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⇱ Infrared Space Observatory's Discovery of C4H2, C6H2, and Benzene in CRL 618 - IOPscience

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Infrared Space Observatory's Discovery of C4H2, C6H2, and Benzene in CRL 618

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Published 2001 January 10 • © 2001. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 546, Number 2Citation José Cernicharo et al 2001 ApJ 546 L123DOI 10.1086/318871

José Cernicharo

AFFILIATIONS

Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, Departamento de Física Molecular, CSIC, Serrano 121, E-28006 Madrid, Spain

Visiting scientist at the Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, MS 320-47, Pasadena, CA 91125

Ana M. Heras

AFFILIATIONS

Astrophysics Division, Space Science Department of ESA, ESTEC, P.O. Box 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, Netherlands

A. G. G. M. Tielens

AFFILIATIONS

Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, P.O. Box 800, 9700 AV Groningen, Netherlands

Juan R. Pardo

AFFILIATIONS

Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, Departamento de Física Molecular, CSIC, Serrano 121, E-28006 Madrid, Spain

Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, MS 320-47, Pasadena, CA 91125

Fabrice Herpin

AFFILIATIONS

Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, Departamento de Física Molecular, CSIC, Serrano 121, E-28006 Madrid, Spain

Michel Guélin

AFFILIATIONS

IRAM, 300 rue de la Piscine, 38406 St. Martin d’Hères, France

L. B. F. M. Waters

AFFILIATIONS

University of Amsterdam, Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek, Kruislaan 403, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, Netherlands

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Dates

  1. Received 2000 September 6
  2. Accepted 2000 October 27
  3. Published 2001 January 10
1538-4357/546/2/L123

Abstract

We report on the detection with the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO), for the first time in the circumstellar medium, of the polyacetylenic chains C4H2 and C6H2 and of benzene (C6H6) in the direction of the proto-planetary nebula CRL 618. Surprisingly, the abundances of di- and triacetylene are only a factor of 2-4 lower than that of C2H2. Benzene is ≃40 times less abundant than acetylene. We suggest that the chemistry in CRL 618 has been strongly modified by the UV photons coming from the hot central star and by the shocks associated with its high-velocity winds. All the infrared bands arise from a region with kinetic temperatures between 200 and 250 K, probably the photodissociation region associated with the dense torus that surrounds the central star. C4H2 and C6H2 have also been detected in CRL 2688, so it seems that C-rich proto-planetary nebulae are the best organic chemistry factories in space.

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10.1086/318871