First detection of cyanamide (NH2CN) towards solar-type protostars
Journal article, 2018
Searches for the prebiotically relevant cyanamide (NH 2 CN) towards solar-type protostars have not been reported in the literature. We present here the first detection of this species in the warm gas surrounding two solar-type protostars, using data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array Protostellar Interferometric Line Survey (PILS) of IRAS 16293-2422 B and observations from the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer of NGC 1333 IRAS2A. We also detected the deuterated and 13 C isotopologs of NH 2 CN towards IRAS 16293-2422 B. This is the first detection of NHDCN in the interstellar medium. Based on a local thermodynamic equilibrium analysis, we find that the deuteration of cyanamide (∼1.7%) is similar to that of formamide (NH 2 CHO), which may suggest that these two molecules share NH 2 as a common precursor. The NH 2 CN/NH 2 CHO abundance ratio is about 0.2 for IRAS 16293-2422 B and 0.02 for IRAS2A, which is comparable to the range of values found for Sgr B2. We explored the possible formation of NH 2 CN on grains through the NH 2 + CN reaction using the chemical model MAGICKAL. Grain-surface chemistry appears capable of reproducing the gas-phase abundance of NH 2 CN with the correct choice of physical parameters.
ISM: molecules
ISM: individual objects: NGC 1333 IRAS2A
Astrobiology
Stars: protostars
ISM: individual objects: IRAS 16293-2422
Astrochemistry
Author
A. Coutens
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux
E. R. Willis
University of Virginia
R. T. Garrod
University of Virginia
H. S.P. Müller
University of Cologne
T. L. Bourke
SKA Organisation
H. Calcutt
University of Copenhagen
M. N. Drozdovskaya
University of Bern
J. K. Jorgensen
University of Copenhagen
N. F W Ligterink
Leiden University
Magnus V. Persson
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics
G. Stéphan
University of Virginia
M. H. D. van der Wiel
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
E. F. van Dishoeck
Max Planck Society
Leiden University
S. F. Wampfler
University of Bern
Astronomy and Astrophysics
0004-6361 (ISSN) 1432-0746 (eISSN)
Vol. 612 A107Magnetic fields and the outflows during the formation and evolution of stars (OUTFLOWMAGN)
European Commission (EC) (EC/FP7/614264), 2014-05-01 -- 2019-04-30.
Advanced Radio Astronomy in Europe (RADIONET3)
European Commission (EC) (EC/FP7/283393), 2012-01-01 -- 2015-12-31.
Subject Categories
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Geochemistry
Metallurgy and Metallic Materials
DOI
10.1051/0004-6361/201732346