Detection of anhydrous hydrochloric acid, HCl, in IRC +10216 with the Herschel SPIRE and PACS spectrometers . Detection of HCl in IRC +10216
José Cernicharo
(1)
,
Leen Decin
(2)
,
Michael J. Barlow
(3)
,
Marcelino Agúndez
(1, 4)
,
Pierre Royer
(2)
,
Bart Vandenbussche
(2)
,
R. Wesson
(3)
,
Edward T. Polehampton
(5)
,
E. de Beck
(2)
,
J. A. D. L. Blommaert
(2)
,
Fabien Daniel
(1)
,
W. de Meester
(2)
,
K. M. Exter
(2)
,
Helmut Feuchtgruber
(6)
,
Walter K. Gear
(7)
,
Javier R. Goicoechea
(1)
,
H. L. Gomez
(7)
,
M. A. T. Groenewegen
(8)
,
Peter C. Hargrave
(7)
,
R. Huygen
(2)
,
P. Imhof
(9)
,
Robert J. Ivison
(10)
,
C. Jean
(2)
,
Franz Kerschbaum
(11)
,
Sarah J. Leeks
(5)
,
Tanya L. Lim
(5)
,
Mikako Matsuura
(3)
,
Goran Olofsson
(12)
,
Thomas Posch
(11)
,
S. Regibo
(2)
,
Giorgio Savini
(3)
,
B. Sibthorpe
(10)
,
Bruce Swinyard
(5)
,
Christoffel Waelkens
(2)
1
CAB -
Centro de Astrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)/Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA)
2 Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
3 UCL - University College of London [London]
4 LUTH (UMR_8102) - Laboratoire Univers et Théories
5 Space Science and Technology Department, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
6 MPE - Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestriche Physik
7 Cardiff University
8 ROB - Royal Observatory of Belgium = Observatoire Royal de Belgique
9 BSS - Blue Sky Spectroscopy
10 UKATC - UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory Edinburgh
11 IfA - Institut für Astronomie, Universität Wien
12 Stockholm University
2 Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
3 UCL - University College of London [London]
4 LUTH (UMR_8102) - Laboratoire Univers et Théories
5 Space Science and Technology Department, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
6 MPE - Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestriche Physik
7 Cardiff University
8 ROB - Royal Observatory of Belgium = Observatoire Royal de Belgique
9 BSS - Blue Sky Spectroscopy
10 UKATC - UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory Edinburgh
11 IfA - Institut für Astronomie, Universität Wien
12 Stockholm University
Résumé
We report on the detection of anhydrous hydrochloric acid (hydrogen chlorine, HCl) in the carbon-rich star IRC +10216 using the spectroscopic facilities onboard the Herschel satellite. Lines from J = 1-0 up to J = 7-6 have been detected. From the observed intensities, we conclude that HCl is produced in the innermost layers of the circumstellar envelope with an abundance relative to H2 of 5 × 10-8 and extends until the molecules reach its photodissociation zone. Upper limits to the column densities of AlH, MgH, CaH, CuH, KH, NaH, FeH, and other diatomic hydrides have also been obtained.