CARBON CHEMISTRY IN THE ENVELOPE OF VY CANIS MAJORIS: IMPLICATIONS FOR OXYGEN-RICH EVOLVED STARS

Journal Article · Mon Apr 20 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/695/2/1604; COUNTRY OF INPUT: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA)· OSTI ID:21296232

Ziurys, L M; Tenenbaum, E D; Pulliam, R L; Woolf, N J ^[1]

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1. Department of Astronomy and Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

Observations of the carbon-bearing molecules CO, HCN, CS, HNC, CN, and HCO{sup +} have been conducted toward the circumstellar envelope of the oxygen-rich red supergiant star, VY Canis Majoris (VY CMa), using the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO). CO and HCN were also observed toward the O-rich shells of NML Cyg, TX Cam, IK Tau, and W Hya. Rotational transitions of these species at 1 mm, 0.8 mm, and 0.4 mm were measured with the ARO Submillimeter Telescope, including the J = 6 {yields} 5 line of CO at 691 GHz toward TX Cam and W Hya. The ARO 12 m was used for 2 mm and 3 mm observations. Four transitions were observed for HCO{sup +} in VY CMa, the first definitive identification of this ion in a circumstellar envelope. Molecular line profiles from VY CMa are complex, indicating three separate outflows: a roughly spherical flow and separate red- and blueshifted winds, as suggested by earlier observations. Spectra from the other sources appear to trace a single outflow component. The line data were modeled with a radiative transfer code to establish molecular abundances relative to H{sub 2} and source distributions. Abundances for CO derived for these objects vary over an order of magnitude, f {approx} 0.4-5 x 10{sup -4}, with the lower values corresponding to the supergiants. For HCN, a similar range in abundance is found (f {approx} 0.9-9 x 10{sup -6}), with no obvious dependence on the mass-loss rate. In VY CMa, HCO{sup +} is present in all three outflows with f {approx} 0.4-1.6 x 10{sup -8} and a spatial extent similar to that of CO. HNC is found only in the red- and blueshifted components with [HCN]/[HNC] {approx} 150-190, while [CN]/[HCN] {approx} 0.01 in the spherical flow. All three velocity components are traced in CS, which has a confined spatial distribution and f {approx} 2-6 x 10{sup -7}. These observations suggest that carbon-bearing molecules in O-rich shells are produced by a combination of photospheric shocks and photochemistry. Shocks may play a more prominent role in the supergiants because of their macroturbulent velocities.

• OSTI ID: 21296232
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 695; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
ABUNDANCE
CARBON
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON NITRIDES
HYDROCYANIC ACID
HYDROGEN
OXYGEN
PHOTOCHEMISTRY
RADIANT HEAT TRANSFER
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SUPERGIANT STARS
TELESCOPES