2010
Ref: ASTROimport-443

PACS and SPIRE spectroscopy of the red supergiant VY CMa

Royer, P. ; Decin, L. ; Wesson, R. ; Barlow, M. J. ; Polehampton, E. T. ; Matsuura, M. ; Agúndez, M. ; Blommaert, J. A. D. L. ; Cernicharo, J. ; Cohen, M. ; Daniel, F. ; Degroote, P. ; De Meester, W. ; Exter, K. ; Feuchtgruber, H. ; Gear, W. K. ; Gomez, H. L. ; Groenewegen, M. A. T. ; Hargrave, P. C. ; Huygen, R. ; Imhof, P. ; Ivison, R. J. ; Jean, C. ; Kerschbaum, F. ; Leeks, S. J. ; Lim, T. ; Lombaert, R. ; Olofsson, G. ; Posch, T. ; Regibo, S. ; Savini, G. ; Sibthorpe, B. ; Swinyard, B. M. ; Vandenbussche, B. ; Waelkens, C. ; Witherick, D. K. ; Yates, J. A.


published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 518, pp. L145 (2010)

Abstract: With a luminosity >105 L? and a mass-loss rate of ~2 × 10-4 M? yr-1, the red supergiant VY CMa truly is a spectacular object. Because of its extreme evolutionary state, it could explode as supernova any time. Studying its circumstellar material, into which the supernova blast will run, provides interesting constraints on supernova explosions and on the rich chemistry taking place in such complex circumstellar envelopes. We have obtained spectroscopy of VY CMa over the full wavelength range offered by the PACS and SPIRE instruments of Herschel, i.e. 55-672 micron. The observations show the spectral fingerprints of more than 900 spectral lines, of which more than half belong to water. In total, we have identified 13 different molecules and some of their isotopologues. A first analysis shows that water is abundantly present, with an ortho-to-para ratio as low as ~1.3:1, and that chemical non-equilibrium processes determine the abundance fractions in the inner envelope. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.

DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201014641
Links: link


The record appears in these collections:
Royal Observatory of Belgium > Astronomy & Astrophysics
Science Articles > Peer Reviewed Articles



 Record created 2016-07-01, last modified 2016-07-06