Observations of /sup 14/N//sup 15/N in the galactic disk

Journal Article · Wed Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/159062· OSTI ID:5959251

Wannier, P G; Linke, R A; Penzias, A A

A new survey has been made of HC/sup 15/N and H/sup 13/CN which includes 16 giant molecular clouds and one circumstellar cloud of expelled material. The observed double isotope ratio (/sup 12/ C//sup 13/C) x (/sup 15/N//sup 14/N) is shown to be a good tracer of equilbrium CNO processing: smaller values are observed from more highly processed material. Using the results of recent measurements of the /sup 12/C/ /sup 13/C ratio, we determine that the /sup 15/N/ /sup 14/ N ratio shows a small difference between the galactic center region and the rest of the galactic disk but that /sup 15/N/ /sup 14/N has no appreciable radial gradient throughtout the outer Galaxy. This behavior, together with the observed circumstellar abundances, can best be understood in terms of galactic enrichment models in which /sup 15/N is produced by explosive CN burning of hydrogen in novae, and /sup 14/N by equilibrium CN processing in stars.

• Research Organization: California Institute of Technology
• OSTI ID: 5959251
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 247:2; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
CARBON 12
CARBON 13
CARBON ISOTOPES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CYANIDES
CYANOGEN
ENERGY SPECTRA
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GALAXIES
HYDROCYANIC ACID
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MILKY WAY
MOLECULES
NITROGEN 14
NITROGEN 15
NITROGEN ISOTOPES
NOVAE
NUCLEI
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
SPACE
SPECTRA
STABLE ISOTOPES
STARS
VARIABLE STARS