Engineering topics

Irvine, W. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Irvine, W. M..

At least 37 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS1996

Spectroscopic evidence for interstellar ices in comet Hyakutake

Volatile compounds in comets are the most pristine materials surviving from the time of formation of the Solar System, and thus potentially provide information about conditions that prevailed in the primitive solar nebula. Moreover, comets may have supplied a substantial fraction of the volatiles on the terrestrial planets, perhaps including organic compounds that played a role in the origin of life on Earth. Here we report the detection of hydrogen isocyanide (HNC) in comet Hyakutake. The abundance of HNC relative to hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is very similar to that observed in quiescent interstellar molecular clouds, and quite different from the equilibrium ratio expected in the outermost solar nebula, where comets are thought to form. Such a departure from equilibrium has long been considered a hallmark of gas-phase chemical processing in the interstellar medium, suggesting that interstellar gases have been incorporated into the comet's nucleus, perhaps as ices frozen onto interstellar grains. If this interpretation is correct, our results should provide constraints on the temperature of the solar nebula, and the subsequent chemical processes that occurred in the region where comets formed.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1996

The high-latitude cloud MBM 7. I. H I and CO observations

The high-latitude cloud (HLC) MBM 7 has been observed in the 21 cm H I line and the 12CO(1-0) and 13CO(1-0) lines with similar spatial resolutions. The data reveal a total mass approximately 30 M solar for MBM 7 and a complex morphology. The cloud consists of a cold dense core of 5 M solar surrounded by atomic and molecular gas with about 25 M solar, which is embedded in hotter and more diffuse H I gas. We derive a total column density N(H I + 2H2) of 1 x 10(21) cm-2 toward the center and 1 x 10(20) cm-3 toward the envelope of MBM 7. The CO line indicates the existence of dense cores [n(H2) > or = 2000 cm-3] of size (FWHM) approximately 0.5 pc. The morphology suggests shock compression from the southwest direction, which can form molecular cores along the direction perpendicular to the H I distribution. The H I cloud extends to the northeast, and the velocity gradient appears to be about 2.8 km s-1 pc-1 in this direction, which indicates a systematic outward motion which will disrupt the cloud in approximately 10(6) yr. The observed large line widths of approximately 2 km s-1 for CO suggest that turbulent motions exist in the cloud, and hydrodynamical turbulence may dominate the line broadening. Considering the energy and pressure of MBM 7, the dense cores appear not to be bound by gravity, and the whole cloud including the dense cores seem to be expanding. The distance to HLCs suggest that they belong to the galactic plane, since the scale height of the cloud is < or approximately equal to 100 pc. Compared to the more familiar dense dark clouds, HLCs may differ only in their small mass and low density, with their proximity reducing the filling factor and enhancing the contrast of the core and envelope structure.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1996

A search for HCCN in molecular clouds

We have conducted a deep search for HCCN towards the dark cloud TMC-l and several GMC's via its N(J) = 1(2)-->0(1) transition. HCCN was not detected in any of these sources. Towards TMC-l, assuming optically thin emission, the total column density upper limit is NHCCN < or = 2 x 10(12) cm-2, which corresponds to a fractional abundance upper limit with respect to molecular hydrogen of fHCCN < or = 2 x 10(-10). We find the abundance ratio of HCN:HCCN:HCCCN in TMC-l to be l : <0.01 : 0.3, which suggests that carbon-chain growth by the addition of single carbon atoms may not be efficient under dark cloud conditions. The HCCN abundance limit also places constraints on the branching ratio for the products of the dissociative electron recombination H3C2N+ + e.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1996

Spectroscopic Evidence for Interstellar Ice in Comet Hyakutake

Volatile compounds in comets are the most pristine materials surviving from the time of formation of the Solar System, and thus potentially provide information about conditions that prevailed in the primitive solar material. Moreover, comets may have supplied a substantial fraction of the volatiles on the terrestrial planets, perhaps including organic compounds that played a role in the origin of life on Earth. Here we report the detection of hydrogen isocyanide (HNC) in comet Hyakutake. The abundance of HNC relative to hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is very similar to that observed in quiescent interstellar molecular clouds, and quite different from the equilibrium ratio expected in the outermost solar nebula, where comets are thought to form. Such a departure from equilibrium has long been considered a hallmark of gas-phase chemical processing in the interstellar medium, suggesting that interstellar gases have been incorporated into the comet's nucleus, perhaps as ices frozen onto interstellar grains. If this interpretation is correct, our results should provide constraints on the temperature of the solar nebula, and the subsequent chemical processes that occurred in the region where comets formed.

Irvine, W. M.↗

NASA NTRS1996

A Search for Interstellar Oxiranecarbonitrile (C3H3NO)

We report a search in cold, quiescent and in 'hot core' type interstellar molecular clouds for the small cyclic molecule oxiranecarbonitrile (C3H3NO), which has been suggested as a precursor of important prebiotic molecules. We have determined upper limits to the column density and fractional abundance for the observed sources and find that, typically, the fractional abundance by number relative to molecular hydrogen Of C3H3NO is less than a few times 10(exp -10). This limit is one to two orders of magnitude less than the measured abundance of such similarly complex species as CH3CH2CN and HCOOCH3 in well-studied hot cores. A number of astrochemical discoveries were made, including the first detection of the species CH3CH2CN in the massive star-forming clouds G34.3+0.2 and W51M and the first astronomical detections of some eight rotational transitions of CH3CH2CN, CH3CCH, and HCOOCH3. In addition, we found 8 emission lines in the 89 GHz region and 18 in the 102 GHz region which we were unable to assign.

Dicken, J. E.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Measurements of the H2(13)CO ortho/para ratio in cold dark molecular clouds

H2(13)CO has been detected for the first time toward cold dark molecular clouds using the NRAO 12 m telescope. The H2(13)CO ortho/para abundance ratio R for B335, which we report as R approximately 1.7, suggests equilibrium at the local kinetic temperature and appears to be distinctly different from that for both TMC-1 and L134N, where R is close to or higher than the statistical value 3. Since only B335 among the observed positions includes an imbedded IR source, this difference may result from heating of the grain surfaces, providing the energy necessary for desorption of formaldehyde formed on the grains.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

NASA NTRS1995

Organic molecules in the gas phase of dense interstellar clouds

Since a previous Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) review on this subject, the number of molecular species identified by astronomers in dense interstellar clouds or in the envelopes expelled by evolved stars has grown from about eighty to approximately one hundred. Recent detections in stellar envelopes include the radical CP, the second phosphorus-containing astronomical molecule; SiN, the first astronomical molecule with a Si-N bond; and the HCCN radical. In the dense interstellar clouds recent detections or verifications of previous possible identifications include the H3O(+) ion, which is a critical intermediary in the production of H2O and O2; the CCO radical, which is isoelectronic with HCCN; the SO(+) ion, which appears to be diagnostic of shock chemistry; two new isomers of cyanoacetylene, HCCNC and CCCNH; and the two cumulenes H2C3 and H2C4. Some recent work is also described on the mapping of interstellar clouds in multiple molecular transitions in order to separate variations in chemical abundance from gradients in physical parameters.

Irvine, W. M.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Interferometric observations for oxygen-containing organic molecules toward Orion-KL

High spatial resolution observations were made for the 3 mm transitions of methanol (CH3OH), methyl formate (HCOOCH3), and dimethyl ether (/CH3/2O) toward Orion-KL using the Nobeyama Millimeter Array. The 15(3)-14(4) A(-) CH3OH emission appears to be elongated along the line connecting IRc2 and 'the southern condensation (SC)', which may suggest a relation between methanol and the outflow from IRc2. The HCOOCH3 (7(1,6)-6(1,5)) and (CH3)2O (15(2,13)-15(1,14)) emissions appear to be well concentrated toward SC with an angular size of about 6.5 arcsec. There also exists another oxygen-rich condensation to the west of IRc2 having column densities of HCOOCH3 and (CH3)2O comparable to those of SC. We derive the total column densities 6.8 x 10 exp 16/sq cm, 1.4 x 10 exp 16/sq cm, and 2.7 x 10 exp 16/sq cm for CH3OH, HCOOCH3, and (CH3)2O, respectively, at the core of SC.

Minh, Y. C.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Measurement of the methyl cyanide E/A ratio in TMC-1

We have observed the methyl cyanide (CH3CN) J = 2-1 K = 0 and 1 transitions toward the cyanopolyyne peak of TMC-1 and have derived an E/A (ortho/para)abundance ratio N(E)/N(A) = 0.75 +/- 0.10. The total methyl cyanide column density is N(total) = 5 x 10 exp 12/sq cm toward TMC-1, in agreement with earlier results from the J = 1-0 lines.

Minh, Y. C.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Search for H2COH+ and H2(13)CO in dense interstellar molecular clouds

We have searched for the 2 mm transitions of H2COH+ (2(02) - 1(01)) and H2(13)CO (2(02) - 1(01), 2(12) - 1(11), and 2(11) - 1(10)) toward the dense interstellar molecular clouds Orion A, TMC-1 and L134N using the FCRAO 14m telescope. None of the transitions have been detected except the H2(13)CO transitions toward Orion-KL. We set upper limits for the abundances of the protonated formaldehyde ion (H2COH+), which are close to the abundances expected from ion-molecule chemistry.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

NASA NTRS1993

Observations of C3H2 (2(12) - 1(01)) toward the Sagittarius A molecular cloud

We have mapped the C3H2 2(12)-1(01) transition line toward the Sgr A molecular cloud on a 1' grid spacing and derived C3H2 column densities of 3 approximately 7 x 10(14) cm-2 for molecular clouds of Sgr A. The fractional abundances of C3H2 relative to H2 are obtained to be 3 approximately 6 x 10(-9), which are slightly lower than that for the cold dark cloud TMC-1 but are enhanced by factors of 5-60 compared to those for Sgr B2 and the Orion extended ridge. We also estimate from the C3H2 column densities total masses of approximately 10(6) M(solar) for two clouds (M - 0.13-0.08 and M - 0.02-0.07), which are thought to be close to the virial equilibrium. We suggest that the large abundance of C3H2 in Sgr A may be partly due to the activities of the Galactic center.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1992

Molecular abundances in the Sagittarius A molecular cloud

We have obtained column densities for HCO(+), HCO, HCS(+), C3H2, HC5N, SiO, OCS, HCOOH, CH3CH2OH, and CH3CCH toward Sgr A. The fractional abundance of SiO relative to molecular hydrogen in Sgr A is comparable to that for the Orion plateau, about 10 exp-7 to 10 exp -8, which may be a typical value for hot clouds. The abundances of HCO, CH3CH2OH, and CH3CCH all appear to be enhanced relative to other molecular clouds such as Sgr B2.

Minh, Y. C.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Recent observations of interstellar molecules - Detection of CCO and a limit on H2C3O

In order to test gas-phase reaction schemes for the production of small oxides of carbon in cold, dense interstellar clouds, we have searched for the radical CCO and for propadienone (H2C3O) in Taurus Molecular Cloud 1, a nearby cloud which exhibits a rich organic chemistry. The radical CCO has been detected with a fractional abundance some two orders of magnitude less than that of CCS, about one order of magnitude less than that of H2CCO, and slightly less than that of C3O. An upper limit has been obtained on the abundance of propadienone which is slightly less than that of its isomer propynal (HC2CHO).

Brown, R. D.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The chemistry of dense interstellar clouds

The basic theme of this program is the study of molecular complexity and evolution in interstellar and circumstellar clouds incorporating the biogenic elements. Recent results include the identification of a new astronomical carbon-chain molecule, C4Si. This species was detected in the envelope expelled from the evolved star IRC+10216 in observations at the Nobeyama Radio Observatory in Japan. C4Si is the carrier of six unidentified lines which had previously been observed. This detection reveals the existence of a new series of carbon-chain molecules, C sub n Si (n equals 1, 2, 4). Such molecules may well be formed from the reaction of Si(+) with acetylene and acetylene derivatives. Other recent research has concentrated on the chemical composition of the cold, dark interstellar clouds, the nearest dense molecular clouds to the solar system. Such regions have very low kinetic temperatures, on the order of 10 K, and are known to be formation sites for solar-type stars. We have recently identified for the first time in such regions the species of H2S, NO, HCOOH (formic acid). The H2S abundance appears to exceed that predicted by gas-phase models of ion-molecule chemistry, perhaps suggesting the importance of synthesis on grain surfaces. Additional observations in dark clouds have studied the ratio of ortho- to para-thioformaldehyde. Since this ratio is expected to be unaffected by both radiative and ordinary collisional processes in the cloud, it may well reflect the formation conditions for this molecule. The ratio is observed to depart from that expected under conditions of chemical equilibrium at formation, perhaps reflecting efficient interchange between cold dust grains in the gas phase.

Irvine, W. M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Analysis of images obtained by the Phobos 2 spacecraft

The reflection spectrum and density of the Martian satellite, Phobos, suggests that it may be a captured C-type asteroid and hence may contain relatively unaltered organic material from the early history of the solar system. Since there is evidence from isotopic anomalies that meteorites presumably derived from such asteroids contain preserved interstellar material, it is conceivable that evidence for interstellar matter might also be present on Phobos. The present research concerns interpretation of the chemical composition of Phobos' surface and analysis of images of Phobos taken by the FREGAT camera equipment aboard the Phobos 2 Spacecraft, including both disk-integrated and disk-resolved photometry. Because the surface of Phobos is a regolith, spectral information on the surface composition will be convolved with information on the surface texture. A primary goal was to untangle these effects. Unfortunately, the Phobos 1 Spacecraft lost contact with Earth during its transit to Mars, and Phobos 2 likewise lost contact after two months in orbit around Mars. Thus, the hovering phase of very close approach and the landing of instruments on the surface of Phobos did not take place, so no data on the elemental composition of the surface is available. However, 37 images were obtained of the satellite. The results include the first such observations at near infrared wavelengths, for which disk-integrated results show that the corresponding geometric albedo is quite small and very similar to the value in the blue. The resolved surface photometry was analyzed by developing new methods of radiative transfer in rough surface layers and a procedure referred to as statistical photoclinometry. The results provide root mean square surface slopes on scales from the order of 1 millimeter to 250 meters, albedo fluctuations, and corresponding correlation lengths.

Irvine, W. M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Nitric oxide in star-forming regions - Further evidence for interstellar N-O bonds

Nitric oxide has been newly detected toward several star-forming clouds, including Orion-KL, Sgr B2(N), W33A, W51M, and DR21(OH) via its J = 3/2-1/2 transitions near 150 GHz, using the FCRAO 14 m telescope. Both lambda-doubling components of NO were observed toward all sources. Column densities derived for nitric oxide in these clouds are 10 to the 15th-10 to the 16th/sq cm, corresponding to fractional abundances of 0.5-1.0 x 10 to the -8th, relative to H2. Toward Orion-KL, the NO line profile suggests that the species arises primarily from hot, dense gas. Nitric oxide may arise from warm material toward the other clouds as well. Nitric oxide in star-forming regions could be synthesized by high-temperature reactions, although the observed abundances do not disagree with values predicted from low-temperature, ion-molecule chemistry by more than one order of magnitude.

Ziurys, L. M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

H2CS abundances and ortho-to-para ratios in interstellar clouds

Several H2CS ortho and para transitions have been observed toward interstellar molecular clouds, including cold, dark clouds and star-forming regions. H2CS fractional abundances f(H2CS) about 1-2 10 to the -9th relative to molecular hydrogen toward TMC-1, Orion A, and NGC 7538, and about 5 10 to the -10th for L134N are derived. The H2CS ortho-to-para ratios in TMC-1 are about 1.8 toward the cyanopolyyne peak and the ammonia peak, which may indicate the thermalization of H2CS on 10 K grains. A ratio of about 3, the statistical value, for Orion (3N, 1E) and NGC 7538 is derived, while a value of about 2 for Orion (KL) is found.

Minh, Y. C.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Abundance and chemistry of interstellar HOCO(+)

Column densities of 10 to the 15th/sq cm toward the Galactic center and not more than 10 to the 12th/sq cm for cold dark clouds are derived from observations using an LVG model, and the chemical implications are discussed. The HOCO(+) 4(04)-3(03) line toward Sgr A is mapped. The fractional abundance of HOCO(+) in the Galactic center region was found to be three orders of magnitude larger than predicted by quiescent ion-molecule chemistry and an order of magnitude larger than predicted by an MHD shock model. It is suggested that the possibly high CO2 abundance, and consequently the observed HOCO(+) abundance in the Galactic center, may result from UV photolysis of grain mantles.

Minh, Y. C.↗