is centered between the red shifted and the blue shifted maser features. The relative placement of these two groups of maser features agrees with observations of thermal emission from SO, which traces the outflow on a much larger scale. The SiO masers trace the neutral outflow from IRC-2 on the smallest scale yet observed.

Greenhill, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Exotic fluoride molecules in IRC +10216: Confirmation of AlF and searches for MgF and CaF

Three new rotational transitions of aluminum fluoride (AlF) at 0.8 and 1.2 mm have been observed. The J = 10-9, J = 8-7, and J = 7-6 lines of AlF at 230, 263, and 329 GHz, respectively, were seen toward IRC +10216 using the Caltech Submillimter Observatory (CSO). Combined with the earlier data obtained for this species at IRAM at 2 and 3 mm, these measurements confirm the presence of the metal halide in this carbon-rich circumstellar shell. Analysis of the CSO and IRAM data suggests that AlF arises from a source with a diameter of theta(sub s) approximately = 5-10 sec and hence is present chiefly in the inner envelope of IRC +10216. In this region, the molecule has a column density of (0.3-1.1) x 10(exp 15)/sq cm, which indicates a fractional abundance of at least approximately 10(exp -9), relative to H2. Searches for the metal fluoride species CaF and MgF have also been conducted toward IRC +10216, but with negative results. The column density upper limits for MgF and CaF are N(sub tot) less than (1-4) x 10(exp 14)/sq cm. Relative abundances of these metal fluoride molecules can be understood in terms of chemical thermodynamic equilibrium. The presence of AlF in IRC +10216 also indicates that large quantities of fluorine must be present in the inner stellar envelope, suggesting that this element may be produced not primarily in explosive nucleosynthesis but rather in helium shell flashes, as indicated also by HF spectroscopy of red giant stars.

Ziurys, L. M.↗
NASA NTRS2010

The Arizona Radio Observatory 1 mm Spectral Survey of IRC (plus)10216 and VY Canis Majoris (215-285 GHz)

A low noise (1(sigma) rms approx. 3 mK) 1. nun spectral survey (214.5-285.5 GHz) of the oxygen-rich supergiant VY Canis Majoris and the carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch star IRC +10216 has been conducted using the Arizona Radio Observatory's 10 m Submillimeter Telescope. Here the complete data set is presented. This study, carried out with a new ALMA-type receiver, marks the first continuous band scan of an O-rich circumstellar envelope, and the most sensitive survey to date of IRC +10216. In VY CMa, 130 distinct molecular lines were detected, 14 of which cannot be identified; in IRC +10216, 717 lines were observed, with 126 features remaining unidentified. In the 1 mm bands of VY CMa and IRC +10216, emission is present from 18 and 32 different chemical compounds, respectively, with 10 species common to both sources. Many narrow emission lines were observed in both circumstellar shells, arising from vibrationally excited molecules and from refractory-containing species. Line profiles in VY CMa also exhibit a variety of different shapes, caused by the complex, asymmetric outflow of this object. The survey highlights the fact that C-rich and O-rich circumstellar envelopes are chemically interesting, and both are sources of new interstellar molecules. The high number of unidentified lines and the unreliable, rest frequencies for known species such as NaCN indicate the need for additional laboratory spectroscopy studies.

Tenenbaum, E. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Speckle interferometry of IRC +10216 in the fundamental vibration-rotation lines of CO

The largest fraction of the matter returned by stars to the interstellar medium is probably provided by red giants. The carbon star IRC +10216 is an example of an evolved giant with a large mass loss rate. One plausible mechanism for the acceleration of the gas in stars like IRC +10216 is radiation pressure on dust grains which then collide with and transfer their momentum to the gas. However, at the present time neither infrared nor microwave observations provide a clear picture of the distribution of matter near cool red giant stars. There exists one method which may be used to obtain more information about the distribution of matter very close to the star. This method involves the measurement of the spatial extent of near-infrared lines by employing a combination of very high spatial and high spectral resolution. The present investigation is concerned with an application of this method. Speckle interferometry is used to measure the radial distribution of CO molecules on angular scales of 1 sec near IRC +10216.

Dyck, H. M.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Infrared spectroscopy of IRC + 10420

High resolution 1.6, 3.3 and 4.6 micron spectra were obtained on the F8 supergiant star IRC + 10420 on June 9-11, 1984, using the 4 m Mayall telescope and Fourier Transform Spectrometer at Kitt Peak. IRC + 10420 is distinguished by its hydrogen maser, unusual for stars of this type. The measured column densities of CO led to an estimated isotopic carbon ratio of 7-11, supporting a model of the object as a highly evolved star. The redshift is interpreted as due to scattering by outward-moving circumstellar dust grains. The IR spectrum of IRC + 10420 suggests that the object is a post-asymptotic branch star still surrounded by the thick dust shell it produced while it was much cooler.

Fix, John D.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The light curve and changes in the circumstellar envelope around IRC + 10216

This paper presents results of NIR photometric observations of IRC + 10216 star during the time interval 1965-1990, which were combined with measurements of the circumstellar shell surrounding IRC + 10216 by IR speckle interferometry. Using these data together with published observations, a very precise light curve was constructed, demonstrating the occurrence of long-term changes in the circumstellar shell surrounding IRC + 10216. The observations are discussed in the framework of two alternatives: (1) the occurrence of dynamical changes in the shell and (2) blocking of the direct light from the star to a portion of the shell by intervening material.

Dyck, H. M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Modeling the light-travel-time effect on the far-infrared size of IRC +10216

Models of the far-infrared emission from the large circumstellar dust envelope surrounding the carbon star IRC +10216 are used to assess the importance of the light-travel-time effect (LTTE) on the observed size of the source. The central star is a long-period variable with an average period of 644 +/- 17 days and a peak-to-peak amplitude of two magnituds, so a large light-travel-time effect is seen at 1 min radius. An attempt is made to use the LTTE to reconcile the discrepancy between the observations of Fazio et al. and Lester et al. regarding the far-infrared source size. This discrepancy is reviewed in light of recent, high-spatial-resolution observations at 11 microns by Danchi et al. We conclude that IRC +10216 has been resolved on the arcminute scale by Fazio et al. Convolution of the model intensity profile at 61 microns with the 60 sec x 90 sec Gaussian beam of Fazio et al. yields an observed source size full width at half maximum (FWHM) that ranges from approximately 67 sec to 75 sec depending on the phase of the star and the assumed distance to the source. Using a simple r(exp -2) dust distribution and the 106 deg phase of the Fazio et al. observations, the LTTE model reaches a peak size of 74.3 sec at a distance of 300 pc. This agrees favorably with the 78 sec x 6 sec size measured by Fazio et al. Finally, a method is outlined for using the LTTE as a distance indicator to IRC +10216 and other stars with extended mass outflows.

Wright, Edward L.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Unidentified lines in molecular clouds and a search for C-14 in IRC +10216

Two spectral features have been detected toward the Kleinmann-Low infrared nebula in Orion that agree in frequency with the 7(25)-7(16) and 7(35)-7(26) rotational transitions of the ring-structured molecule ethylene oxide (CH2)2O. A feature agreeing in frequency with the 8(24)-8(45) transition probably also was detected; however, seven other transitions in (CH2)2O were not. Additional unidentified lines were detected in Ori A and Sgr B2. Searches for H(C-14)N and (C-14)O in the luminous carbon star IRC +10216 were unsuccessful. However, an unidentified line was found in IRC +10216 that was not detected in the KL nebula.

Kuiper, E. N. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Detection of the C4H radical toward IRC plus 10216

Four emission doublets in the millimeter-wave spectrum of IRC plus 10216 are identified as successive rotational transitions of the linear butadiynyl radical (C4H). The identifications are made on the basis of the agreement to within about 1 part in 1000 between the observed rotation constant of C4H and the value obtained from a Hartree-Fock calculation. A rough estimate of the amounts of C4H and C3N in the molecular envelope of IRC plus 10216 is given. The results indicate that C4H seems to be the more abundant species by about a factor of 4.

Guelin, M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The list of the stars from the Two-micron sky survey: A preliminary catalog by G. N. Neugebauer et al (IRC), the identification of which is not correct

Two tables are published. The first presents the numbers of stars according to the Catalog IRC for which all or part of the identification with the Catalogs BS-HR, GC or DM is incorrect. The second table presents the numbers of stars in the IRC catalog, for which the identifications with variable stars printed with them are erroneous, whereas other identifications are usually correct.

Kukarkin, B. V.↗
NASA NTRS1980

On C4H versus vibrationally excited CO in IRC + 10216

The identification of the 114,221-MHz line in the spectrum of the evolved carbon star IRC +10216 with a blend of the rotational transition of C4H and the first rotational transition of vibrationally excited CO is investigated. A spectrum of the source was obtained using an 11-m telescope in the range covering the N = 12 to 11 and 11 to 10 spin-doublet rotational transitions of C4H. Two peaks of equal intensity and width are found in each band, suggesting a spin rotation constant of 1.06 for the 12 to 11 doublet and 1.09 for the 11 to 10 doublet, and excluding the possibility that vibrationally excited CO made any contribution to the 12 to 11 doublet. An additional survey of the regions from 103.8 to 107.5 and 113.3 to 117.0 GHz has revealed no new lines stronger than 0.1 K in the spectrum of IRC +10216.

Cummins, S. E.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The far-infrared size of IRC +10216

IRC +10216, a carbon star undergoing extensive mass loss, has been observed with a broad-band far-infrared (40-250 micron) photometer on the CFA/UA 102 cm balloon-borne telescope. From repeated scans, the deconvolved FWHM size of IRC +10216 was determined to be 0.92 arcmin plus or minus 0.15 arcmin. Based on this size, models for the density distribution of the dust in the surrounding cloud indicate that there is more dust at large radii than would be predicted by a 1/r-squared density distribution and that the mass-loss rate of the central source was twice its current value only 2000 years ago.

Fazio, G. G.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The spectrum of IRC + 10216 from 2.0 to 8.5 microns

Low-resolution spectra of IRC + 10216 have been obtained from 2 to 8.5 microns from NASA's Kuiper Airborne Observatory at an altitude of 12.5 km (41,000 feet). Observations were made during 1976 January and 1977 February. In both sets of data, the spectral flux reaches its maximum between 6.0 and 6.6 microns and the previously reported 3.1-micron feature is observed; no obvious new absorption features have been found. The new data together with other spectral data and measurements of the spatial extent of IRC + 10216 impose conditions that must be met by models of the continuum. Several simple models for 2-8.5 micron radiation are examined. The new continuum data impose a constraint on the size of the grains in the cooler, optically thin part of the object. Earlier photometry has been combined with the present data to yield an improved value of the average period: 644 + or - 17 days. It appears that the variability is irregular and that the minima have been deeper in recent years than they were in 1965-1969.

Witteborn, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

CN and C2H in IRC +10216

The effects of the production of the radicals CN and C2H from the dissociation of HCN and C2H2 by ambient UV photons in the outer envelope of IRC +10216 are investigated. The spatial distribution of the radicals and their observable millimeter emission-line characteristics are calculated from the inferred abundances of the progenitor species in the envelope of IRC +10216 using photochemical and radiative transfer models. These are compared with available observations to examine whether photoproduction is a possible explanation of the observed emission from these species. The results suggest that the variable abundances induced by photodestruction of their progenitors do affect the observed emission from the radicals.

Huggins, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Spectral scan of Orion A and IRC+10216 from 72 to 91 GHz

The spectra of the Orion KL molecular cloud and the envelope of the carbon star IRC+10216 are surveyed at 1 MHz resolution over the interval 72.2-91.1 GHz to a sensitivity usually better than 0.1 K. Multitransition analysis of several molecular species is presented which gives information on the physical conditions and chemical abundance in the Orion KL region. The excitation conditions and relative abundances in the IRC+10216 envelope are surveyed. It is stressed that the low detection rate of molecular lines in this object does not necessarily imply a poorer chemistry compared with that in interstellar clouds, but is partly a reflection of low abundances and unsatisfied excitation requirements.

Johansson, L. E. B.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Observations of the SiC2 radical toward IRC + 10216 at 1.27 centimeters

The first centimeter-wave transition of the recently identified SiC2 radical has been observed in the envelope of the evolved carbon star IRC + 10216. The excellent agreement between the measured astronomical rest frequency and the predicted frequency, and the measured line intensity support the SiC2 identification. The high-resolution line profile and mapping data are used to estimate the size of the IRC + 10216 SiC2 envelope and the abundance of SiC2 relative to H2.

Snyder, L. E.↗