Organic molecules in oxygen-rich circumstellar envelopes: methanol and hydrocarbons

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

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Molecular Processes, Circumstellar Matter, Stars: Late-Type

Scientific paper

The existence of anomalously high abundances of gaseous CH_4 has been invoked to explain the unexpectedly high abundances of the carbon-bearing molecules HCN and H_2CO in the outflow from O-rich red giants. We have modelled the chemistry that proceeds in the outer envelope when CH_4 is injected from the inner envelope. We find that photolysis by the interstellar radiation field drives an ion-neutral chemistry which produces several organic molecules. The calculated abundances of CH_3OH, C_2H and C_2 can be comparable to those calculated for H_2CO and HCN. Species such as C_2H_4, C_2H_2 and CH_3CN can also be abundant. A search for CH_3OH and C_2H in several O-rich outflows known to exhibit strong HCN emission is needed. As it derives entirely from the CH_4 photo-chain, is insensitive to the envelope temperature distribution, and has accessible transitions at millimetre wavelengths, the detection of the C_2H radical would provide further indirect support for the presence of the hypothesized methane.

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