The complete far-infrared and submillimeter spectrum of the Class 0 protostar Serpens SMM1 obtained with Herschel. Characterizing UV-irradiated shocks heating and chemistry

TL;DR

This study presents a comprehensive far-infrared to submillimeter spectral analysis of the Class 0 protostar Serpens SMM1, revealing shock heating, UV irradiation effects, and detailed molecular emission characteristics.

Contribution

First complete spectral scan of Serpens SMM1 across 55-671 um, identifying multiple shock and UV-irradiated processes with detailed modeling of molecular emissions.

Findings

Dominant emission from CO, H2O, [OI], and OH lines.

Identification of multiple shock components with different temperatures.

Evidence of UV-irradiated shocks influencing molecular emissions.

Abstract

We present the first complete 55-671 um spectral scan of a low-mass Class 0 protostar (Serpens SMM1) taken with the PACS and SPIRE spectrometers on board Herschel. More than 145 lines have been detected, most of them rotationally excited lines of 12CO (full ladder from J=4-3 to 42-41), H2O, OH, 13CO, HCN and HCO+ . Bright [OI]63,145um and weaker [CII]158 and [CI]370,609um lines are also detected. Mid-IR spectra retrieved from the Spitzer archive are also first discussed here, they show clear detections of [NeII], [FeII], [SiII] and [SI] fine structure lines as well as weaker H2 S(1) and S(2) pure rotational lines. The observed line luminosity is dominated by CO (~54%), H2O (~22%), [OI] (~12%) and OH (~9%) emission. A non-LTE radiative transfer model allowed us to quantify the contribution of the 3 different temperature components suggested by the 12CO rotational ladder (Tk(hot)~800 K, Tk(warm)~375 K and Tk(cool)~150 K). Gas densities n(H2)~5x10^6 cm^-3 are needed to reproduce the observed far-IR lines arising from shocks in the inner protostellar envelope for which we derive upper limit abundances of x(CO)~10^-4, x(H2O)~0.2x10^-5 and x(OH)~10^-6. The lower energy submm 12CO and H2O lines show more extended emission that we associate with the cool entrained outflow gas. Fast dissociative J-shocks (v_s > 60 km s^-1) as well as lower velocity non-dissociative shocks (v_s < 20 km s^-1) are needed to explain both the atomic lines and the hot CO and H2O lines respectively. Observations also show the signature of UV radiation and thus, most observed species likely arise in UV-irradiated shocks. Dissociative J-shocks produced by an atomic jet are the most probable origin of [OI] and OH emission and of a significant fraction of the warm CO emission. In addition, H2O photodissociation in UV-irradiated non-dissociative shocks can also contribute to the [OI] and OH emission.