A 3 mm spectral line study of the Central Molecular Zone infrared dark cloud G1.75-0.08

TL;DR

This study investigates the gas dynamics, chemical composition, and gravitational stability of the IRDC G1.75-0.08 in the CMZ using 3 mm spectral line observations, revealing its subcritical state and potential as a high-mass star formation site.

Contribution

First spectral line analysis of IRDC G1.75-0.08 in the CMZ, providing insights into its kinematics, chemical abundances, and dynamical state.

Findings

G1.75-0.08 is subcritical and gravitationally unbound.

Detected molecules include HNCO, HCN, HCO+, and N2H+ in clump B.

The cloud's dynamical state may be influenced by CMZ turbulence and shear.

Abstract

Infrared dark clouds (IRDCs) are fruitful objects to study the fragmentation of interstellar filaments and initial conditions and early stages of high-mass ($M>8$ M$_{\odot}$) star formation. We used the Yebes 40 m and IRAM 30 m radio telescopes to carry out the first single-pointing spectral line observations towards the IRDC G1.75-0.08, which is a filamentary Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) cloud. Our aim is to reach an improved understanding of the gas kinematics and dynamical state of the cloud and its two clumps that we call clumps A and B. We also aim to determine the fractional abundances of the molecules detected at 3 mm towards G1.75-0.08. We detected HNCO$(J_{K_a,\,K_c}=4_{0,\,4}-3_{0,\,3})$, HCN$(J=1-0)$, and HCO$^+(J=1-0)$ towards both clumps. The N$_2$H$^+(J=1-0)$ line was detected only in clump B, while N$_2$D$^+(J=1-0)$ was not detected at all. The HCN and HNCO spectra exhibit two velocity components. The abundances of the detected species are comparable to those in other IRDCs. An upper limit to the [N$_2$D$^+$]/[N$_2$H$^+$] deuterium fraction of $<0.05$ derived towards clump B is consistent with values observed in many high-mass clumps. The line mass analysis suggests that the G1.75-0.08 filament is subcritical by a factor of $11\pm6$, and the clumps were found to be gravitationally unbound ($\alpha_{\rm vir} > 2$). Our finding that G1.75-0.08 is strongly subcritical is atypical compared to the general population of Galactic filamentary clouds. The cloud's location in the CMZ might affect the cloud kinematics similar to what has been found for the Brick IRDC, and the cloud's dynamical state might also be the result of the turbulent motions or shear and tidal forces in the CMZ. Because the target clumps are dark at 70 $\mu$m and massive (several $10^3$ M$_{\odot}$), they can be considered candidates for being high-mass starless (but not prestellar) clumps.