2022A&A...658A.189P -
Astronomy and Astrophysics, volume 658A, 189-189 (2022/2-1)
Cosmic rays in molecular clouds probed by H2 rovibrational lines. Perspectives for the James Webb Space Telescope.
PADOVANI M., BIALY S., GALLI D., IVLEV A.V., GRASSI T., SCARLETT L.H., REHILL U.S., ZAMMIT M.C., FURSA D.V. and BRAY I.
Abstract (from CDS):
Context. Low-energy cosmic rays (<1 TeV) play a fundamental role in the chemical and dynamical evolution of molecular clouds, as they control the ionisation, dissociation, and excitation of H2. Their characterisation is therefore important both for the interpretation of observations and for the development of theoretical models. However, the methods used so far for estimating the cosmic-ray ionisation rate in molecular clouds have several limitations due to uncertainties in the adopted chemical networks. Aims. We refine and extend a previously proposed method to estimate the cosmic-ray ionisation rate in molecular clouds by observing rovibrational transitions of H2 at near-infrared wavelengths, which are mainly excited by secondary cosmic-ray electrons. Methods. Combining models of interstellar cosmic-ray propagation and attenuation in molecular clouds with the rigorous calculation of the expected secondary electron spectrum and updated electron-H2 excitation cross sections, we derive the intensity of the four H2 rovibrational transitions observable in cold dense gas: (1-0)O(2), (1-0)Q(2), (1-0)S(0), and (1-0)O(4). Results. The proposed method allows the estimation of the cosmic-ray ionisation rate for a given observed line intensity and H2 column density. We are also able to deduce the shape of the low-energy cosmic-ray proton spectrum impinging upon the molecular cloud. In addition, we present a look-up plot and a web-based application that can be used to constrain the low-energy spectral slope of the interstellar cosmic-ray proton spectrum. We finally comment on the capability of the James Webb Space Telescope to detect these near-infrared H2 lines, which will make it possible to derive, for the first time, spatial variation in the cosmic-ray ionisation rate in dense gas. Besides the implications for the interpretation of the chemical-dynamic evolution of a molecular cloud, it will finally be possible to test competing models of cosmic-ray propagation and attenuation in the interstellar medium, as well as compare cosmic-ray spectra in different Galactic regions.
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DNe
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MoC
([CB88]),
glb
(2013A&A),
smm
(2013A&A)
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Syntax of coordinates is : "ra dec (wtype) [error ellipse] quality bibcode" :
ra dec : right ascension and declination (unit and frame defined according to your Output Options)
Grey values are increasing the original precision due to the computation of frame transformations
(wtype) : wavelength class for the origin of the coordinates (Rad, mm, IR, Optical, UV, Xray, Gam)
[error ellipse] : measurement uncertainty, on (ra,dec) if the positional angle is 90 degrees, on (majaxis,minaxis) otherwise (in mas at defined epoch in the original catalogue),
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FK4
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(ep=B1950 eq=1950) :
17 19 35.4 -23 46 45
[
]
Syntax of coordinates is : "ra dec (wtype) [error ellipse] quality bibcode" :
ra dec : right ascension and declination (unit and frame defined according to your Output Options)
Grey values are increasing the original precision due to the computation of frame transformations
(wtype) : wavelength class for the origin of the coordinates (Rad, mm, IR, Optical, UV, Xray, Gam)
[error ellipse] : measurement uncertainty, on (ra,dec) if the positional angle is 90 degrees, on (majaxis,minaxis) otherwise (in mas at defined epoch in the original catalogue),
position angle (in degrees North celestial pole to East)
quality : flag of quality
E ≥ 10"
D : 1-10" (and some old data)
C : 0.1-1"
B : 0.01-0.1" + 2MASS, Tyc
A : VLBI, Hipparcos
bibcode : bibcode of the coordinates reference
Gal
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(ep=J2000) :
001.5249 +07.0895
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References (314 between 1850 and 2024) (Total 314)
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