Molecules in η Carinae

Abstract

We report the detection toward η Carinae of six new molecules, CO, CN, HCO+, HCN, HNC, and N2H+, and of two of their less abundant isotopic counterparts, 13CO and H13CN. The line profiles are moderately broad (100kms-1), indicating that the emission originates in the dense, possibly clumpy, central arcsecond of the Homunculus Nebula. Contrary to previous claims, CO and HCO+ do not appear to be underabundant in η Carinae. On the other hand, molecules containing nitrogen or the 13C isotope of carbon are overabundant by about one order of magnitude. This demonstrates that, together with the dust responsible for the dimming of η Carinae following the Great Eruption, the molecules detected here must have formed in situ out of CNO-processed stellar material. © 2012 The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.