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Loenen, A. F., van der Werf, P. P., Güsten, R., Meijerink, R., Israel, F. P., Requena-Torres, M. A., et al. (2010). Excitation of the molecular gas in the nuclear region of M 82. Astron. Astrophys., 521, L2.
Abstract: We present high-resolution HIFI spectroscopy of the nucleus of the archetypical starburst galaxy M 82. Six 12CO lines, 2 13CO lines and 4 fine-structure lines have been detected. Besides showing the effects of the overall velocity structure of the nuclear region, the line profiles also indicate the presence of multiple components with different optical depths, temperatures, and densities in the observing beam. The data have been interpreted using a grid of PDR models. It is found that the majority of the molecular gas is in low density (n = 103.5 cm-3) clouds, with column densities of NH = 1021.5 cm-2 and a relatively low UV radiation field (G0 = 102). The remaining gas is predominantly found in clouds with higher densities (n = 105 cm-3) and radiation fields (G0 = 102.75), but somewhat lower column densities (NH = 1021.2 cm-2). The highest J CO lines are dominated by a small (1% relative surface filling) component, with an even higher density (n = 106 cm-3) and UV field (G0 = 103.25). These results show the strength of multi-component modelling for interpretating the integrated properties of galaxies.
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Melnick, G. J., Tolls, V., Neufeld, D. A., Bergin, E. A., Phillips, T. G., Wang, S., et al. (2010). Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources (HEXOS): Observations of H2O and its isotopologues towards Orion KL. Astron. Astrophys., 521, L27.
Abstract: We report the detection of more than 48 velocity-resolved ground rotational state transitions of H216O, H218O, and H217O – most for the first time – in both emission and absorption toward Orion KL using Herschel/HIFI. We show that a simple fit, constrained to match the known emission and absorption components along the line of sight, is in excellent agreement with the spectral profiles of all the water lines. Using the measured H218O line fluxes, which are less affected by line opacity than their H216O counterparts, and an escape probability method, the column densities of H218O associated with each emission component are derived. We infer total water abundances of 7.4 × 10-5, 1.0 × 10-5, and 1.6 × 10-5 for the plateau, hot core, and extended warm gas, respectively. In the case of the plateau, this value is consistent with previous measures of the Orion-KL water abundance as well as those of other molecular outflows. In the case of the hot core and extended warm gas, these values are somewhat higher than water abundances derived for other quiescent clouds, suggesting that these regions are likely experiencing enhanced water-ice sublimation from (and reduced freeze-out onto) grain surfaces due to the warmer dust in these sources.
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Mookerjea, B., Giesen, T., Stutzki, J., Cernicharo, J., Goicoechea, J. R., De Luca, M., et al. (2010). Excitation and abundance of C3 in star forming cores. Herschel/HIFI observations of the sight-lines to W31C and W49N. Astron. Astrophys., 521, L13.
Abstract: We present spectrally resolved observations of triatomic carbon (C3) in several ro-vibrational transitions between the vibrational ground state and the low-energy ν2 bending mode at frequencies between 1654–1897 GHz along the sight-lines to the submillimeter continuum sources W31C and W49N, using Herschel's HIFI instrument. We detect C3 in absorption arising from the warm envelope surrounding the hot core, as indicated by the velocity peak position and shape of the line profile. The sensitivity does not allow to detect C3 absorption due to diffuse foreground clouds. From the column densities of the rotational levels in the vibrational ground state probed by the absorption we derive a rotation temperature (Trot) of ~50-70 K, which is a good measure of the kinetic temperature of the absorbing gas, as radiative transitions within the vibrational ground state are forbidden. It is also in good agreement with the dust temperatures for W31C and W49N. Applying the partition function correction based on the derived Trot, we get column densities N(C3) ~ 7–9 × 1014 cm-2 and abundance x(C3) ~ 10-8 with respect to H2. For W31C, using a radiative transfer model including far-infrared pumping by the dust continuum and a temperature gradient within the source along the line of sight we find that a model with x(C3) = 10-8, Tkin = 30–50 K, N(C3) = 1.5 × 1015 cm-2 fits the observations reasonably well and provides parameters in very good agreement with the simple excitation analysis.
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Pineda, J. L., Langer, W. D., Velusamy, T., & Goldsmith, P. F. (2013). A Herschel [C ii] Galactic plane survey. I. The global distribution of ISM gas components. Astron. Astrophys., 554, A103.
Abstract: Context. The [C ii] 158 μm line is an important tool for understanding the life cycle of interstellar matter. Ionized carbon is present in a variety of phases of the interstellar medium (ISM), including the diffuse ionized medium, warm and cold atomic clouds, clouds in transition from atomic to molecular, and dense and warm photon dominated regions.
Aims. Velocity-resolved observations of [C ii] are the most powerful technique available to disentangle the emission produced by these components. These observations can also be used to trace CO-dark H2 gas and determine the total mass of the ISM. Methods. The Galactic Observations of Terahertz C+ (GOT C+) project surveys the [C ii] 158 μm line over the entire Galactic disk with velocity-resolved observations using the Herschel/HIFI instrument. We present the first longitude-velocity maps of the [C ii] emission for Galactic latitudes b = 0°, ±0.5°, and ±1.0°. We combine these maps with those of H i, 12CO, and 13CO to separate the different phases of the ISM and study their properties and distribution in the Galactic plane. Results. [C ii] emission is mostly associated with spiral arms, mainly emerging from Galactocentric distances between 4 and 10 kpc. It traces the envelopes of evolved clouds as well as clouds that are in the transition between atomic and molecular. We estimate that most of the observed [C ii] emission is produced by dense photon dominated regions (~47%), with smaller contributions from CO-dark H2 gas (~28%), cold atomic gas (~21%), and ionized gas (~4%). Atomic gas inside the Solar radius is mostly in the form of cold neutral medium (CNM), while the warm neutral medium gas dominates the outer galaxy. The average fraction of CNM relative to total atomic gas is ~43%. We find that the warm and diffuse CO-dark H2 is distributed over a larger range of Galactocentric distances (4–11 kpc) than the cold and dense H2 gas traced by 12CO and 13CO (4–8 kpc). The fraction of CO-dark H2 to total H2 increases with Galactocentric distance, ranging from ~20% at 4 kpc to ~80% at 10 kpc. On average, CO-dark H2 accounts for ~30% of the molecular mass of the Milky Way. When the CO-dark H2 component is included, the radial distribution of the CO-to-H2 conversion factor is steeper than that when only molecular gas traced by CO is considered. Most of the observed [C ii] emission emerging from dense photon dominated regions is associated with modest far-ultraviolet fields in the range χ0 â‰<192> 1 – 30. |
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Pineda, J. L., Velusamy, T., Langer, W. D., Goldsmith, P. F., Li, D., & Yorke, H. W. (2010). A sample of [C II] clouds tracing dense clouds in weak FUV fields observed by Herschel. Astron. Astrophys., 521, L19.
Abstract: The [C ii] fine-structure line at 158 μm is an excellent tracer of the warm diffuse gas in the ISM and the interfaces between molecular clouds and their surrounding atomic and ionized envelopes. Here we present the initial results from Galactic observations of terahertz C+ (GOT C+), a Herschel key project devoted to studying the [C ii] emission in the Galactic plane using the HIFI instrument. We used the [C ii] emission, together with observations of CO, as a probe to understand the effects of newly formed stars on their interstellar environment and characterize the physical and chemical state of the star-forming gas. We collected data along 16 lines-of-sight passing near star-forming regions in the inner Galaxy near longitudes 330° and 20°. We identified fifty-eight [C ii] components that are associated with high-column density molecular clouds as traced by 13CO emission. We combined [C ii], 12CO, and 13CO observations to derive the physical conditions of the [C ii]-emitting regions in our sample of high-column density clouds based on comparing results from a grid of photon dominated region (PDR) models. From this unbiased sample, our results suggest that most of the [C ii] emission originates in clouds with H2 volume densities between 103.5 and 105.5 cm-3 and weak FUV strength (χ0 = 1–10). We find two regions where our analysis suggest high densities >105 cm-3 and strong FUV fields (χ0 = 104–106), likely associated with massive star formation. We suggest that [C ii] emission in conjunction with CO isotopes is a good tool for differentiating regions of massive star formation (high densities/strong FUV fields) and regions that are distant from massive stars (lower densities/weaker FUV fields) along the line-of-sight.
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Velusamy, T., Langer, W. D., Pineda, J. L., Goldsmith, P. F., Li, D., & Yorke, H. W. (2010). [CII] observations of H2 molecular layers in transition clouds. Astron. Astrophys., 521, L18.
Abstract: We present the first results on the diffuse transition clouds observed in [CII] line emission at 158 μm (1.9 THz) towards Galactic longitudes near 340° (5 LOSs) & 20° (11 LOSs) as part of the HIFI tests and GOT C+ survey. Out of the total 146 [CII] velocity components detected by profile fitting we identify 53 as diffuse molecular clouds with associated 12CO emission but without 13CO emission and characterized by AV < 5 mag. We estimate the fraction of the [CII] emission in the diffuse HI layer in each cloud and then determine the [CII] emitted from the molecular layers in the cloud. We show that the excess [CII] intensities detected in a few clouds is indicative of a thick H2 layer around the CO core. The wide range of clouds in our sample with thin to thick H2 layers suggests that these are at various evolutionary states characterized by the formation of H2 and CO layers from HI and C+, respectively. In about 30% of the clouds the H2 column densities (“dark gasâ€) traced by the [CII] is 50% or more than that traced by 12CO emission. On the average ~25% of the total H2 in these clouds is in an H2 layer which is not traced by CO. We use the HI, [CII], and 12CO intensities in each cloud along with simple chemical models to obtain constraints on the FUV fields and cosmic ray ionization rates.
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Wampfler, S. F., Herczeg, G. J., Bruderer, S., Benz, A. O., van Dishoeck, E. F., Kristensen, L. E., et al. (2010). Herschel observations of the hydroxyl radical (OH) in young stellar objects. Astron. Astrophys., 521, L36.
Abstract: Aims. “Water In Star-forming regions with Herschel†(WISH) is a Herschel key program investigating the water chemistry in young stellar objects (YSOs) during protostellar evolution. Hydroxyl (OH) is one of the reactants in the chemical network most closely linked to the formation and destruction of H2O. High-temperature (T 250 K) chemistry connects OH and H2O through the OH + H2 H2O + H reactions. Formation of H2O from OH is efficient in the high-temperature regime found in shocks and the innermost part of protostellar envelopes. Moreover, in the presence of UV photons, OH can be produced from the photo-dissociation of H2O through H2O + γUV OH + H.
Methods. High-resolution spectroscopy of the 163.12 μm triplet of OH towards HH 46 and NGC 1333 IRAS 2A was carried out with the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared (HIFI) on board the Herschel Space Observatory. The low- and intermediate-mass protostars HH 46, TMR 1, IRAS 15398-3359, DK Cha, NGC 7129 FIRS 2, and NGC 1333 IRAS 2A were observed with the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) on Herschel in four transitions of OH and two [O i] lines. Results. The OH transitions at 79, 84, 119, and 163 μm and [O i] emission at 63 and 145μm were detected with PACS towards the class I low-mass YSOs as well as the intermediate-mass and class I Herbig Ae sources. No OH emission was detected from the class 0 YSO NGC 1333 IRAS 2A, though the 119 μm was detected in absorption. With HIFI, the 163.12 μm was not detected from HH 46 and only tentatively detected from NGC 1333 IRAS 2A. The combination of the PACS and HIFI results for HH 46 constrains the line width (FWHM 11 km s-1) and indicates that the OH emission likely originates from shocked gas. This scenario is supported by trends of the OH flux increasing with the [O i] flux and the bolometric luminosity, as found in our sample. Similar OH line ratios for most sources suggest that OH has comparable excitation temperatures despite the different physical properties of the sources. |
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Shcherbatenko, M., Tretyakov, I., Lobanov, Y., Maslennikov, S. N., Kaurova, N., Finkel, M., et al. (2016). Nonequilibrium interpretation of DC properties of NbN superconducting hot electron bolometers. Appl. Phys. Lett., 109(13), 132602.
Abstract: We present a physically consistent interpretation of the dc electrical properties of niobiumnitride (NbN)-based superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixers, using concepts of nonequilibrium superconductivity. Through this, we clarify what physical information can be extracted from the resistive transition and the dc current-voltage characteristics, measured at suitably chosen temperatures, and relevant for device characterization and optimization. We point out that the intrinsic spatial variation of the electronic properties of disordered superconductors, such as NbN, leads to a variation from device to device.
Keywords: HEB mixer, contacts
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Klapwijk, T. M., & Semenov, A. V. (2017). Engineering physics of superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixers. IEEE Trans. THz Sci. Technol., 7(6), 627–648.
Abstract: Superconducting hot-electron bolometers are presently the best performing mixing devices for the frequency range beyond 1.2 THz, where good-quality superconductor-insulator-superconductor devices do not exist. Their physical appearance is very simple: an antenna consisting of a normal metal, sometimes a normal-metal-superconductor bilayer, connected to a thin film of a narrow short superconductor with a high resistivity in the normal state. The device is brought into an optimal operating regime by applying a dc current and a certain amount of local-oscillator power. Despite this technological simplicity, its operation has found to be controlled by many different aspects of superconductivity, all occurring simultaneously. A core ingredient is the understanding that there are two sources of resistance in a superconductor: a charge-conversion resistance occurring at a normal-metal-superconductor interface and a resistance due to time-dependent changes of the superconducting phase. The latter is responsible for the actual mixing process in a nonuniform superconducting environment set up by the bias conditions and the geometry. The present understanding indicates that further improvement needs to be found in the use of other materials with a faster energy relaxation rate. Meanwhile, several empirical parameters have become physically meaningful indicators of the devices, which will facilitate the technological developments.
Keywords: HEB mixers
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Semenov, A., Richter, H., Hübers, H. - W., Petrenko, D., Tretyakov, I., Ryabchun, S., et al. (2014). Optimization of the intermediate frequency bandwidth in the THz HEB mixers. In Proc. 25th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. (54).
Abstract: We report on the studies of the intermediate frequency (IF) bandwidth of quasi-optically coupled NbN hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixers which are aimed at the optimization of the mixer performance at terahertz frequencies. Extension of the IF bandwidth due to the contribution of electron diffusion to the heat removal from NbN microbolometers has been already demonstrated for NbN HEBs at subterahertz frequencies. However, reducing the size of the microbolometer causes degradation of the noise temperature. Using in-situ multilayer manufacturing process we succeeded to improve the transparency of the contacts for electrons which go away from microbolometer to the metallic antenna. The improved transparency and hence coupling efficiency counterbalances the noise temperature degradation. HEB mixers were tested in a laboratory heterodyne receiver with a narrow-band cold filter which allowed us to eliminate direct detection. We used a local oscillator with a quantum cascade laser (QCL) at a frequency of 4.745 THz [1] which was developed for the H-Channel of the German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz frequencies (GREAT). Both the noise and gain bandwidth were measured in the IF range from 0.5 to 8 GHz using the hot-cold technique and preliminary calibrated IF analyzer with a tunable microwave filter. For optimized HEB geometry we found the noise bandwidth as large as 7 GHz. We compare our results with the conventional and the hot-spot mixer models and show that further extension of the IF bandwidth should be possible via improving the sharpness of the superconducting transition. The cross characterization of the HEB mixer was performed in the test bed of GREAT at the Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie with the same QCL LO and delivered results which were consistent with the laboratory studies.
Keywords: NbN HEB mixer
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