CS Line Research Articles

THE CONNECTING MOLECULAR RIDGE IN THE GALACTIC CENTER

We report new observations of multiple transitions of the CS molecular lines in the SgrA region of the Galactic center, at an angular resolution of 40" (=1.5 pc). The objective of this paper is to study the polar arc, which is a molecular ridge near the SgrA region, with apparent non-coplanar motions, and a velocity gradient perpendicular to the Galactic plane. With our high resolution dense-gas maps, we search for the base and the origin of the polar arc, which is expected to be embedded in the Galactic disk. We find that the polar arc is connected to a continuous structure from one of the disk ring/arm in both the spatial and velocity domains. This structure near SgrA* has high CS(J=4-3)/CS(J=2-1) ratios >1. That this structure has eluded detection in previous observations, is likely due to the combination of high excitation and low surface brightness temperature. We call this new structure the connecting ridge. We discuss the possible mechanism to form this structure and to lift the gas above the Galactic plane.

THE DISK-OUTFLOW SYSTEM IN THE S255IR AREA OF HIGH-MASS STAR FORMATION

We report the results of our observations of the S255IR area with the SMA at 1.3 mm in the very extended configuration and at 0.8 mm in the compact configuration as well as with the IRAM-30m at 0.8 mm. The best achieved angular resolution is about 0.4 arcsec. The dust continuum emission and several tens of molecular spectral lines are observed. The majority of the lines is detected only towards the S255IR-SMA1 clump, which represents a rotating structure (probably disk) around the young massive star. The achieved angular resolution is still insufficient for conclusions about Keplerian or non-Keplerian character of the rotation. The temperature of the molecular gas reaches 130-180 K. The size of the clump is about 500 AU. The clump is strongly fragmented as follows from the low beam filling factor. The mass of the hot gas is significantly lower than the mass of the central star. A strong DCN emission near the center of the hot core most probably indicates a presence of a relatively cold ($\lesssim 80$ K) and rather massive clump there. High velocity emission is observed in the CO line as well as in lines of high density tracers HCN, HCO+, CS and other molecules. The outflow morphology obtained from combination of the SMA and IRAM-30m data is significantly different from that derived from the SMA data alone. The CO emission detected with the SMA traces only one boundary of the outflow. The outflow is most probably driven by jet bow shocks created by episodic ejections from the center. We detected a dense high velocity clump associated apparently with one of the bow shocks. The outflow strongly affects the chemical composition of the surrounding medium.

Mapping CS in starburst galaxies: Disentangling and characterising dense gas

Aims. We observe the dense gas tracer CS in two nearby starburst galaxies to determine how the conditions of the dense gas varies across the circumnuclear regions in starburst galaxies. Methods. Using the IRAM-30m telescope, we mapped the distribution of the CS(2-1) and CS(3-2) lines in the circumnuclear regions of the nearby starburst galaxies NGC 3079 and NGC 6946. We also detected the formaldehyde (H2CO) and methanol (CH3OH) in both galaxies. We marginally detect the isotopologue C34S. Results. We calculate column densities under LTE conditions for CS and CH3OH. Using the detections accumulated here to guide our inputs, we link a time and depth dependent chemical model with a molecular line radiative transfer model; we reproduce the observations, showing how conditions where CS is present are likely to vary away from the galactic centres. Conclusions. Using the rotational diagram method for CH3OH, we obtain a lower limit temperature of 14 K. In addition to this, by comparing the chemical and radiative transfer models to observations, we determine the properties of the dense gas as traced by CS (and CH3OH). We also estimate the quantity of the dense gas. We find that, provided that there are a between 10^5 and 10^6 dense cores in our beam, for both target galaxies, emission of CS from warm (T = 100 - 400 K), dense (n(H2) = 10^5-6 cm-3) cores, possibly with a high cosmic ray ionisation rate (zeta = 100 zeta0) best describes conditions for our central pointing. In NGC 6946, conditions are generally cooler and/or less dense further from the centre, whereas in NGC 3079, conditions are more uniform. The inclusion of shocks allows for more efficient CS formation, leading to an order of magnitude less dense gas being required to replicate observations in some cases.

Two-photon resonance on the D2 line of Cs enhanced by optical pumping

Sub-natural-width N-type resonance, observed in the D2 line of Cs vapor has been reported recently. Three-photon, bi-chromatic excitation of Cs atomic vapor with 20 Torr of Neon was performed and a sub-natural-width resonance was observed, superimposed on the absorption profile of a set of hyperfine transitions starting from single hyperfine ground level. Here we report the study of a different three-photon, couple-probe- excitation scheme that allows the observation of a sub-natural-width resonance situated on a flat background, well outside the D2 line absorption spectrum of Cs. The lack of a noisy background could be advantageous for many applications related to the narrow N resonance. In addition, a new broader feature of enhanced transparency is demonstrated that is centered at the ground state level that does not interacting with the coupling beam. This enhanced transparency resonance can be attributed to the atomic population loss in a narrow spectral interval occurring due to excitation of energy levels situated above the 6 2P levels.

G359.97-0.038: A HARD X-RAY FILAMENT ASSOCIATED WITH A SUPERNOVA SHELL-MOLECULAR CLOUD INTERACTION

We present the first high-energy X-ray (>10 keV) observations of the non-thermal filament G359.97-0.038 using the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). This filament is one of approximately 20 X-ray filaments of unknown origin located in the central 20 pc region in the Galactic Center near Sgr A^*. Its NuSTAR and Chandra broadband spectrum is characterized by a single power law with Γ = 1.3 ± 0.3 that extends from 2 to 50 keV, with an unabsorbed luminosity of 1.3 × 10^(33) erg s^(–1) (d/8 kpc)^2 in the 2-8 keV band. Despite possessing a cometary X-ray morphology that is typical of a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) in high-resolution Chandra imaging, our spatially resolved Chandra spectral analysis found no significant spectral softening along the filament as would be expected from particle synchrotron cooling. Coincident radio emission is detected using the Very Large Array at 5.5 and 8.3 GHz. We examine and subsequently discard a PWN or magnetic flux tube as the origin of G359.97-0.038. We use broadband spectral characteristics and a morphological analysis to show that G359.97-0.038 is likely an interaction site between the shell of Sgr A East and an adjacent molecular cloud. This is supported by CS molecular line spectroscopy and the presence of an OH maser.

The density structure of the L1157 molecular outflow★†

We present a multiline CS survey towards the brightest bow-shock B1 in the prototypical chemically active protostellar outflow L1157. We made use of (sub-)mm data obtained in the framework of the Chemical HErschel Surveys of Star forming regions (CHESS) and Astrochemical Surveys at IRAM (ASAI) key science programs. We detected $^{12}$C$^{32}$S, $^{12}$C$^{34}$S, $^{13}$C$^{32}$S, and $^{12}$C$^{33}$S emissions, for a total of 18 transitions, with $E_{\rm u}$ up to $\sim$ 180 K. The unprecedented sensitivity of the survey allows us to carefully analyse the line profiles, revealing high-velocity emission, up to 20 km s$^{-1}$ with respect to the systemic. The profiles can be well fitted by a combination of two exponential laws that are remarkably similar to what previously found using CO. These components have been related to the cavity walls produced by the $\sim$ 2000 yr B1 shock and the older ($\sim$ 4000 yr) B2 shock, respectively. The combination of low- and high-excitation CS emission was used to properly sample the different physical components expected in a shocked region. Our CS observations show that this molecule is highlighting the dense, $n_{\rm H_2}$ = 1--5 $\times$ 10$^{5}$ cm$^{-3}$, cavity walls produced by the episodic outflow in L1157. In addition, the highest excitation (E$_u$ $\geq$ 130 K) CS lines provide us with the signature of denser (1--5 $\times$ 10$^{6}$ cm$^{-3}$) gas, associated with a molecular reformation zone of a dissociative J-type shock, which is expected to arise where the precessing jet impacting the molecular cavities. The CS fractional abundance increases up to $\sim$ 10$^{-7}$ in all the kinematical components. This value is consistent with what previously found for prototypical protostars and it is in agreement with the prediction of the abundances obtained via the chemical code Astrochem.

TRANSITION FROM THE INFALLING ENVELOPE TO THE KEPLERIAN DISK AROUND L1551 IRS 5

We present combined SubMillimeter Array (SMA) + Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE) images of the Class I protobinary L1551 IRS 5 in the CS ($J$ = 7--6) line, the submillimeter images of L1551 IRS 5 with the most complete spatial sampling ever achieved ($0''.9$ -- $36''$). The SMA image of L1551 IRS 5 in the 343 GHz dust-continuum emission is also presented, which shows an elongated feature along the northwest to southeast direction ($\sim$160 AU $\times$ 80 AU), perpendicular to the associated radio jets. The combined SMA+ASTE images show that the high-velocity ($\gtrsim$1.5 km s$^{-1}$) CS emission traces the structure of the dust component and shows a velocity gradient along the major axis, which is reproduced by a geometrically-thin Keplerian-disk model with a central stellar mass of $\sim$0.5 $M_{\odot}$. The low-velocity ($\lesssim$1.3 km s$^{-1}$) CS emission shows an extended ($\sim$1000 AU) feature that exhibits slight south (blueshifted) to north (redshifted) emission offsets, which is modeled with a rotating and infalling envelope with a conserved angular momentum. The rotational motion of the envelope connects smoothly to the inner Keplerian rotation at a radius of $\sim$64 AU. The infalling velocity of the envelope is $\sim$three times lower than the free-fall velocity toward the central stellar mass of 0.5 $M_{\odot}$. These results demonstrate transition from the infalling envelope to the Keplerian disk, consistent with the latest theoretical studies of disk formation. We suggest that sizable ($r\sim$50--200 AU) Keplerian disks are already formed when the protostars are still deeply embedded in the envelopes.

MOLECULAR GAS HEATING MECHANISMS, AND STAR FORMATION FEEDBACK IN MERGER/STARBURSTS: NGC 6240 AND Arp 193 AS CASE STUDIES

We used the SPIRE/FTS instrument aboard the Herschel Space Observatory (HSO) to obtain the Spectral Line Energy Distributions (SLEDs) of CO from J=4-3 to J=13-12 of Arp 193 and NGC 6240, two classical merger/starbursts selected from our molecular line survey of local Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs: L_{IR}>=10^{11} L_{sol}). The high-J CO SLEDs are then combined with ground-based low-J CO, {13}CO, HCN, HCO+, CS line data and used to probe the thermal and dynamical states of their large molecular gas reservoirs. We find the two CO SLEDs strongly diverging from J=4-3 onwards, with NGC6240 having a much higher CO line excitation than Arp193, despite their similar low-J CO SLEDs and L_{FIR}/L_{CO,1-0}, L_{HCN}/L_{CO} (J=1-0) ratios (proxies of star formation efficiency and dense gas mass fraction). In Arp193, one of the three most extreme starbursts in the local Universe, the molecular SLEDs indicate a small amount ~(5-15)% of dense gas (n>=10^{4}cm^{-3}) unlike NGC6240 where most of the molecular gas (~(60-70)%) is dense n~(10^4-10^5)cm^{-3}. Strong star-formation feedback can drive this disparity in their dense gas mass fractions, and also induce extreme thermal and dynamical states for the molecular gas.In NGC6240, and to a lesser degree in Arp193, we find large molecular gas masses whose thermal states cannot be maintained by FUV photons from Photon Dominated Regions (PDRs). We argue that this may happen often in metal-rich merger/starbursts, strongly altering the initial conditions of star formation. ALMA can now directly probe these conditions across cosmic epoch, and even probe their deeply dust-enshrouded outcome, the stellar IMF averaged over galactic evolution.

Rotation Curve and Mass Distribution in the Galactic Center —From Black Hole to Entire Galaxy—

Abstract Analyzing high-resolution longitude–velocity (LV) diagrams of the Galactic Center observed with the Nobeyama 45-m telescope in the CO and CS line emissions, we obtained a central rotation curve of the Milky Way. We combined it with data for the outer disk, and constructed a logarithmic rotation curve of the entire Galaxy. The new rotation curve covers a wide range of radius from r ∽ 1 pc to several hundred kpc without a gap of data points. It links, for the first time, the kinematical characteristics of the Galaxy from the central black hole to the bulge, disk and dark halo. Using this grand rotation curve, we calculated the radial distribution of the surface mass density in the entire Galaxy, where the radius and derived mass densities vary over a dynamical range with several orders of magnitudes. We show that the galactic bulge is deconvolved into two components: the inner (core) and main bulges. Both of the two bulge components are represented by exponential density profiles, but the de Vaucouleurs law was found to fail to represent the mass profile of the galactic bulge.

Investigation of atomic transitions of cesium in strong magnetic fields by an optical half-wavelength cell

It has been demonstrated that the use of the λ/2 method allows one to effectively investigate individual atomic levels of the D 2 line of Cs (with the most complicated spectrum among all alkali metals) in strong magnetic fields up to 7 kG. The method is based on strong narrowing of the absorption spectrum (which provides sub-Doppler resolution) of a cesium-filled thin cell with the thickness L equal to a half-wavelength (L = λ/2) of the laser radiation (λ = 852 nm) resonant with the D 2 line. In particular, the λ/2 method has allowed us to resolve 16 atomic transitions (in two groups of eight atomic transitions each) and to determine their frequency positions, fixed (within each group) frequency slopes, the probability characteristics of the transitions, and other important characteristics of the hyperfine structure of Cs in the Paschen-Back regime. Possible applications are mentioned. Two theoretical models have been implemented. The values of the magnetic field have been indicated at which the models describe the experiment well.

Submillimeter ALMA Observations of the Dense Gas in the Low-Luminosity Type-1 Active Nucleus of NGC1097

Abstract We present the first 100 pc scale view of the dense molecular gas in the central ∼1.3 kpc of the type-1 Seyfert NGC 1097, traced by HCN (J = 4–3) and HCO+ (J = 4–3) lines afforded with ALMA band 7. This galaxy shows significant HCN enhancement with respect to HCO+ and CO in the low-J transitions, which seems to be a common characteristic in AGN environments. Using the ALMA data, we consider the characteristics of the dense gas around this AGN, and search for the mechanism of HCN enhancement. We find a high HCN (J = 4–3) to HCO+ (J = 4–3) line ratio in the nucleus. The upper limit of the brightness temperature ratio of HCN (v2 = 11f , J = 4–3) to HCN (J = 4–3) is 0.08, which indicates that IR pumping does not significantly affect the pure rotational population in this nucleus. We also find a higher HCN (J = 4–3) to CS (J = 7–6) line ratio in NGC 1097 than in starburst galaxies, which is more than 12.7 on the brightness temperature scale. Combined with similar observations from other galaxies, we tentatively suggest that this ratio appears to be higher in AGN-host galaxies than in pure starburst ones, similar to the widely used HCN to HCO+ ratio. LTE and non-LTE modeling of the observed HCN and HCO+ lines using J = 4–3 and 1–0 data from ALMA, and J = 3–2 data from SMA, reveals a high HCN to HCO+ abundance ratio (5 ≤ [HCN]/[HCO+] ≤ 20: non-LTE analysis) in the nucleus, and that the high-J lines (J = 4–3 and 3–2) are emitted from dense (104.5 cm-3 ≤ nH2 ≤ 106 cm-3), hot (70K ≤ Tkin ≤ 550 K) regions. Finally we propose that “high-temperature chemistry” is more plausible to explain the observed enhanced HCN emission in NGC 1097 than pure gas-phase PDR/XDR chemistry.

Molecular-line and continuum study of the W40 cloud

The dense cloud associated with W40, one of the nearby H II regions, has been studied in millimeter-wave molecular lines and in 1.2 mm continuum. Besides, 1280 MHz and 610 MHz interferometric observations have been done. The cloud has complex morphological and kinematical structure, including a clumpy dust ring and an extended dense core. The ring is probably formed by the "collect and collapse" process due to the expansion of neighboring H II region. Nine dust clumps in the ring have been deconvolved. Their sizes, masses and peak hydrogen column densities are: $\sim 0.02-0.11$ pc, $\sim 0.4-8.1 M_{\odot}$ and $\sim (2.5-11)\times 10^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$, respectively. Molecular lines are observed at two different velocities and have different spatial distributions implying strong chemical differentiation over the region. The CS abundance is enhanced towards the eastern dust clump 2, while the NH$_3$, N$_2$H$^+$, and H$^{13}$CO$^+$ abundances are enhanced towards the western clumps. HCN and HCO$^+$ do not correlate with the dust probably tracing the surrounding gas. Number densities derived towards selected positions are: $\sim (0.3-3.2)\times 10^6$ cm$^{-3}$. Two western clumps have kinetic temperatures 21 K and 16 K and are close to virial equilibrium. The eastern clumps 2 and 3 are more massive, have higher extent of turbulence and are probably more evolved than the western ones. They show asymmetric CS(2--1) line profiles due to infalling motions which is confirmed by model calculations. An interaction between ionized and neutral material is taking place in the vicinity of the eastern branch of the ring and probably trigger star formation.

ALMA OBSERVATIONS OF THE IRDC CLUMP G34.43+00.24 MM3: HOT CORE AND MOLECULAR OUTFLOWS

We have observed a cluster forming clump (MM3) associated with the infrared dark cloud G34.43+00.24 in the 1.3 mm continuum and the CH3OH, CS, 13CS, SiO, CH3CH2CN, and HCOOCH3 lines with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array and in K-band with the Keck telescope. We have found a young outflow toward the center of this clump in the SiO, CS, and CH3OH lines. This outflow is likely driven by a protostar embedded in a hot core, which is traced by the CH3CH2CN, HCOOCH3, 13CS, and high excitation CH3OH lines. The size of the hot core is about 800 x 300 AU in spite of its low mass (<1.1 M_sun), suggesting a high accretion rate or the presence of multiple star system harboring a few hot corinos. The outflow is highly collimated, and the dynamical timescale is estimated to be less than 740 yr. In addition, we have also detected extended emission of SiO, CS, and CH3OH, which is not associated with the hot core and the outflow. This emission may be related to past star formation activity in the clump. Although G34.43+00.24 MM3 is surrounded by a dark feature in infrared, it has already experienced active formation of low-mass stars in an early stage of clump evolution.

Response of restraint stress-selected lines of Japanese quail to heat stress and Escherichia coli challenge

Japanese quail selected for divergent corticosterone response to restraint stress were evaluated for their susceptibility to heat stress and challenge with Escherichia coli. These quail lines are designated as high stress (HS), low stress (LS), and the random-bred control (CS) lines. Heat stress (35°C, 8 h/d) began at 24 d until the end of the study at 39 d. Birds were challenged with an aerosol spray containing 2 × 10(9) cfu of E. coli at 25 and 32 d. At 38 d, the surviving birds were necropsied and the intestinal tract was screened for both Salmonella and Campylobacter. Body weights of the CS birds were higher than both HS and LS at 17, 25, and 32 d. At 32 d, there was no difference in mortality between males and females and the CS line had higher mortality compared with the LS line with the HS line being intermediate. At 38 d, females of the CS line that were both heat stressed and challenged had a mortality incidence of 25%, which was significantly higher than male birds of the same line and treatment (5.3%). There was an increased incidence in Salmonella enterica serotype Agona isolation after heat stress, with the LS birds having less isolation than the HS birds. Mean corticosterone levels of male birds were not significantly affected by line, heat stress, or E. coli challenge; however, the LS line subjected to heat stress had one-third the level of the HS line, a difference identical to that seen in the original selection for response to restraint stress.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF INFRARED DARK CLOUDS IN THE FIRST GALACTIC QUADRANT

Infrared dark clouds (IRDCs) are believed to host the earliest stages of high-mass star and cluster formation. Because O stars typically travel short distances over their lifetimes, if IRDCs host the earliest stages of high-mass star formation then these cold, dense molecular clouds should be located in or near the spiral arms in the Galaxy. The Galactic distribution of a large sample of IRDCs should therefore provide information on Galactic structure. Moreover, determination of distances enables mass and luminosity calculations. We have observed a large sample of IRDC candidates in the first Galactic quadrant in the dense gas tracer CS (2-1) using the Mopra telescope in order to determine kinematic distances from the molecular line velocities. We find that the IRDCs are concentrated around a Galactocentric distance of ~4.5 kpc, agreeing with the results of Simon et al. This distribution is consistent with the location of the Scutum-Centaurus spiral arm. The group of IRDCs near the Sun in the first quadrant detected in 13CO (1-0) in Simon et al. is not detected in the CS data. This discrepancy arises from the differences in the critical densities between the 13CO (1-0) and CS (2-1) lines. We determine that the Midcourse Space Experiment selected IRDCs are not a homogeneous population, and 13CO (1-0) traces a population of IRDCs with lower column densities and lower 1.1 mm flux densities in addition to more dense IRDCs detected in CS. Masses of the first quadrant IRDCs are calculated from 13CO (1-0) maps. We find a strong peak in the Galactocentric IRDC mass surface density distribution at R Gal ~ 4.5 kpc.

Nonlinearly-generated atomic signal for robust laser locking

We have developed a very simple technique to stabilize a laser emission to an atomic or molecular transition, using only a single focused beam, photodetector and a simple electronic circuit to feed an error signal back to the frequency controller of the laser. We have demonstrated the performance of this technique in semiconductor lasers, resonant with the D2 lines of either Cs or Rb atoms.

The molecular gas properties in external galaxies

AbstractWe present a summary of the physical and chemical properties we have obtained for the molecular gas found in galaxies, an essential triggering ingredient to any star formation (SF) process. In particular, we focus our studies on the molecular gas phases as traced by CO, HCO+ and CS line emissions, in a sample of galaxies including starbursts -SBs-, irregulars galaxies, low-metallicity sources, normal spirals, mergers, Early Type Galaxies (ETGs), galaxies with an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN), with Cosmic Ray Dominated Regions (CRDRs) and with Photo-Dominated Regions (PDRs). Our studies mix theoretical developments (i.e. computational models) with the acquisition of large observational datatsets (at both low and high spatial resolution) that we then compare in order to better determine the conditions under which some SF activity is starting and/or is maintained.

The massive protostar W43-MM1 as seen byHerschel-HIFI water spectra: high turbulence and accretion luminosity

We present Herschel/HIFI observations of fourteen water lines in W43-MM1, a massive protostellar object in the luminous star cluster-forming region W43. We analyze the gas dynamics from the line profiles using Herschel-HIFI observations (WISH-KP) of fourteen far-IR water lines (H2O, H217O, H218O), CS(11-10), and C18O(9-8) lines, and using our modeling of the continuum spectral energy distribution. As for lower mass protostellar objects, the molecular line profiles are a mix of emission and absorption, and can be decomposed into 'medium', and 'broad' velocity components. The broad component is the outflow associated with protostars of all masses. Our modeling shows that the remainder of the water profiles can be well fitted by an infalling and passively heated envelope, with highly supersonic turbulence varying from 2.2 km/s in the inner region to 3.5 km/s in the outer envelope. Also, W43-MM1 has a high accretion rate, between 4.0 x 10^{-4} and 4.0 x 10^{-2} \msun /yr, derived from the fast (0.4-2.9 km/s) infall observed. We estimate a lower mass limit of gaseous water of 0.11 \msun and total water luminosity of 1.5 \lsun (in the 14 lines presented here). The central hot core is detected with a water abundance of 1.4 x 10^{-4} while the water abundance for the outer envelope is 8 x10^{-8}. The latter value is higher than in other sources, most likely related to the high turbulence and the micro-shocks created by its dissipation. Examining water lines of various energies, we find that the turbulent velocity increases with the distance to the center. While not in clear disagreement with the competitive accretion scenario, this behavior is predicted by the turbulent core model. Moreover, the estimated accretion rate is high enough to overcome the expected radiation pressure.

MOLECULAR LINE OBSERVATIONS OF MCLD 123.5+24.9 IN THE POLARIS CIRRUS

In this paper, we present results of millimeter-wave observations with various molecular lines made toward MCLD 123.5+24.9 in the Polaris cirrus using the 45 m telescope at Nobeyama Radio Observatory. MCLD 123.5+24.9 is one of the rare dense cores forming in diffuse cirrus clouds where star formation may rarely take place. In order to investigate the structure, dynamics, the evolutionary stage of MCLD 123.5+24.9, we observed this core in 17 emission lines from 13 different molecular species. Emission lines of CS, CCS, and HC3N are strongly detected all over the core, while those of SO and N2H+ are weak or remain undetected, indicating that MCLD 123.5+24.9 is in an early stage of core evolution in terms of chemical composition. Based on comparison of the fractional abundances of CCS and HC3N, which are considered indicators of chemical age, with those of other cores with and without star formation as well as with model calculations in the literature, we suggest that MCLD 123.5+24.9 is in a phase prior to star formation. From the C18O data obtained, we derived the total molecular mass of MCLD 123.5+24.9 to be ~3 M ☉ at an assumed distance of 150 pc. There are three subcores in MCLD 123.5+24.9, called CS-A, CS-B, and CS-C. We derived their masses to be 0.2-0.6 M ☉. We also investigated the dynamical stability of MCLD 123.5+24.9 and the subcores by applying the virial theorem to find that MCLD 123.5+24.9 is not gravitationally bound as a whole, while the individual subcores are in the virial equilibrium and can collapse with a small increase of external pressure imposed on their surfaces.

Direct determination of sulfur in solid samples by means of high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry using palladium nanoparticles as chemical modifier

This work investigates the potential benefits of using Pd nanoparticles, in combination with Ru as permanent modifier, for sulfur monitoring as CS by means of high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry. Upon heating, these small (approx. 20 nm diameter) Pd nanoparticles are evenly distributed over the platform surface, offering a larger surface for interaction with the analyte during the drying and pyrolysis steps. In this way, a more efficient stabilization of sulfur species can be achieved. Furthermore, a similar analytical response is obtained regardless of the chemical form in which sulfur species are originally found, thus making it easier to develop quantitative analytical methods for this analyte. When using these modifiers, and under optimized working conditions, it is possible to use this technique for direct analysis of different types of solid samples (biological, petroleum coke, polyethylene and steel CRMs), thus circumventing the traditional drawbacks associated with sample digestion when sulfur determination is aimed at. Accurate results are obtained using only the central CS line found at 257.958 nm, with precision values in the 5–10% RSD range (14 ng characteristic mass; 9 ng limit of detection). Moreover, the combined use of the main six CS lines available in the spectral area simultaneously monitored by the detector permits to further improve precision to 3–5% RSD, while decreasing the limit of detection down to 3 ng (the characteristic mass is also 3 ng), which represents a relative limit of detection of approx. 1 μg g−1, as calculated for the sample with the lowest sulfur content. In all cases, straightforward calibration with aqueous standards was proved to be feasible, and the sample throughput is of 3–4 samples per hour (5 replicates per sample).