Deuterated Molecules in Orion KL from Herschel/HIFI

Abstract

We present a comprehensive study of the deuterated molecules detected in the fullband HIFI survey of the Orion Kleinmann-Low nebula (Orion KL) region. Ammonia, formaldehyde, and methanol and their singly deuterated isotopologues are each detected through numerous transitions in this survey with a wide range in optical depths and excitation conditions. In conjunction with a recent study of the abundance of HDO and H₂O in Orion KL, this study yields the best constraints on deuterium fractionation in an interstellar molecular cloud to date. As previous studies have found, both the Hot Core and Compact Ridge regions within Orion KL contain significant abundances of deuterated molecules, suggesting an origin in cold grain mantles. In the Hot Core, we find that ammonia is roughly a factor of two more fractionated than water. In the Compact Ridge, meanwhile, we find similar deuterium fractionation in water, formaldehyde, and methanol, with D/H ratios of (2-8) × 10^-3. The [CH₂DOH]/[CH₃OD] ratio in the Compact Ridge is found to be 1.2 ± 0.3. The Hot Core generally has lower deuterium fractionation than the Compact Ridge, suggesting a slightly warmer origin, or a greater contribution from warm gas phase chemistry.

Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.