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Photoproduction of H3+ from gaseous methanol inside dense molecular clouds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2008

S. Pilling
Affiliation:
LNLS, Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron, São Paulo, Brazil. email: sergiopilling@yahoo.com.br
D. P. P. Andrade
Affiliation:
UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. email: diana_andrade@ufrj.br, toni@if.ufrj.br, heloisa@ov.ufrj.br
A. C. F. Santos
Affiliation:
UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. email: diana_andrade@ufrj.br, toni@if.ufrj.br, heloisa@ov.ufrj.br
H. M. Boechat-Roberty
Affiliation:
UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. email: diana_andrade@ufrj.br, toni@if.ufrj.br, heloisa@ov.ufrj.br
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Abstract

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We present experimental results obtained from photoionization and photodissociation processes of abundant interstellar methanol (CH3OH) as an alternative route for the production of H3+ in dense clouds. The measurements were taken at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS) employing soft X-ray and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Mass spectra were obtained using the photoelectron-photoion coincidence techniques. Absolute averaged cross sections for the production of H3+ due to molecular dissociation of methanol by soft X-rays (C1s edge) were determined. The H3+'s photoproduction rate and column density were been estimated adopting a typical soft X-ray luminosity inside dense molecular and the observed column density of methanol. Assuming a steady state scenario, the highest column density value for the photoproduced H3+ was about 1011 cm2, which gives the ratio photoproduced/observed of about 0.05%, as in the case of dense molecular cloud AFGL 2591. Despite the small value, this represent a new and alternative source of H3+ into dense molecular clouds and it is not been considered as yet in interstellar chemistry models.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2008

References

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