Spitzer spectral line mapping of interstellar shock waves: probing the physics and chemistry of shocked molecular clouds

Details Spitzer spectral line mapping of interstellar shock waves: probing the physics and chemistry of shocked molecular clouds Spitzer spectral line mapping of interstellar shock waves: probing the physics and chemistry of shocked molecular clouds

May 2007

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007sptz.prop40121n&link_type=abstract

Spitzer Proposal ID #40121

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Scientific paper

We propose to carry out a comprehensive, spectroscopic imaging study of interstellar shock waves in molecular clouds, in which the IRS instrument will be used to obtain spectral line maps with complete wavelength coverage over the 5.2 to 37 micron spectral region and at the highest spectral resolution achievable with IRS. By observing, in their entirety, five protostellar outflows with diverse properties, and two shocked molecular clumps within the supernova remnant IC433, we will probe the physics and chemistry of interstellar shock waves in a wide variety of environments. All the sources that we propose to observe are also be targeted for spectroscopic observations in Guaranteed Time Key Projects of the Herschel Space Observatory, providing an important synergy between the mid-IR spectroscopy that is possible with Spitzer and the far-IR and submillimeter spectroscopy to be carried out by Herschel. The wavelength range covered by Spitzer/IRS provides access to 15 fine structure transitions of NeII, NeIII, SiII, PII, SI, SII, ClII, FeII, and FeIII; the S(0) through S(7) pure rotational lines of molecular hydrogen; the R(3) and R(4) transitions hydrogen deuteride (HD); several rotational transitions of water vapor; and the 6.2, 7.7, 8.6 and 11.3 micron PAH emission bands; all which have been detected in one or more sources that we have observed previously. Analysis of the resultant data will provide a wealth of information that will constitute an important legacy to interstellar medium science, probing - among other things - (1) the H2 ortho-to-para ratio, a valuable probe of the thermal history of the gas; (2) the HD abundance, from which the gas-phase D/H ratio can be determined ; (3) the water abundance, a key parameter that determines thermal balance in the shocked material; (4) the relative distribution of gas that has been heated by fast dissociative shocks and by slower non-dissociative shocks.

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