Biomedical subjects

L M Ziurys

Publications and source records attributed to L M Ziurys.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1988

HCO emission from H II-molecular cloud interface regions.

A survey of well-known molecular clouds in the four strongest HCO NK-,K+ = 1(01)-0(00) hyperfine transitions has been carried out to determine the prevalence of HCO and to study its chemistry. HCO emission was observed in seven molecular clouds. Three of these, NGC 2264, W49, and NGC 7538, were not previously known sources of HCO. In addition, NGC 2024 and Sgr B2 were mapped and shown to have extensive HCO emission. The survey results show the HCO abundance to be enhanced in H II-molecular cloud interface regions and support a correlation between C+ and HCO emission. The strength of the HCO emission in NGC 2024 is interpreted in terms of this enhancement and the source structure and proximity to Earth.

Aldehydes↗

PubMed1988

SiS in Orion-KL: evidence for "outflow" chemistry.

SiS has been conclusively detected toward Orion-KL via its J = 6-5 and J = 5-4 rotational transitions at 91 and 109 GHz. Line profiles indicate that the species is present at an LSR velocity of 7.5 km s-1 with a half-width at zero power of 36 km s-1. Such characteristics associate SiS with the moderate velocity outflow (V approximately 18 km s-1) centered on IRc2 and observed in thermal SiO, the NH3 "plateau," and OH, H2O, and SiO masers. The column density estimated for SiS in this region is Ntot = 4 x 10(15) cm-2, corresponding to a fractional abundance of f approximately 4 x 10(-9). Such an abundance implies an SiO/SiS ratio of approximately 60 in the outflow material, remarkably close to the cosmic O/S ratio of approximately 40 and contrasting with the SiO/SiS value of > approximately 10(3) predicted by ion-molecule models. This difference is probably a result of the high temperatures and densities present in the outflow, which favor thermal equilibrium abundances similar to those observed in the circumstellar shells of late-type stars rather than "ion-molecule"-type concentrations. In addition to SiS, some twenty new unidentified lines near 91 and 109 GHz were detected toward KL, as well as transitions arising from HC5N, HC13CCN, HCC13CN, O13CS, and, possibly, CH3CH2OH, CH3CHO, and CH3OD.

Astronomical Phenomena↗

PubMed1988

Newly detected molecules in dense interstellar clouds.

The last year or so has seen the identification of several new interstellar molecules, including C2S, C3S, C5H, C6H, and (probably) HC2CHO in the cold, dark cloud TMC-1; and the discovery of the first interstellar phosphorous-containing molecule, PN, in the Orion "plateau" source. Further interesting results include the observations of 13C3H2 and C3HD, and the first detection of HCOOH (formic acid) in a cold cloud.

Astronomical Phenomena↗

PubMed1987

Detection of interstellar PN: the first phosphorus-bearing species observed in molecular clouds.

Phosphorus nitride (PN) has been detected in the interstellar medium. The J = 2-1, 3-2, 5-4, and 6-5 rotational lines of this species have been observed toward Orion-KL, and the J = 2-1 transition in Sgr B2 and W51. The PN line profiles in Orion indicate that the molecule's emission arises from the "plateau" or "doughnut" region associated with the outflow from IRc2. The species is thus primarily present in hot, dense gas. Column densities derived for PN toward Orion-KL are 3-4 X 10(13) cm-2, but may be as high as 10(14) cm-2, if the species is located in a 10" region. These column densities imply a fractional abundance for PN in the Orion "plateau" of approximately 1-4 X 10(-10). Such a large abundance for phosphorus nitride is not predicted by quiescent cloud ion-molecule chemistry and suggests that high-temperature processes are responsible for the synthesis of PN in the KL outflow.

Astronomical Phenomena↗

PubMed1986

HCNH+: a new interstellar molecular ion.

A new molecular ion, HCNH+, or protonated HCN, has been detected in the interstellar medium. The J = 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 rotational transitions of this species have been observed toward Sgr B2. Using a large velocity gradient model calculation, the column density of HCNH+ is found to be approximately 4 x 10(14) cm-2, about one order of magnitude less than that estimated for HCO+ and HCN in this source. Such a column density implies a fractional abundance for HCNH+ in Sgr B2 of approximately 3 x 10(-10), one to several orders of magnitude greater than the values predicted by ion-molecule models of interstellar chemistry. The high observed abundance of this species, relative to theoretical calculations, suggests that the destruction of HCNH+ by dissociative recombination is slower than expected, or that the formation rate of the ion has been underestimated.

Astronomical Phenomena↗

PubMed1986

Detection of interstellar vibrationally excited HCN.

Vibrationally excited HCN has been observed for the first time in the interstellar medium. The J = 3-2 rotational transitions of the l-doubled (0,1(1d,1c), 0) bending mode of HCN have been detected toward Orion-KL and IRC +10216. In Orion, the overall column density in the (0,1,0) mode, which exclusively samples the "hot core", is 1.7 x 10(16) cm-2 and can be understood in terms of the "doughnut" model for Orion. The ground-state HCN column density implied by the excited-state observations is 2.3 x 10(18) cm-2 in the hot core, at least one order of magnitude greater than the column densities derived for HCN in its spike and plateau/doughnut components. Radiative excitation by 14 micrometers flux from IRc2 accounts for the (0,1,0) population, provided the hot core is approximately 6-7 x 10(16) cm distant from IRc2, in agreement with the "cavity" model for KL. Toward IRC +10216 we have detected J = 3-2 transitions of both (0,1(1c),(1d), 0) and (0, 2(0), 0) excited states. The spectral profiles have been modeled to yield abundances and excitation conditions throughout the expanding envelope.

Astronomical Phenomena↗