The chemical inventory of the planet-hosting disk PDS 70 [EPA]

http://arxiv.org/abs/2101.08369


As host to two accreting planets, PDS 70 provides a unique opportunity to probe the chemical complexity of atmosphere-forming material. We present ALMA Band 6 observations of the PDS~70 disk and report the first chemical inventory of the system. With a spatial resolution of $0.4”-0.5”$ ( $\sim50\,$au), 12 species are detected, including CO isotopologues and formaldehyde, small hydrocarbons, HCN and HCO$^+$ isotopologues, and S-bearing molecules. SO and CH$_3$OH are not detected. All lines show a large cavity at the center of the disk, indicative of the deep gap carved by the massive planets. The radial profiles of the line emission are compared to the (sub-)mm continuum and infrared scattered light intensity profiles. Different molecular transitions peak at different radii, revealing the complex interplay between density, temperature and chemistry in setting molecular abundances. Column densities and optical depth profiles are derived for all detected molecules, and upper limits obtained for the non detections. Excitation temperature is obtained for H$_2$CO. Deuteration and nitrogen fractionation profiles from the hydro-cyanide lines show radially increasing fractionation levels. Comparison of the disk chemical inventory to grids of chemical models from the literature strongly suggests a disk molecular layer hosting a carbon to oxygen ratio C/O$>$1, thus providing for the first time compelling evidence of planets actively accreting high C/O ratio gas at present time.

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S. Facchini, R. Teague, J. Bae, et. al.
Fri, 22 Jan 21
36/69

Comments: 25 pages, submitted to AAS Journals