Showing papers by "Marco Spaans published in 2019"

ALMA view of the 12C/13C isotopic ratio in starburst galaxies

Abstract: We derive molecular-gas-phase 12 C/13 C isotope ratios for the central few hundred parsecs of the three nearby starburst galaxies NGC 253, NGC 1068, and NGC 4945 making use of the λ ∼ 3 mm 12 CN and 13 CN N = 1–0 lines in the ALMA Band 3. The 12 C/13 C isotopic ratios derived from the ratios of these lines range from 30 to 67 with an average of 41.6 ± 0.2 in NGC 253, from 24 to 62 with an average of 38.3 ± 0.4 in NGC 1068, and from 6 to 44 with an average of 16.9 ± 0.3 in NGC 4945. The highest 12 C/13 C isotopic ratios are determined in some of the outskirts of the nuclear regions of the three starburst galaxies. The lowest ratios are associated with the northeastern and southwestern molecular peaks of NGC 253, the northeastern and southwestern edge of the mapped region in NGC 1068, and the very center of NGC 4945. In the case of NGC 1068, the measured ratios suggest inflow from the outer part of NGC 1068 into the circum-nuclear disk through both the halo and the bar. Low 12 C/13 C isotopic ratios in the central regions of these starburst galaxies indicate the presence of highly processed material.

Dust temperature and time-dependent effects in the chemistry of photodissociation regions

Abstract: When studying chemistry of photodissociation regions (PDRs), time dependence becomes important as visual extinction increases, since certain chemical time-scales are comparable to the cloud lifetime. Dust temperature is also a key factor, since it significantly influences gas temperature and mobility on dust grains, determining the chemistry occurring on grain surfaces. We present a study of the dust temperature impact and time effects on the chemistry of different PDRs, using an updated version of the Meijerink PDR code and combining it with the time-dependent code Nahoon. We find the largest temperature effects in the inner regions of high G0 PDRs, where high dust temperatures favour the formation of simple oxygen-bearing molecules (especially that of O2), while the formation of complex organic molecules is much more efficient at low dust temperatures. We also find that time-dependent effects strongly depend on the PDR type, since long time-scales promote the destruction of oxygen-bearing molecules in the inner parts of low G0 PDRs, while favouring their formation and that of carbon-bearing molecules in high G0 PDRs. From the chemical evolution, we also conclude that, in dense PDRs, CO2 is a late-forming ice compared to water ice, and confirm a layered ice structure on dust grains, with H2O in lower layers than CO2. Regarding steady state, the PDR edge reaches chemical equilibrium at early times (≲105 yr). This time is even shorter (<104 yr) for high G0 PDRs. By contrast, inner regions reach equilibrium much later, especially low G0 PDRs, where steady state is reached at 106-107 yr.