Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources: the present and future of spectral surveys with Herschel/HIFI

Details Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources: the present and future of spectral surveys with Herschel/HIFI Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources: the present and future of spectral surveys with Herschel/HIFI

2010-07-13

arxiv.org/abs/1007.2172v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Galaxy Astrophysics

6 pages, 5 figures, accepted and to be published in Herschel HIFI special issue of A&A Letters

Scientific paper

We present initial results from the Herschel GT key program: Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources (HEXOS) and outline the promise and potential of spectral surveys with Herschel/HIFI. The HIFI instrument offers unprecedented sensitivity, as well as continuous spectral coverage across the gaps imposed by the atmosphere, opening up a largely unexplored wavelength regime to high-resolution spectroscopy. We show the spectrum of Orion KL between 480 and 560 GHz and from 1.06 to 1.115 THz. From these data, we confirm that HIFI separately measures the dust continuum and spectrally resolves emission lines in Orion KL. Based on this capability we demonstrate that the line contribution to the broad-band continuum in this molecule-rich source is ~20-40% below 1 THz and declines to a few percent at higher frequencies. We also tentatively identify multiple transitions of HD18O in the spectra. The first detection of this rare isotopologue in the interstellar medium suggests that HDO emission is optically thick in the Orion hot core with HDO/H2O ~ 0.02. We discuss the implications of this detection for the water D/H ratio in hot cores.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources: the present and future of spectral surveys with Herschel/HIFI does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources: the present and future of spectral surveys with Herschel/HIFI, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources: the present and future of spectral surveys with Herschel/HIFI will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-351399