Photodetector Array Camera And Spectrometer Research Articles

Abundances of trace constituents in Jupiter's atmosphere inferred from Herschel/PACS observations

On October 31, 2009, the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) on board the Herschel Space Observatory observed far-infrared spectra of Jupiter in the wavelength range between 50 and 220$\ as part of the program "Water and Related Chemistry in the Solar System". The spectra have an effective spectral resolution between 900 and 3500, depending on the wavelength and grating order. We investigate the disk-averaged chemical composition of Jupiter's atmosphere as a function of height using these observations. We used the Planetary Spectrum Generator (PSG) and the least-squares fitting technique to infer the abundances of trace constituents. The PACS data include numerous spectral lines attributable to ammonia (NH$_3$), methane (CH$_4$), phosphine (PH$_3$), water (H$_2$O), and deuterated hydrogen (HD) in the Jovian atmosphere and probe the chemical composition from $p 275$\,mbar to $p 900$\,mbar. From the observations, we infer an ammonia abundance profile that decreases from a mole fraction of $(1.7 $ at $p 900$\,mbar to $(1.7 $ at $p 275$\,mbar, following a fractional scale height of about $0.114$. For phosphine, we find a mole fraction of $(7.2 $ at pressures higher than $(550 100)$\,mbar and a decrease of its abundance at lower pressures following a fractional scale height of $(0.09 0.02)$. Our analysis delivers a methane mole fraction of $(1.49 $. Analyzing the HD $R(0)$ line at $112.1\ yields a new measurement of Jupiter's D/H ratio, $ D/H $. Finally, the PACS data allow us to put the most stringent $3 upper limits yet on the mole fractions of hydrogen halides in the Jovian troposphere. These new upper limits are $<1.1 $ for hydrogen fluoride (HF), $<6.0 $ for hydrogen chloride (HCl), $<2.3 $ for hydrogen bromide (HBr) and $<1.2 $ for hydrogen iodide (HI) and support the proposed condensation of hydrogen halides into ammonium halide salts in the Jovian troposphere.

Characterizing spatial variations of PAH emission in the reflection nebula NGC 1333

ABSTRACT Infrared emission features at 3.3, 6.2, 7.7, 8.6, and 11.2 µm, attributed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), show variations in relative intensity, shape, and peak position. These variations depend on the physical conditions of the photodissociation region (PDR) in which strong PAH emission arises but their relationship has yet to be fully quantified. We aim to better calibrate the response of PAH species to their environment using observations with matching apertures and spatial resolution. We present observations from the Field-Imaging Far-Infrared Line Spectrometer onboard the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy of the gas cooling lines [O i] 63, 146 µm and [C ii] 158 µm in the reflection nebula NGC 1333 and use archival dust continuum observations from the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) onboard Herschel. We employ PDR modelling to derive the physical conditions and compare these with the characteristics of the PAH emission as observed with the Infrared Spectrometer onboard Spitzer. We find distinct spatial characteristics for the various PAH spectral components. We conclude that the ionic bands (6.2, 7.7, 8.6, and 11.0) and the 7–9 µm emission are due to multiple PAH subpopulations and that the plateaus are distinct from the features perched on top. The 6–9 µm PAH emission exhibits a significant change in behaviour between the irradiated PDR and diffuse outskirts, confirming these bands arise from multiple PAH subpopulations with different underlying molecular properties. We find multiple promising relationships between PAH ratios and the far-ultraviolet radiation field strength but no clear correlations with the PAH ionization parameter.

Exploring the dust content of galactic haloes with Herschel – IV. NGC 3079

ABSTRACT We present the results from an analysis of deep Herschel far-infrared (far-IR) observations of the edge-on disc galaxy NGC 3079. The point spread function-cleaned Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) images at 100 and 160 µm display a 25 × 25 kpc2 X-shape structure centred on the nucleus that is similar in extent and orientation to that seen in H α, X-rays, and the far-ultraviolet. One of the dusty filaments making up this structure is detected in the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver 250 µm map out to ∼25 kpc from the nucleus. The match between the far-IR filaments and those detected at other wavelengths suggests that the dusty material has been lifted out of the disc by the same large-scale galactic wind that has produced the other structures in this object. A closer look at the central 10 × 10 kpc2 region provides additional support for this scenario. The dust temperatures traced by the 100–160 µm flux ratios in this region are enhanced within a biconical region centred on the active galactic nucleus, aligned along the minor axis of the galaxy, and coincident with the well-known double-lobed cm-wave radio structure and H α–X-ray nuclear superbubbles. PACS imaging spectroscopy of the inner 6 kpc region reveals broad [C ii] 158 µm emission line profiles and OH 79 µm absorption features along the minor axis of the galaxy with widths well in excess of those expected from beam smearing of the disc rotational motion. This provides compelling evidence that the cool material traced by the [C ii] and OH features directly interacts with the nuclear ionized and relativistic outflows traced by the H α, X-ray, and radio emission.

Herschel spectroscopy of massive young stellar objects in the Magellanic Clouds

ABSTRACT We present Herschel Space Observatory Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver Fourier Transform Spectrometer (SPIRE FTS) spectroscopy of a sample of 20 massive Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC). We analyse the brightest far-infrared (far-IR) emission lines, that diagnose the conditions of the heated gas in the YSO envelope and pinpoint their physical origin. We compare the properties of massive Magellanic and Galactic YSOs. We find that [O i] and [C ii] emission, that originates from the photo-dissociation region associated with the YSOs, is enhanced with respect to the dust continuum in the Magellanic sample. Furthermore the photoelectric heating efficiency is systematically higher for Magellanic YSOs, consistent with reduced grain charge in low metallicity environments. The observed CO emission is likely due to multiple shock components. The gas temperatures, derived from the analysis of CO rotational diagrams, are similar to Galactic estimates. This suggests a common origin to the observed CO excitation, from low-luminosity to massive YSOs, both in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds. Bright far-IR line emission provides a mechanism to cool the YSO environment. We find that, even though [O i], CO, and [C ii] are the main line coolants, there is an indication that CO becomes less important at low metallicity, especially for the SMC sources. This is consistent with a reduction in CO abundance in environments where the dust is warmer due to reduced ultraviolet-shielding. Weak H2O and OH emission is detected, consistent with a modest role in the energy balance of wider massive YSO environments.

Whipping IC 63/IC 59

Context. IC 63 and IC 59 are a pair of cometary-shaped nebulae in the vicinity of the star γCas (also known as Tsih, “the Whip”). Both nebulae have very different optical appearances, despite the fact that both objects lie at similar projected distances from the star: IC 63 shows bright rims and filaments, while IC 59 looks more homogeneous and faint. Aims. We aim to perform a general description of the two nebulae from an observational standpoint in order to study the physical conditions at the UV-illuminated surfaces of these objects. Methods. We used the available data on both nebulae taken with Spitzer and Herschel to study the infrared emission at the tip of both clouds, and derive the intensity of the UV radiation field. Using the photodetector array camera and spectrometer (PACS) in line spectroscopy mode, we obtained the intensity of the cooling lines [C II] 157 μm and [O I] 63 μm, and we used these to estimate the density in these regions. Excitation diagrams of molecular hydrogen were obtained to derive the gas temperature. We also used [C II] 157 μm velocity maps of IC 59 taken with German REceiver for Astronomy at Terahertz frequencies (GREAT) on board SOFIA to explore the gas dynamics in this nebula. Results. We find that the IR emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is very similar at the tip of both nebulae. Even though it varies in intensity between the two, the derived PAH band ratios are remarkably similar. These ratios are similar to those found in the more shielded regions of other nebulae such as NGC 7023 and NGC 2023. Regarding the physical conditions, we get that while in IC 63 the intensity of the UV field, G0, is a factor of approximately ten higher than in IC 59, the density n at the tip of IC 59 is lower than in IC 63 by a similar factor. For both objects we derive G0 values significantly lower than what previous works have so far assumed. Comparison with other reflection nebulae photo-dissociation regions (PDRs) and known correlations support our claim that both IC 63 and IC 59 are low-UV irradiated environments. Conclusions. We conclude that the tips of IC 63 and IC 59 are about three and five times farther away from the star than their respective projected distances. The similarity of the mid-infrared emission between the two nebulae is consistent not only with both objects being overdensities within the same region around γCas, but it is also consistent with the similar G0/n and ionization parameters, which altogether rule the evolution of the hydrogenation and ionization level of the emitting population of PAHs. Finally, regarding the kinematics of the material in IC 59, we find evidence of photo-evaporation due to the incident radiation from γCas.

Image Estimation in the Presence of Irregular Sampling, Noise, and Pointing Jitter.

We consider an acquisition system where a continuous image is reconstructed from a set of irregularly distributed noisy samples. Moreover, the system is affected by a random pointing jitter which makes the actual sampling positions different from the nominal ones. We develop a model for the system and derive the optimal, minimum variance unbiased (MVU) estimate. Unfortunately, the latter estimate is not practical to compute when the data size is large. Therefore, we develop a simplified, low resolution model and derive the corresponding MVU estimate, which has a drastically lower complexity. Moreover, we analyze the estimators' performance by using both theoretical analysis and simulations. Finally, we discuss the application to the data of the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) instrument, which is an infrared photometer on board the Herschel satellite.

The dense cores and filamentary structure of the molecular cloud in Corona Australis: Herschel SPIRE and PACS observations from the Herschel Gould Belt Survey

We present a catalogue of prestellar and starless cores within the Corona Australis molecular cloud using photometric data from the Herschel Space Observatory. At a distance of d ~ 130 pc, Corona Australis is one of the closest star-forming regions. Herschel has taken multi-wavelength data of Corona Australis with both the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) and the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) photometric cameras in a parallel mode with wavelengths in the range 70–500 μm. A complete sample of starless and prestellar cores and embedded protostars is identified. Other results from the Herschel Gould Belt Survey have shown spatial correlation between the distribution of dense cores and the filamentary structure within the molecular clouds. We go further and show correlations between the properties of these cores and their spatial distribution within the clouds, with a particular focus on the mass distribution of the dense cores with respect to their filamentary proximity. We find that only lower-mass starless cores form away from filaments, while all of the higher-mass prestellar cores form in close proximity to or directly on the filamentary structure. This result supports the paradigm that prestellar cores mostly form on filaments. We analyse the mass distribution across the molecular cloud, finding evidence that the region around the Coronet appears to be at a more dynamically advanced evolutionary stage in comparison to the rest of the clumps within the cloud.

The Herschel-PACS Legacy of Low-mass Protostars: The Properties of Warm and Hot Gas Components and Their Origin in Far-UV Illuminated Shocks

Abstract Recent observations from Herschel allow the identification of important mechanisms responsible both for the heating of the gas that surrounds low-mass protostars and for its subsequent cooling in the far-infrared. Shocks are routinely invoked to reproduce some properties of the far-IR spectra, but standard models fail to reproduce the emission from key molecules, e.g., H2O. Here, we present the Herschel Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) far-IR spectroscopy of 90 embedded low-mass protostars (Class 0/I). The Herschel-PACS spectral maps, covering ∼55–210 μm with a field of view of ∼50″, are used to quantify the gas excitation conditions and spatial extent using rotational transitions of H2O, high-J CO, and OH, as well as [O i] and [C ii]. We confirm that a warm (∼300 K) CO reservoir is ubiquitous and that a hotter component (760 ± 170 K) is frequently detected around protostars. The line emission is extended beyond ∼1000 au spatial scales in 40/90 objects, typically in molecular tracers in Class 0 and atomic tracers in Class I objects. High-velocity emission (≳90 km s−1) is detected in only 10 sources in the [O i] line, suggesting that the bulk of [O i] arises from gas that is moving slower than typical jets. Line flux ratios show an excellent agreement with models of C-shocks illuminated by ultraviolet (UV) photons for pre-shock densities of ∼105 cm−3 and UV fields 0.1–10 times the interstellar value. The far-IR molecular and atomic lines are a unique diagnostic of feedback from UV emission and shocks in envelopes of deeply embedded protostars.

Intensity-corrected Herschel Observations of Nearby Isolated Low-mass Clouds*

Abstract We present intensity-corrected Herschel maps at 100, 160, 250, 350, and 500 μm for 56 isolated low-mass clouds. We determine the zero-point corrections for Herschel Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and Spectral Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) maps from the Herschel Science Archive (HSA) using Planck data. Since these HSA maps are small, we cannot correct them using typical methods. Here we introduce a technique to measure the zero-point corrections for small Herschel maps. We use radial profiles to identify offsets between the observed HSA intensities and the expected intensities from Planck. Most clouds have reliable offset measurements with this technique. In addition, we find that roughly half of the clouds have underestimated HSA-SPIRE intensities in their outer envelopes relative to Planck, even though the HSA-SPIRE maps were previously zero-point corrected. Using our technique, we produce corrected Herschel intensity maps for all 56 clouds and determine their line-of-sight average dust temperatures and optical depths from modified blackbody fits. The clouds have typical temperatures of ∼14–20 K and optical depths of ∼10−5–10−3. Across the whole sample, we find an anticorrelation between temperature and optical depth. We also find lower temperatures than what was measured in previous Herschel studies, which subtracted out a background level from their intensity maps to circumvent the zero-point correction. Accurate Herschel observations of clouds are key to obtaining accurate density and temperature profiles. To make such future analyses possible, intensity-corrected maps for all 56 clouds are publicly available in the electronic version.

Far-infrared observations of a massive cluster forming in the Monoceros R2 filament hub⋆.

We present far-infrared observations of Monoceros R2 (a giant molecular cloud at approximately 830 pc distance, containing several sites of active star formation), as observed at 70 μm, 160 μm, 250 μm, 350 μm, and 500 μm by the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) instruments on the Herschel Space Observatory as part of the Herschel imaging survey of OB young stellar objects (HOBYS) Key programme. The Herschel data are complemented by SCUBA-2 data in the submillimetre range, and WISE and Spitzer data in the mid-infrared. In addition, C18O data from the IRAM 30-m Telescope are presented, and used for kinematic information. Sources were extracted from the maps with getsources, and from the fluxes measured, spectral energy distributions were constructed, allowing measurements of source mass and dust temperature. Of 177 Herschel sources robustly detected in the region (a detection with high signal-to-noise and low axis ratio at multiple wavelengths), including protostars and starless cores, 29 are found in a filamentary hub at the centre of the region (a little over 1% of the observed area). These objects are on average smaller, more massive, and more luminous than those in the surrounding regions (which together suggest that they are at a later stage of evolution), a result that cannot be explained entirely by selection effects. These results suggest a picture in which the hub may have begun star formation at a point significantly earlier than the outer regions, possibly forming as a result of feedback from earlier star formation. Furthermore, the hub may be sustaining its star formation by accreting material from the surrounding filaments.

Multi-transition study of the peculiar merger Arp 299

We present a multi-transition study to investigate the physical properties of dust and molecular gas in the archetypical merger Arp 299 by using data including James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) 850 and 450 μm observations, Herschel 500, 350, 250, 160 and 70 μm continuum maps, as well as the CO(3–2), CO(4–3) low-J CO lines and CO(11–10), CO(13–12), CO(14–13) high-J CO lines. The CO(3–2) and CO(4–3) lines are observed by JCMT, and the CO(11–10), CO(13–12), CO(14–13) lines are available on the Herschel Science Archive. The resolution of the Herschel Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) CO(11–10) data is similar to that of the JCMT CO(3–2) line, while the resolution of the SPIRE/FTS CO(13–12) and Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) CO(14–13) data is similar to that of JCMT CO(4–3), allowing us to obtain accurate line ratios of , and . By modeling the spectral energy distribution of the continuum data, we conclude that two components (cold and warm) exist in the dust, with the warm component occupying a small percent of the total dust mass. We further use a radiative transfer analysis code, RADEX, to calculate the density, temperature and column density of warm gas in the central region, which shows that the kinetic temperature is in the range 110 to 150 K and hydrogen density is in the range . We show that the hot dust is located in the central region of IC 694 with a radius of ∼ 4″ and estimate that the warm gas mass is in the range to , which contains 5.0%–15.0% of the total H2 mass for the region of IC 694. We also calculate the star formation rate of the galaxy in particular, which is much higher than that of the Milky Way.

Herschel GASPS spectral observations of T Tauri stars in Taurus. Unraveling far-infrared line emission from jets and discs

At early stages of stellar evolution young stars show powerful jets and/or outflows that interact with protoplanetary discs and their surroundings. Despite the scarce knowledge about the interaction of jets and/or outflows with discs, spectroscopic studies based on Herschel and ISO data suggests that gas shocked by jets and/or outflows can be traced by far-IR (FIR) emission in certain sources. We want to provide a consistent catalogue of selected atomic ([OI] and [CII]) and molecular (CO, OH, and H$_{2}$O) line fluxes observed in the FIR, separate and characterize the contribution from the jet and the disc to the observed line emission, and place the observations in an evolutionary picture. The atomic and molecular FIR (60-190 $\rm \mu m$) line emission of protoplanetary discs around 76 T Tauri stars located in Taurus are analysed. The observations were carried out within the Herschel key programme Gas in Protoplanetary Systems (GASPS). The spectra were obtained with the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS). The sample is first divided in outflow and non-outflow sources according to literature tabulations. With the aid of archival stellar/disc and jet/outflow tracers and model predictions (PDRs and shocks), correlations are explored to constrain the physical mechanisms behind the observed line emission. The much higher detection rate of emission lines in outflow sources and the compatibility of line ratios with shock model predictions supports the idea of a dominant contribution from the jet/outflow to the line emission, in particular at earlier stages of the stellar evolution as the brightness of FIR lines depends in large part on the specific evolutionary stage. [Abridged Abstract]

The Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey: Herschel Image Atlas and Aperture Photometry*

Abstract Far-infrared images and photometry are presented for 201 Luminous and Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies [LIRGs: log , ULIRGs: log ], in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS), based on observations with the Herschel Space Observatory Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) instruments. The image atlas displays each GOALS target in the three PACS bands (70, 100, and 160 μm) and the three SPIRE bands (250, 350, and 500 μm), optimized to reveal structures at both high and low surface brightness levels, with images scaled to simplify comparison of structures in the same physical areas of ∼100 × 100 kpc2. Flux densities of companion galaxies in merging systems are provided where possible, depending on their angular separation and the spatial resolution in each passband, along with integrated system fluxes (sum of components). This data set constitutes the imaging and photometric component of the GOALS Herschel OT1 observing program, and is complementary to atlases presented for the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Chandra X-ray Observatory. Collectively, these data will enable a wide range of detailed studies of active galactic nucleus and starburst activity within the most luminous infrared galaxies in the local universe.

A Herschel resolved debris disc around HD 105211

Debris discs are the dusty aftermath of planet formation processes around main-sequence stars. Analysis of these discs is often hampered by the absence of any meaningful constraint on the location and spatial extent of the disc around its host star. Multi-wavelength, resolved imaging ameliorates the degeneracies inherent in the modelling process, making such data indispensable in the interpretation of these systems. The HerschelSpace Observatory observed HD 105211 (η Cru, HIP 59072) with its Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) instrument in three far-infrared wavebands (70, 100 and 160 μm). Here we combine these data with ancillary photometry spanning optical to far-infrared wavelengths in order to determine the extent of the circumstellar disc. The spectral energy distribution and multi-wavelength resolved emission of the disc are simultaneously modelled using a radiative transfer and imaging codes. Analysis of the Herschel/PACS images reveals the presence of extended structure in all three PACS images. From a radiative transfer model we derive a disc extent of 87.0 ± 2.5 au, with an inclination of 70.7 ± 2.2° to the line of sight and a position angle of 30.1 ± 0.5°. Deconvolution of the Herschel images reveals a potential asymmetry but this remains uncertain as a combined radiative transfer and image analysis replicates both the structure and the emission of the disc using a single axisymmetric annulus.

NEON AND 158 μm EMISSION LINE PROFILES IN DUSTY STARBURSTS AND ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

ABSTRACT A sample of 379 extragalactic sources is presented that has mid-infrared, high-resolution spectroscopy from the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) and also spectroscopy of the [C ii] 158 μm line from the Herschel Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS). The emission line profiles of [Ne ii] 12.81 μm, [Ne iii] 15.55 μm, and [C ii] 158 μm are presented, and intrinsic line widths are determined (full width half maximum of Gaussian profiles after instrumental correction). All line profiles, together with overlays comparing the positions of PACS and IRS observations, are made available in the Cornell Atlas of Spitzer IRS Sources. Sources are classified from active galactic nucleus (AGN) to starburst based on equivalent widths of the 6.2 μm polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon feature. It is found that intrinsic line widths do not change among classifications for [C ii], with median widths of 207 km s−1 for AGNs, 248 km s−1 for composites, and 233 km s−1 for starbursts. The [Ne ii] line widths also do not change with classification, but [Ne iii] lines are progressively broader from starburst to AGN. A few objects with unusually broad lines or unusual redshift differences in any feature are identified.

Constraints on the gas content of the Fomalhaut debris belt

Context: The 440 Myr old main-sequence A-star Fomalhaut is surrounded by an eccentric debris belt with sharp edges. This sort of a morphology is usually attributed to planetary perturbations, but the orbit of the only planetary candidate detected so far, Fomalhaut b, is too eccentric to efficiently shape the belt. Alternative models that could account for the morphology without invoking a planet are stellar encounters and gas-dust interactions. Aims: We aim to test the possibility of gas-dust interactions as the origin of the observed morphology by putting upper limits on the total gas content of the Fomalhaut belt. Methods: We derive upper limits on the CII 158 $\mu$m and OI 63 $\mu$m emission by using non-detections from the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) onboard the Herschel Space Observatory. Line fluxes are converted into total gas mass using the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) code RADEX. We consider two different cases for the elemental abundances of the gas: solar abundances and abundances similar to those observed for the gas in the $\beta$ Pictoris debris disc. Results: The gas mass is shown to be below the millimetre dust mass by a factor of at least $\sim$3 (for solar abundances) respectively $\sim$300 (for $\beta$ Pic-like abundances). Conclusions: The lack of gas co-spatial with the dust implies that gas-dust interactions cannot efficiently shape the Fomalhaut debris belt. The morphology is therefore more likely due to a yet unseen planet (Fomalhaut c) or stellar encounters.

Operations and performance of the PACS instrument 3He sorption cooler on board of the Herschel space observatory

A 3He sorption cooler produced the operational temperature of 285 mK for the bolometer arrays of the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) instrument of the Herschel Space Observatory. This cooler provided a stable hold time between 60 and 73 h, depending on the operational conditions of the instrument. The respective hold time could be determined by a simple functional relation established early on in the mission and reliably applied by the scientific mission planning for the entire mission. After exhaustion of the liquid 3He due to the heat input by the detector arrays, the cooler was recycled for the next operational period following a well established automatic procedure. We give an overview of the cooler operations and performance over the entire mission and distinguishing in-betweenthe start conditions for the cooler recycling and the two main modes of PACS photometer operations. As a spin-off, the cooler recycling temperature effects on the Herschel cryostat 4He bath were utilized as an alternative method to dedicated Direct Liquid Helium Content Measurements in determining the lifetime of the liquid Helium coolant.

Herschel/PACS spectroscopy of trace gases of the stratosphere of Titan

Aims: We investigate the composition of Titan's stratosphere from new medium-resolution far-infrared observations performed with the full range of Herschel's Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) (51-220 $\mu$m at a resolution $\lambda$/$\Delta \lambda$ ranging from 950 to 5500 depending on wavelength and grating order). Methods: Using PACS, we obtained the spectral emission of several features of the Titan's stratosphere. We used a line-by-line radiative transfer code and the least-squares fitting technique to infer the abundances of the trace constituents. Results: Numerous spectral features attributable to CH$_4$, CO, HCN, and H$_2$O are present. From the flux density spectrum measured and by a detailed comparison with synthetic spectra, we constrain the stratospheric abundance of CH4, which is assumed to be constant with altitude, to be 1.29 $\pm$ 0.03%. Similarly, we constrain the abundance of CO to be 50 $\pm$ 2 ppm, and the HCN vertical distribution consistent with an increase from 40 ppb at $\sim$100 km to 4 ppm at $\sim$200 km, which is an altitude region where the HCN signatures are sensitive. Measurements of three H$_2$O rotational lines confirm the H$_2$O distribution profile recently obtained with Herschel. Furthermore, we determine the isotopic ratios $^{12}$C/$^{13}$C in CO and HCN to be 124 $\pm$ 58, and 66 $\pm$ 35, respectively. Comparisons between our results and the values derived with other instruments show that our results are consistent with the vertical distributions and isotopic ratios in previous studies, except for the HCN distribution obtained with Cassini/CIRS, which does not agree with the PACS lines at the 1-sigma confidence interval.

THE HERschel INVENTORY OF THE AGENTS OF GALAXY EVOLUTION IN THE MAGELLANIC CLOUDS, A HERSCHEL OPEN TIME KEY PROGRAM

We present an overview of the HERschel Inventory of The Agents of Galaxy Evolution (HERITAGE) in the Magellanic Clouds project, which is a Herschel Space Observatory open time key program. We mapped the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) at 100, 160, 250, 350, and 500 μm with the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) and Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) instruments on board Herschel using the SPIRE/PACS parallel mode. The overriding science goal of HERITAGE is to study the life cycle of matter as traced by dust in the LMC and SMC. The far-infrared and submillimeter emission is an effective tracer of the interstellar medium (ISM) dust, the most deeply embedded young stellar objects (YSOs), and the dust ejected by the most massive stars. We describe in detail the data processing, particularly for the PACS data, which required some custom steps because of the large angular extent of a single observational unit and overall the large amount of data to be processed as an ensemble. We report total global fluxes for the LMC and SMC and demonstrate their agreement with measurements by prior missions. The HERITAGE maps of the LMC and SMC are dominated by the ISM dust emission and bear most resemblance to the tracers of ISM gas rather than the stellar content of the galaxies. We describe the point source extraction processing and the criteria used to establish a catalog for each waveband for the HERITAGE program. The 250 μm band is the most sensitive and the source catalogs for this band have ~25,000 objects for the LMC and ~5500 objects for the SMC. These data enable studies of ISM dust properties, submillimeter excess dust emission, dust-to-gas ratio, Class 0 YSO candidates, dusty massive evolved stars, supernova remnants (including SN1987A), H II regions, and dust evolution in the LMC and SMC. All images and catalogs are delivered to the Herschel Science Center as part of the community support aspects of the project. These HERITAGE images and catalogs provide an excellent basis for future research and follow up with other facilities.

Spatial distribution of water in the stratosphere of Jupiter fromHerschelHIFI and PACS observations

Context. In the past 15 years, several studies suggested that water in the stratosphere of Jupiter originated from the Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9) comet impacts in July 1994, but a direct proof was missing. Only a very sensitive instrument observing with high spectral/spatial resolution can help to solve this problem. This is the case of the Herschel Space Observatory, which is the first telescope capable of mapping water in Jupiter’s stratosphere.Aims. We observed the spatial distribution of the water emission in Jupiter’s stratosphere with the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared (HIFI) and the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) onboard Herschel to constrain its origin. In parallel, we monitored Jupiter’s stratospheric temperature with the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) to separate temperature from water variability.Methods. We obtained a 25-point map of the 1669.9 GHz water line with HIFI in July 2010 and several maps with PACS in October 2009 and December 2010. The 2010 PACS map is a 400-point raster of the water 66.4 μ m emission. Additionally, we mapped the methane ν 4 band emission to constrain the stratospheric temperature in Jupiter in the same periods with the IRTF.Results. Water is found to be restricted to pressures lower than 2 mbar. Its column density decreases by a factor of 2−3 between southern and northern latitudes, consistently between the HIFI and the PACS 66.4 μ m maps. We infer that an emission maximum seen around 15 °S is caused by a warm stratospheric belt detected in the IRTF data. Conclusions. Latitudinal temperature variability cannot explain the global north-south asymmetry in the water maps. From the latitudinal and vertical distributions of water in Jupiter’s stratosphere, we rule out interplanetary dust particles as its main source. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Jupiter’s stratospheric water was delivered by the SL9 comet and that more than 95% of the observed water comes from the comet according to our models.