Bibcode
Centurion, M.; Vladilo, G.; Cassola, C.
Referencia bibliográfica
Astronomy and Astrophysics, v.302, p.243
Fecha de publicación:
10
1995
Revista
Número de citas
12
Número de citas referidas
10
Descripción
We have measured the ^12^C/^13^C interstellar ratio in the Coalsack, a
prominent dark nebula in the southern sky, by means of high resolution
(λ/δλ=6x10^4^) observations of the λ4232A
CH^+^ line in the direction of the star HD110432 (d=~0.31kpc). The
collection of a total of 53 spectra of this star and of a reference
bright star (α Vir) has allowed us to obtain a mean spectrum with
signal-to-noise ratio =~1500 at 1 σ level. We have detected the
weak ^13^CH^+^ absorption well resolved from the ^12^CH^+^ line and
derived a column density ratio =71+/-11 by means of line profile fitting
with Voigt profiles. This result is in very good agreement with the few
existing determinations of the column density ratio in other 4 clouds at
d <~0.5kpc. The isotopic ratio is remarkably constant along different
directions of the local interstellar medium and has a mean value
=67+/-3. This value is in good agreement with the most recent estimates
of the ^12^C/^13^C ratio in the solar vicinity derived from CO and
H_2_CO emission lines observed at radio frequencies.