Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources (HEXOS): The Terahertz spectrum of Orion KL seen at high spectral resolution

N. R. Crockett , E. A. Bergin , S. Wang , D. C. Lis , T. A. Bell , G. A. Blake , A. Boogert , B. Bumble , S. Cabrit , E. Caux (1) , C. Ceccarelli (2) , J. Cernicharo , C. Comito , F. Daniel , M. -L. Dubernet (3, 4) , M. Emprechtinger , P. Encrenaz , E. Falgarone , M. Gerin , T. F. Giesen , J. R. Goicoechea , P. F. Goldsmith , H. Gupta , R. Güsten , P. Hartogh , F. Helmich , E. Herbst , N. Honingh , C. Joblin (1) , D. Johnstone , A. Karpov , J. H. Kawamura , J. Kooi , J. -M. Krieg , W. D. Langer , W. D. Latter , S. D. Lord , S. Maret (2) , P. G. Martin , G. J. Melnick , K. M. Menten , P. Morris , H. S. P. Müller , J. A. Murphy , D. A. Neufeld , V. Ossenkopf , J. C. Pearson , M. Pérault , T. G. Phillips , R. Plume , S. -L. Qin , P. Roelfsema , R. Schieder , P. Schilke , S. Schlemmer , J. Stutzki , F. F. S. van Der Tak , A. Tielens , N. Trappe , C. Vastel (1) , H. W. Yorke , S. Yu , J. Zmuidzinas

1 CESR - Centre d'étude spatiale des rayonnements
2 LAOG - Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Grenoble
3 UPMC - Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6
4 LUTH (UMR_8102) - Laboratoire Univers et Théories

We present the first high spectral resolution observations of Orion KL in the frequency ranges 1573.4-1702.8 GHz (band 6b) and 1788.4-1906.8 GHz (band 7b) obtained using the HIFI instrument on board the Herschel Space Observatory. We characterize the main emission lines found in the spectrum, which primarily arise from a range of components associated with Orion KL including the hot core, but also see widespread emission from components associated with molecular outflows traced by H₂O, SO₂, and OH. We find that the density of observed emission lines is significantly diminished in these bands compared to lower frequency Herschel/HIFI bands.

Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.

Keywords: astrochemistry; ISM: general; ISM: clouds; ISM: molecules; submillimeter: ISM

Domains: Sciences of the Universe [physics]; Astrophysics [astro-ph]

N. R. Crockett, E. A. Bergin, S. Wang, D. C. Lis, T. A. Bell, et al.. Herschel observations of EXtra-Ordinary Sources (HEXOS): The Terahertz spectrum of Orion KL seen at high spectral resolution. Astronomy and Astrophysics - A&A, 2010, 521, ⟨10.1051/0004-6361/201015116⟩. ⟨insu-03625636⟩