Evidence for chemical processing of precometary icy grains in circumstellar environments of pre-main-sequence stars
Stephen C. Tegler, David A. Weintraub, Terrence W. Rettig, Yvonne J. Pendleton, Douglas C.B. Whittet, Craig A. Kulesa
We report the detection of a broad absorption feature near 2166 cm-1 in the spectrum of the Taurus cloud source Elias 18. This pre-main-sequence source is the second in Taurus, the third in our survey, and the fifth known in the sky to show the broad 2166 cm-1 absorption feature. Of equal importance, this feature is not seen toward several other embedded sources in our survey, nor is it seen toward the source Elias 16, located behind the Taurus cloud. Laboratory experiments with interstellar ice analogs show that such a feature is associated with a complex C≡N containing compound [called X(C≡N)] that results from high-energy processing (ultraviolet irradiation or ion bombardment) of simple ice components into more complex, organic components. We find a nonlinear anticorrelation between the abundance of X(C≡N) and frozen CO in non-polar lattices. We find no correlation between the abundance of X(C≡N) and frozen CO in polar lattices. Because the abundances of frozen CO and H2O are strongly correlated with each other and with visual extinction toward sources embedded in and located behind the Taurus molecular cloud, these ice components usually are associated with intracloud material. Our results indicate that X(C≡N) molecules result from chemical processing of dust grains dominated by nonpolar icy mantles in the local environments of pre-main-sequence stars. Such processing of icy grains in the early solar system may be an important source of organic compounds observed in minor solar system bodies. The delivery of these organic compounds to the surface of the primitive Earth through comet impacts may have provided the raw materials for prebiotic chemistry.
Astrophysical Journal
Circumstellar matter
Dust, extinction
ISM: individual (Taurus Dark Cloud)
ISM: molecules
Infrared: stars
Stars: pre-main-sequence
Dive into the research topics of 'Evidence for chemical processing of precometary icy grains in circumstellar environments of pre-main-sequence stars'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
solar system Earth & Environmental Sciences 51%
ice Earth & Environmental Sciences 49%
organic compound Earth & Environmental Sciences 43%
chemical Earth & Environmental Sciences 35%
organic compounds Physics & Astronomy 29%
comet Earth & Environmental Sciences 26%
irradiation Earth & Environmental Sciences 21%
laboratory experiment Earth & Environmental Sciences 20%
Tegler, S. C., Weintraub, D. A., Rettig, T. W., Pendleton, Y. J., Whittet, D. C. B., & Kulesa, C. A. (1995). Evidence for chemical processing of precometary icy grains in circumstellar environments of pre-main-sequence stars. Astrophysical Journal, 439(1), 279-287. https://doi.org/10.1086/175171
Evidence for chemical processing of precometary icy grains in circumstellar environments of pre-main-sequence stars. / Tegler, Stephen C.; Weintraub, David A.; Rettig, Terrence W.; Pendleton, Yvonne J.; Whittet, Douglas C.B.; Kulesa, Craig A.
In: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 439, No. 1, 20.01.1995, p. 279-287.
Tegler, SC, Weintraub, DA, Rettig, TW, Pendleton, YJ, Whittet, DCB & Kulesa, CA 1995, 'Evidence for chemical processing of precometary icy grains in circumstellar environments of pre-main-sequence stars', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 439, no. 1, pp. 279-287. https://doi.org/10.1086/175171
Tegler SC, Weintraub DA, Rettig TW, Pendleton YJ, Whittet DCB, Kulesa CA. Evidence for chemical processing of precometary icy grains in circumstellar environments of pre-main-sequence stars. Astrophysical Journal. 1995 Jan 20;439(1):279-287. https://doi.org/10.1086/175171
Tegler, Stephen C. ; Weintraub, David A. ; Rettig, Terrence W. ; Pendleton, Yvonne J. ; Whittet, Douglas C.B. ; Kulesa, Craig A. / Evidence for chemical processing of precometary icy grains in circumstellar environments of pre-main-sequence stars. In: Astrophysical Journal. 1995 ; Vol. 439, No. 1. pp. 279-287.
@article{f6fa3a3ef31248be8eb38087835d5c1d,
title = "Evidence for chemical processing of precometary icy grains in circumstellar environments of pre-main-sequence stars",
abstract = "We report the detection of a broad absorption feature near 2166 cm-1 in the spectrum of the Taurus cloud source Elias 18. This pre-main-sequence source is the second in Taurus, the third in our survey, and the fifth known in the sky to show the broad 2166 cm-1 absorption feature. Of equal importance, this feature is not seen toward several other embedded sources in our survey, nor is it seen toward the source Elias 16, located behind the Taurus cloud. Laboratory experiments with interstellar ice analogs show that such a feature is associated with a complex C≡N containing compound [called X(C≡N)] that results from high-energy processing (ultraviolet irradiation or ion bombardment) of simple ice components into more complex, organic components. We find a nonlinear anticorrelation between the abundance of X(C≡N) and frozen CO in non-polar lattices. We find no correlation between the abundance of X(C≡N) and frozen CO in polar lattices. Because the abundances of frozen CO and H2O are strongly correlated with each other and with visual extinction toward sources embedded in and located behind the Taurus molecular cloud, these ice components usually are associated with intracloud material. Our results indicate that X(C≡N) molecules result from chemical processing of dust grains dominated by nonpolar icy mantles in the local environments of pre-main-sequence stars. Such processing of icy grains in the early solar system may be an important source of organic compounds observed in minor solar system bodies. The delivery of these organic compounds to the surface of the primitive Earth through comet impacts may have provided the raw materials for prebiotic chemistry.",
keywords = "Circumstellar matter, Dust, extinction, ISM: individual (Taurus Dark Cloud), ISM: molecules, Infrared: stars, Stars: pre-main-sequence",
author = "Tegler, {Stephen C.} and Weintraub, {David A.} and Rettig, {Terrence W.} and Pendleton, {Yvonne J.} and Whittet, {Douglas C.B.} and Kulesa, {Craig A.}",
doi = "10.1086/175171",
journal = "Astrophysical Journal",
publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",
T1 - Evidence for chemical processing of precometary icy grains in circumstellar environments of pre-main-sequence stars
AU - Tegler, Stephen C.
AU - Weintraub, David A.
AU - Rettig, Terrence W.
AU - Pendleton, Yvonne J.
AU - Whittet, Douglas C.B.
AU - Kulesa, Craig A.
N2 - We report the detection of a broad absorption feature near 2166 cm-1 in the spectrum of the Taurus cloud source Elias 18. This pre-main-sequence source is the second in Taurus, the third in our survey, and the fifth known in the sky to show the broad 2166 cm-1 absorption feature. Of equal importance, this feature is not seen toward several other embedded sources in our survey, nor is it seen toward the source Elias 16, located behind the Taurus cloud. Laboratory experiments with interstellar ice analogs show that such a feature is associated with a complex C≡N containing compound [called X(C≡N)] that results from high-energy processing (ultraviolet irradiation or ion bombardment) of simple ice components into more complex, organic components. We find a nonlinear anticorrelation between the abundance of X(C≡N) and frozen CO in non-polar lattices. We find no correlation between the abundance of X(C≡N) and frozen CO in polar lattices. Because the abundances of frozen CO and H2O are strongly correlated with each other and with visual extinction toward sources embedded in and located behind the Taurus molecular cloud, these ice components usually are associated with intracloud material. Our results indicate that X(C≡N) molecules result from chemical processing of dust grains dominated by nonpolar icy mantles in the local environments of pre-main-sequence stars. Such processing of icy grains in the early solar system may be an important source of organic compounds observed in minor solar system bodies. The delivery of these organic compounds to the surface of the primitive Earth through comet impacts may have provided the raw materials for prebiotic chemistry.
AB - We report the detection of a broad absorption feature near 2166 cm-1 in the spectrum of the Taurus cloud source Elias 18. This pre-main-sequence source is the second in Taurus, the third in our survey, and the fifth known in the sky to show the broad 2166 cm-1 absorption feature. Of equal importance, this feature is not seen toward several other embedded sources in our survey, nor is it seen toward the source Elias 16, located behind the Taurus cloud. Laboratory experiments with interstellar ice analogs show that such a feature is associated with a complex C≡N containing compound [called X(C≡N)] that results from high-energy processing (ultraviolet irradiation or ion bombardment) of simple ice components into more complex, organic components. We find a nonlinear anticorrelation between the abundance of X(C≡N) and frozen CO in non-polar lattices. We find no correlation between the abundance of X(C≡N) and frozen CO in polar lattices. Because the abundances of frozen CO and H2O are strongly correlated with each other and with visual extinction toward sources embedded in and located behind the Taurus molecular cloud, these ice components usually are associated with intracloud material. Our results indicate that X(C≡N) molecules result from chemical processing of dust grains dominated by nonpolar icy mantles in the local environments of pre-main-sequence stars. Such processing of icy grains in the early solar system may be an important source of organic compounds observed in minor solar system bodies. The delivery of these organic compounds to the surface of the primitive Earth through comet impacts may have provided the raw materials for prebiotic chemistry.
KW - Circumstellar matter
KW - Dust, extinction
KW - ISM: individual (Taurus Dark Cloud)
KW - ISM: molecules
KW - Infrared: stars
KW - Stars: pre-main-sequence
U2 - 10.1086/175171
DO - 10.1086/175171
JO - Astrophysical Journal
JF - Astrophysical Journal