Phosphorus-bearing molecules in solar-type star-forming regions: first PO detection

Author(s)

Lefloch, Bertrand ; Vastel, C. ; Viti, S. ; Jimenez-Serra, I. ; Codella, C. ; Podio, L. ; Ceccarelli, C. ; Mendoza, E. ; Lepine, J. R. D. ; Bachiller, R.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society; v. 462, n. 4, p. 3937-3944, NOV 11 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 16

Abstract

As part of the Large Program Astrochemical Surveys At IRAM, we have used the IRAM 30 m telescope to lead a systematic search for the emission of rotational transitions of P-bearing species between 80 and 350 GHz towards L1157-B1, a shock position in the solar-type star-forming region L1157. We report the detection of several transitions of PN and, for the first time, of pre-biotic molecule PO. None of these species are detected towards the driving protostar of the outflow L1157-mm. Analysis of the line profiles shows that PN arises from the outflow cavity, where SiO, a strong shock tracer, is produced. Radiative transfer analysis yields an abundance of 2.5 x 10(-9) and 0.9 x 10(-9) for PO and PN, respectively. These results imply a strong depletion (approximate to 100) of phosphorus in the quiescent cloud gas. Shock modelling shows that atomic N plays a major role in the chemistry of PO and PN. The relative abundance of PO and PN brings constraints both on the duration of the pre-shock phase, which has to be similar to 10(6) yr, and on the shock parameters. The maximum temperature in the shock has to be larger than 4000 K, which implies a shock velocity of 40 km s(-1). (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/22095-6 - ACHEMOS: astrochemistry of our origins, a comprehensive study of the prebiotic chemistry in pre-stellar regions
• Grantee: Edgar Fabián Mendoza Rodríguez
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 15/22254-0 - Preparing for LLAMA: astrochemistry of star forming regions i. on the origin of C-chain molecules and deuteration around protostars
• Grantee: Edgar Fabián Mendoza Rodríguez
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor