Resolved Depletion Zones and Spatial Differentiation of N2H+ and N2D+

TL;DR

This study spatially resolves depletion zones of N2H+ and N2D+ in protostellar systems, revealing offsets in their emission peaks and challenging existing chemical models of their distribution.

Contribution

First spatial resolution of N2D+ depletion zones in protostellar environments, providing new insights into chemical differentiation and depletion processes.

Findings

N2D+ and N2H+ emission peaks are offset in protostellar systems.

Depletion of N2D+ occurs inside ~2000 AU, with N2H+ peaking at smaller radii.

Chemical models do not fully explain the observed abundance offsets.

Abstract

We present a study on the spatial distribution of N2D+ and N2H+ in thirteen protostellar systems. Eight of thirteen objects observed with the IRAM 30m telescope show relative offsets between the peak N2D+ (J=2-1) and N2H+ (J=1-0) emission. We highlight the case of L1157 using interferometric observations from the Submillimeter Array and Plateau de Bure Interferometer of the N2D+ (J=3-2) and N2H+ (J=1-0) transitions respectively. Depletion of N2D+ in L1157 is clearly observed inside a radius of ~2000 AU (7") and the N2H+ emission is resolved into two peaks at radii of ~1000 AU (3.5"), inside the depletion region of N2D+. Chemical models predict a depletion zone in N2H+ and N2D+ due to destruction of H2D+ at T ~ 20 K and the evaporation of CO off dust grains at the same temperature. However, the abundance offsets of 1000 AU between the two species are not reproduced by chemical models, including a model that follows the infall of the protostellar envelope. The average abundance ratios of N2D+ to N2H+ have been shown to decrease as protostars evolve by Emprechtinger et al., but this is the first time depletion zones of N2D+ have been spatially resolved. We suggest that the difference in depletion zone radii for N2H+ and N2D+ is caused by either the CO evaporation temperature being above 20 K or an H2 ortho-to-para ratio gradient in the inner envelope.