Context. Excess levels of 15N isotopes which have been detected in primitive solar system materials are explained as a remnant of interstellar chemistry which took place in regions of the protosolar nebula. Aims. Chemical models of nitrogen fractionation in cold clouds predict an enhancement in the gas-phase abundance of 15N-bearing molecules, thus we have searched for 15N variants of the N2H+ ion in L1544, which is one of the best candidate sources for detection owing to its low central core temperature and high CO depletion. Methods. With the IRAM 30m telescope we have obtained deep integrations of the N15NH+ (1−0) line at 91.2 GHz. Results. The N15NH+ (1−0) line has been detected toward the dust emission peak of L1544. The 14N/15N abundance ratio in N15NH+ resulted 446 ± 71, very close to the protosolar value of ∼ 450, higher than the terrestrial ratio of ∼270, and significantly lower than the lower limit in L1544 found by Gerin et al. (2009, ApJ, 570, L101) in the same object using ammonia isotopologues.
Detection of N15NH+ in L1544 / L. Bizzocchi; P. Caselli; L. Dore. - In: ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS. - ISSN 0004-6361. - ELETTRONICO. - 510:(2010), p. L5. [10.1051/0004-6361/200913835]
Detection of N15NH+ in L1544
BIZZOCCHI, LUCA;DORE, LUCA
2010
Abstract
Context. Excess levels of 15N isotopes which have been detected in primitive solar system materials are explained as a remnant of interstellar chemistry which took place in regions of the protosolar nebula. Aims. Chemical models of nitrogen fractionation in cold clouds predict an enhancement in the gas-phase abundance of 15N-bearing molecules, thus we have searched for 15N variants of the N2H+ ion in L1544, which is one of the best candidate sources for detection owing to its low central core temperature and high CO depletion. Methods. With the IRAM 30m telescope we have obtained deep integrations of the N15NH+ (1−0) line at 91.2 GHz. Results. The N15NH+ (1−0) line has been detected toward the dust emission peak of L1544. The 14N/15N abundance ratio in N15NH+ resulted 446 ± 71, very close to the protosolar value of ∼ 450, higher than the terrestrial ratio of ∼270, and significantly lower than the lower limit in L1544 found by Gerin et al. (2009, ApJ, 570, L101) in the same object using ammonia isotopologues.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
