APEX-SEPIA660 Early Science: Gas at densities above $10^7$ cm$^{-3}$ towards OMC-1

TL;DR

This study used APEX-SEPIA660 to map the OMC-1 region, revealing large reservoirs of gas at densities exceeding 10^7 cm^-3, crucial for understanding star formation in massive clusters.

Contribution

First detection of N2H+ (7-6) emission at parsec scales indicating ultra high-density gas in star-forming regions, demonstrating SEPIA660's capabilities.

Findings

Detection of N2H+ (7-6) emission along OMC-1

Gas densities exceeding 10^7 cm^-3 inferred from line intensities

Highlights of SEPIA660's sensitivity for high-frequency ISM studies

Abstract

Context. The star formation rates and stellar densities found in young massive clusters suggest that these stellar systems originate from gas at densities n(H$_2$) $>10^7$ cm$^{-3}$. Until today, however, the physical characterization of this ultra high density material remains largely unconstrained in observations. Aims. We investigated the density properties of the star-forming gas in the OMC-1 region located in the vicinity of the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC). Methods. We mapped the molecular emission at 652 GHz in OMC-1 as part of the APEX-SEPIA660 Early Science. Results. We detect bright and extended N$_2$H$^+$ (J=7-6) line emission along the entire OMC-1 region. Comparisons with previous ALMA data of the (J=1-0) transition and radiative transfer models indicate that the line intensities observed in this N$_2$H$^+$ (7-6) line are produced by large mass reservoirs of gas at densities n(H$_2$) $>10^7$ cm$^{-3}$. Conclusions. The first detection of this N$_2$H$^+$ (7-6) line at parsec-scales demonstrates the extreme density conditions of the star-forming gas in young massive clusters such as the ONC. Our results highlight the unique combination of sensitivity and mapping capabilities of the new SEPIA660 receiver for the study of the ISM properties at high frequencies.