Abstract The precursors to larger, biologically relevant molecules are detected throughout interstellar space, but determining the presence and properties of these molecules during planet formation requires observations of protoplanetary disks at high angular resolution and sensitivity. Here, we present 0.″3 observations of HC 3 N, CH 3 CN, and c -C 3 H 2 in five protoplanetary disks observed as part of the Molecules with ALMA at Planet-forming Scales (MAPS) Large Program. We robustly detect all molecules in four of the disks (GM Aur, AS 209, HD 163296, and MWC 480) with tentative detections of c -C 3 H 2 and CH 3 CN in IM Lup. We observe a range of morphologies—central peaks, single or double rings—with no clear correlation in morphology between molecule or disk. Emission is generally compact and on scales comparable with the millimeter dust continuum. We perform both disk-integrated and radially resolved rotational diagram analysis to derive column densities and rotational temperatures. The latter reveals 5–10 times more column density in the inner 50–100 au of the disks when compared with the disk-integrated analysis. We demonstrate that CH 3 CN originates from lower relative heights in the disks when compared with HC 3 N, in some cases directly tracing the disk midplane. Finally, we find good agreement between the ratio of small to large nitriles in the outer disks and comets. Our results indicate that the protoplanetary disks studied here are host to significant reservoirs of large organic molecules, and that this planet- and comet-building material can be chemically similar to that in our own solar system. This paper is part of the MAPS special issue of the Astrophysical Journal Supplement.
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Molecules with ALMA at Planet-forming Scales (MAPS). XI. CN and HCN as Tracers of Photochemistry in Disks
Abstract UV photochemistry in the surface layers of protoplanetary disks dramatically alters their composition relative to previous stages of star formation. The abundance ratio CN/HCN has long been proposed to trace the UV field in various astrophysical objects; however, to date the relationship between CN, HCN, and the UV field in disks remains ambiguous. As part of the ALMA Large Program MAPS (Molecules with ALMA at Planet-forming Scales), we present observations of CN N = 1–0 transitions at 0.″3 resolution toward five disk systems. All disks show bright CN emission within ∼50–150 au, along with a diffuse emission shelf extending up to 600 au. In all sources we find that the CN/HCN column density ratio increases with disk radius from about unity to 100, likely tracing increased UV penetration that enhances selective HCN photodissociation in the outer disk. Additionally, multiple millimeter dust gaps and rings coincide with peaks and troughs, respectively, in the CN/HCN ratio, implying that some millimeter substructures are accompanied by changes to the UV penetration in more elevated disk layers. That the CN/HCN ratio is generally high (>1) points to a robust photochemistry shaping disk chemical compositions and also means that CN is the dominant carrier of the prebiotically interesting nitrile group at most disk radii. We also find that the local column densities of CN and HCN are positively correlated despite emitting from vertically stratified disk regions, indicating that different disk layers are chemically linked. This paper is part of the MAPS special issue of the Astrophysical Journal Supplement.
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- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10355533
- Author(s) / Creator(s):
- ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; more »
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
- Volume:
- 257
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 0067-0049
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 11
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract The Molecules with ALMA at Planet-forming Scales (MAPS) Large Program provides a detailed, high-resolution (∼10–20 au) view of molecular line emission in five protoplanetary disks at spatial scales relevant for planet formation. Here we present a systematic analysis of chemical substructures in 18 molecular lines toward the MAPS sources: IM Lup, GM Aur, AS 209, HD 163296, and MWC 480. We identify more than 200 chemical substructures, which are found at nearly all radii where line emission is detected. A wide diversity of radial morphologies—including rings, gaps, and plateaus—is observed both within each disk and across the MAPS sample. This diversity in line emission profiles is also present in the innermost 50 au. Overall, this suggests that planets form in varied chemical environments both across disks and at different radii within the same disk. Interior to 150 au, the majority of chemical substructures across the MAPS disks are spatially coincident with substructures in the millimeter continuum, indicative of physical and chemical links between the disk midplane and warm, elevated molecular emission layers. Some chemical substructures in the inner disk and most chemical substructures exterior to 150 au cannot be directly linked to dust substructure, however, which indicates that there are also other causes of chemical substructures, such as snowlines, gradients in UV photon fluxes, ionization, and radially varying elemental ratios. This implies that chemical substructures could be developed into powerful probes of different disk characteristics, in addition to influencing the environments within which planets assemble. This paper is part of the MAPS special issue of the Astrophysical Journal Supplement.more » « less
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4365/ac143a
