Benzyne in V4334 Sqr: A Quest for the Ring with SOFIA/EXES

Authors

C. E. Woodward, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
A. Evans, Keele University
M. Richter, University of California, Davis
C. N. Dewitt, NASA Ames Research Center
E. Montiel, University of California, Davis
E. Montiel, NASA Ames Research Center
D. P.K. Banerjee, Physical Research Laboratory India
G. C. Clayton, Louisiana State University
S. P.S. Eyres, University of South Wales
S. P.S. Eyres, University of Central Lancashire
R. D. Gehrz, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
K. H. Hinkle, NSF's National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory
R. R. Joyce, NSF's National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory
T. Liimets, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
T. Liimets, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
S. Starrfield, School of Earth and Space Exploration
R. M. Wagner, The Ohio State University
R. M. Wagner, Large Binocular Telescope Observatory
H. Worters, South African Astronomical Observatory

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2020

Abstract

Large aromatic molecules are ubiquitous in both circumstellar and interstellar environments. Detection of small aromatic molecules, such as benzene (C6H6) and benzyne (C6H4), are rare in astrophysical environments. Detection of such species will have major implications for our understanding of the astrochemistry involved in the formation of the molecules necessary for life, including modeling the chemical pathways to the formation of larger hydrocarbon molecules. We conducted a search for the infrared 18 μm spectral signature of benzyne in V4334 Sgr with the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)/Echelon-Cross-Echelle Spectrograph (EXES) finding no evidence for a feature at the sensitivity of our observations.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Astronomical Journal

Recommended Citation

Woodward, C., Evans, A., Richter, M., Dewitt, C., Montiel, E., Montiel, E., Banerjee, D., Clayton, G., Eyres, S., Eyres, S., Gehrz, R., Hinkle, K., Joyce, R., Liimets, T., Liimets, T., Starrfield, S., Wagner, R., Wagner, R., & Worters, H. (2020). Benzyne in V4334 Sqr: A Quest for the Ring with SOFIA/EXES. Astronomical Journal, 159 (3) https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ab67c2