Title: Evidence for isotopic fractionation of carbon monoxide in dark clouds
Abstract: view Abstract Citations (73) References (12) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Evidence for isotopic fractionation of carbon monoxide in dark clouds Langer, W. D. ; Goldsmith, P. F. ; Carlson, E. R. ; Wilson, R. W. Abstract Chemical fractionation of the various isotopes of carbon monoxide has been studied in four isolated dark clouds. At positions away from the centers of three of the objects - B5, B335, and L1262 - the abundance of (CO-13) relative to C(O-18) is at least a factor of 4 greater than at the central positions. This detection of carbon isotope fractionation is consistent with theoretical predictions of (CO-13) enhancement in the outer parts of cool clouds. Combined observations of the J = 2 to 1 and J = 1 to 0 transitions of several CO isotopes have enabled us to derive molecular hydrogen densities and to assess the effect of saturation and resonant scattering. Abundance ratios of the rarer isotopic species in the cloud centers have also been determined. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: January 1980 DOI: 10.1086/183153 Bibcode: 1980ApJ...235L..39L Keywords: Abundance; Carbon Monoxide; Chemical Fractionation; Interstellar Gas; Nebulae; Carbon Isotopes; Clouds; Gas Density; Isotopes; Astrophysics full text sources ADS |