
José Pablo FonfríaInsituto de Física Fundamental (IFF-CSIC) · Departamento de Astrofísica Molecular
José Pablo Fonfría
PhD
About
85
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Introduction
Additional affiliations
February 2016 - July 2021
October 2010 - October 2010
July 2009 - June 2011
Education
November 2002 - February 2009
October 1995 - September 2002
Publications
Publications (85)
We present new interferometer molecular observations of R Leo taken at 1.2 mm with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array with an angular resolution up to
≃
0
·
″
026
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These observations permit us to resolve the innermost envelope of this star revealing the existence of a complex structure that involves extended continuum emission and molecular...
We report on the detection of hot CO2 in the O-rich AGB star R Leo based on high spectral resolution observations in the range 12.8−14.3 µm carried out with the Echelon-cross-Echelle Spectrograph (EXES) mounted on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). We have found 240 CO2 emission lines in several vibrational bands. These d...
High spectral resolution observations toward the low mass-loss rate C-rich, J-type AGB star Y CVn have been carried out at 7.5, 13.1 and 14.0 um with SOFIA/EXES and IRTF/TEXES. Around 130 HCN and H13CN lines of bands v2, 2v2, 2v2-v2, 3v2-2v2, 3v2-v2, and 4v2-2v2 have been identified involving lower levels with energies up to ~3900 K. These lines ha...
We report the first detection of the S(1) pure rotational line of ortho-H 2 at 17.04 µm in an asymp-totic giant branch star, using observations of IRC+10216 with the Echelon-cross-echelle Spectrograph (EXES) mounted on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). This line, which was observed in a very high sensitivity spectrum (RM...
During their thermally pulsing phase, asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars eject material that forms extended dusty envelopes¹. Visible polarimetric imaging found clumpy dust clouds within two stellar radii of several oxygen-rich stars2–6. Inhomogeneous molecular gas has also been observed in multiple emission lines within several stellar radii of d...
During their thermally pulsing phase, Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars eject material that forms extended dusty envelopes. Visible polarimetric imaging found clumpy dust clouds within two stellar radii of several oxygen-rich stars. Inhomogeneous molecular gas has also been observed in multiple emission lines within several stellar radii of diffe...
We present interferometric observations at 1 and 3\,mm with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) of the free-free continuum and millimeter(mm)-wavelength recombination line (mRRL) emission of the ionized core (within lsim 130\,au) of the young planetary nebula (PN) candidate M\,2-9. These inner regions are concealed in the vast majority of sim...
We present interferometric observations at 1 and 3\,mm with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) of the free-free continuum and mm-wavelength recombination line (mRRL) emission of the ionized core (within $\lsim$130\,au) of the young Planetary Nebula (PN) candidate M\,2-9.These inner regions are concealed in the vast majority of similar object...
Proto- and young planetary nebulae comprise dense circumstellar envelopes made of molecular gas and dust, some of which hide compact ionized cores that host stellar systems with hot objects, and show high-velocity bipolar outflows launched from inside their cores by means of still unknown mechanisms. We present high-angular-resolution Atacama Large...
Circumstellar envelopes around asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars contain a rich diversity of molecules, whose spatial distribution is regulated by different chemical and physical processes. In the outer circumstellar layers, all molecules are efficiently destroyed due to interactions with interstellar ultraviolet photons. Here we aim to carry out...
The spatial distribution of molecules in AGB circumstellar envelopes is regulated by different processes. In the outer layers all molecules are destroyed due to the interaction with interstellar ultraviolet photons. Here we aim to characterize in a coherent and uniform way the radial extent of three molecules (SiO, CS, and SiS) in envelopes around...
Red supergiant stars (RSGs, Minit = 10-40Msun) are known to eject large amounts of material, as much as half of their initial mass during this evolutionary phase. However, the processes powering the mass ejection in low- and intermediate-mass stars do not work for RSGs and the mechanism that drives the ejection remains unknown. Different mechanisms...
Context. Red supergiant stars (RSGs, M init = 10 − 40 M ⊙ ) are known to eject large amounts of material, as much as half of their initial mass during this evolutionary phase. However, the processes powering the mass ejection in low- and intermediate-mass stars do not work for RSGs and the mechanism that drives the ejection remains unknown. Differe...
The nucleosynthesis production of fluorine (F) is still a matter of debate. Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars are one of the main candidates for F production. However, their contribution to the total F budget is not fully known due to the lack of observations. In this paper, we report the detection of AlF line emission, one of the two main carrie...
The nucleosynthesis production of fluorine (F) is still a matter of debate. Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars are one of the main candidates for F production. However, their contribution to the total F budget is not fully known due to the lack of observations. In this paper, we report the detection of aluminium monofluoride (AlF) line emission, o...
We report the first detection of the S(1) pure rotational line of ortho-H2 at 17.04 um in an asymptotic giant branch star, using observations of IRC+10216 with the Echelon-cross-echelle Spectrograph (EXES) mounted on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). This line, which was observed in a very high sensitivity spectrum (RMS...
We report the first detection of the S(1) pure rotational line of ortho-H 2 at 17.04 μ m in an asymptotic giant branch star, using observations of IRC+10216 with the Echelon-cross-echelle Spectrograph (EXES) mounted on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. This line, which was observed in a very high-sensitivity spectrum (rms noise...
After the previous discovery of MgC 3 N and MgC 4 H in IRC +10216, a deeper Q -band (31.0–50.3 GHz) integration on this source had revealed two additional series of harmonically related doublets that we assigned on the basis of quantum mechanical calculations to the larger radicals MgC 5 N and MgC 6 H. The results presented here extend and confirm...
After the previous discovery of MgC$_3$N and MgC$_4$H in IRC+10216, a deeper Q-band (31.0-50.3 GHz) integration on this source had revealed two additional series of harmonically related doublets that we assigned on the basis of quantum mechanical calculations to the larger radicals MgC$_5$N and MgC$_6$H. The results presented here extend and confir...
High spectral resolution observations toward the low mass-loss rate C-rich, J-type asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star Y CVn were carried out at 7.5, 13.1, and 14.0 μm with the Echelon-cross-echelle Spectrograph mounted on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy and the Texas Echelon-cross-echelle Spectrograph on the Infrared Telescope...
We report on the detection of hot CO2 in the O-rich AGB star R Leo based on high spectral resolution observations in the range 12.8-14.3 um carried out with the Echelon-cross-Echelle Spectrograph (EXES) mounted on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). We have found ~240 CO2 emission lines in several vibrational bands. These...
We report on the detection of hot CO 2 in the O-rich asymptotic giant branch star R Leo based on high spectral resolution observations in the range 12.8−14.3 μ m carried out with the Echelon-cross-Echelle Spectrograph (EXES) mounted on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). We found ≃240 CO 2 emission lines in several vibrati...
Observations of IRC +10216 with the Yebes 40 m telescope between 31 and 50 GHz have revealed more than 150 unidentified lines. Some of them can be grouped into a new series of 26 doublets, harmonically related with integer quantum numbers ranging from J up = 54 to 80. The separation of the doublets increases systematically with J , that is to say,...
Asymptotic Giant Branch stars (AGBs) display roughly spherically symmetric circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) composed of expanding molecular gas and dust. Nevertheless, several AGB stars have been found so far showing a set of concentric arcs or spiral-like structures (e.g., IRC+10216, CRL3068, R Scl). The formation of spirals can be explained by the...
We report on the detection of two series of harmonically related doublets in IRC +10216. From the observed frequencies, the rotational constant of the first series is B = 1380.888 MHz and that of the second series is B = 1381.512 MHz. The two series correspond to two species with a ² Σ electronic ground state. After considering all possible candida...
The study of the gas in the envelopes surrounding asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars through observations in the millimetre wavelength range provides information about the history and nature of these molecular factories. Here we present ALMA observations at subarsecond resolution, complemented with IRAM-30m data, of several lines of SiO, SiS, and...
Low-mass evolved stars are major contributors to interstellar medium enrichment as a consequence of the intense mass-loss process these stars experience at the end of their lives. The study of the gas in the envelopes surrounding asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars through observations in the millimetre wavelength range provides information about t...
We report on the detection of calcium isocyanide, CaNC, in the carbon-rich evolved star IRC+10216. We derived a column density for this species of (2.0$\pm$0.5)$\times$10$^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$. Based on the observed line profiles and the modelling of its emission through the envelope, the molecule has to be produced in the intermediate and outer layers...
We report on the detection of calcium isocyanide, CaNC, in the carbon-rich evolved star IRC+10216. We derived a column density for this species of (2$\pm$0.5)$\times$10$^{11}$\,cm$^{-2}$. Based on the observed line profiles and the modelling of its emission through the envelope, the molecule has to be produced in the intermediate and outer layers o...
We aim at studying the properties of a particular type of evolved stars, the C-rich evolved stars with high expansion velocities. For this purpose we have focused on the two best studied objects within this group, IRC +10401 and AFGL 2233. We focused on determining their luminosity by studying their spectral energy distribution. Also we have obtain...
Models of the chemical evolution of the interstellar medium, galaxies, and the Universe rely on our understanding of the amounts and chemical composition of the material returned by stars and supernovae. Stellar yields are obtained from stellar-evolution models, which currently lack predictive prescriptions of stellar mass loss, although it signifi...
The search for simple organic molecules out of the Solar System has been hampered due to the lack of a permanent dipole moment displayed by many of them. These molecules do not show a pure rotational spectrum in the mm spectral range but their ro-vibrational spectra can be observed in the IR. Unfortunately, the atmosphere, which shows large amounts...
We present new interferometer molecular observations of R Leo taken at 1.2 mm with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array with an angular resolution up to ~0.026 arcsec. These observations permit us to resolve the innermost envelope of this star revealing the existence of a complex structure that involves extended continuum emission and molecular emiss...
AGB stars are important contributors of processed matter to the ISM. However, the physical and chemical mechanisms involved in its ejection are still poorly known. This process is expected to have remarkable effects in the innermost envelope, where the dust grains are formed, the gas is accelerated, the chemistry is active, and the radiative excita...
AGB stars are important contributors of processed matter to the ISM. However, the physical and chemical mechanisms involved in its ejection are still poorly known. This process is expected to have remarkable effects in the innermost envelope, where the dust grains are formed, the gas is accelerated, the chemistry is active, and the radiative excita...
Silicon carbide together with amorphous carbon are the main components of dust grains in the atmospheres of C-rich AGB stars. Small gaseous Si-C bearing molecules (such as SiC, SiCSi, and SiC 2 ) are efficiently formed close to the stellar photosphere. They likely condense onto dust seeds owing to their highly refractory nature at the lower tempera...
We present new high angular resolution interferometer observations of the v=0 J=14-13 and 15-14 SiS lines towards IRC+10216, carried out with CARMA and ALMA. The maps, with angular resolutions of ~0.25"and 0.55", reveal (1) an extended, roughly uniform, and weak emission with a size of ~0.5", (2) a component elongated approximately along the East-W...
This work presents a detailed analysis of the laboratory and astrophysical spectral data available for ²⁸SiC2²⁹SiC2³⁰SiC2, Si¹³CC, and Si2C. New data on the rotational lines of these species between 70 and 350 GHz have been obtained with high spectral resolution (195 kHz) with the IRAM 30 m telescope in the direction of the circumstellar envelope I...
Context:
The variability in IRC+10216, the envelope of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star CW Leo, has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Studying the details of this variability in the molecular emission required a systematic observation program.
Aims:
We aim to reveal and characterize the periodical variability of the rotationa...
We present new high angular resolution interferometer observations of the v=0 J=14-13 and 15-14 SiS lines towards IRC+10216, carried out with CARMA and ALMA. The maps, with angular resolutions of ~0.25"and 0.55", reveal (1) an extended, roughly uniform, and weak emission with a size of ~0.5", (2) a component elongated approximately along the East-W...
We present the detection of C4H2 for first time in the envelope of the C-rich AGB star IRC+10216 based on high spectral resolution mid-IR observations carried out with the Texas Echelon-cross-Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) mounted on the Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). The obtained spectrum contains 24 narrow absorption features above the detecti...
We present the detection of C4H2 for first time in the envelope of the C-rich AGB star IRC+10216 based on high spectral resolution mid-IR observations carried out with the Texas Echelon-cross-Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) mounted on the Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). The obtained spectrum contains 24 narrow absorption features above the detecti...
Context:
Silicon carbide dust is ubiquitous in circumstellar envelopes around C-rich AGB stars. However, the main gas-phase precursors leading to the formation of SiC dust have not yet been identified. The most obvious candidates among the molecules containing an Si-C bond detected in C-rich AGB stars are SiC2, SiC, and Si2C. To date, the ring mol...
Silicon carbide dust is ubiquitous in circumstellar envelopes around C-rich AGB stars. However, the main gas-phase precursors leading to the formation of SiC dust have not yet been identified. The most obvious candidates among the molecules containing an Si--C bond detected in C-rich AGB stars are SiC2, SiC, and Si2C. We aim to study how widespread...
Context:
ALMA is providing us essential information on where certain molecules form. Observing where these molecules emission arises from, the physical conditions of the gas, and how this relates with the presence of other species allows us to understand the formation of many species, and to significantly improve our knowledge of the chemistry tha...
ALMA is providing us essential information on where certain molecules form. Observing where these molecules emission arises from, the physical conditions of the gas, and how this relates with the presence of other species allows us to understand the formation of many species, and to significantly improve our knowledge of the chemistry that occurs i...
During their late pulsating phase, AGB stars expel most of their mass in the form of massive dusty envelopes, an event that largely controls the composition of interstellar matter. The envelopes, however, are distant and opaque to visible and NIR radiation: Their structure remains poorly known and the mass-loss process poorly understood. Millimeter...
During their late pulsating phase, AGB stars expel most of their mass in the form of massive dusty envelopes, an event that largely controls the composition of interstellar matter. The envelopes, however, are distant and opaque to visible and NIR radiation: Their structure remains poorly known and the mass-loss process poorly understood. Millimeter...
We report the discovery in space of methyl silane, CH3SiH3, from observations of ten rotational transitions between 80 and 350 GHz (Ju from 4 to 16) with the IRAM 30 m radio telescope. The molecule was observed in the envelope of the C-star IRC +10216. The observed profiles and our models for the expected emission of methyl silane suggest that the...
Silicon carbide dust grains are ubiquitous in circumstellar envelopes around C-rich AGB stars. However, the main gas-phase precursors leading to the formation of SiC dust have not yet been identified. To date, only three molecules containing an Si--C bond have been identified to have significant abundances in C-rich AGB stars: SiC2, SiC, and Si2C....
The C-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch star (AGB) IRC+10216 is one of the most interesting sources in space from the chemical point of view, as it has been demonstrated by the large number of molecules found in its circumstellar envelope (CSE). Most of these molecules form in the outer layers of its CSE, where the Galactic UV radiation field triggers a...
Silicon carbide dust grains are ubiquitous in circumstellar envelopes around C-rich AGB stars. However, the main gas-phase precursors leading to the formation of SiC dust have not yet been identified. To date, only three molecules containing an Si–C bond have been identified to have significant abundances in C-rich AGB stars: SiC 2 , SiC, and Si 2...
High spectral resolution mid-IR observations of ethylene (C2H4) towards the AGB star IRC+10216 were obtained using the Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). Eighty ro-vibrational lines from the 10.5 um vibrational mode nu7 with J<30 were detected in absorption. The observed lines are divide...
High spectral resolution mid-IR observations of ethylene (C2H4) towards the AGB star IRC+10216 were obtained using the Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). Eighty ro-vibrational lines from the 10.5 um vibrational mode nu7 with J<30 were detected in absorption. The observed lines are divide...
The formation and growth of dust grains throughout the circumstellar envelope (CSE) of Asymptotic Giant Branch stars (AGB) cannot be accurately analyzed from direct observations of dust emission due to the large broadness of the solid state features of their components. Hence, one of the best approaches to solve this problem is to estimate the abun...
We present high spectral resolution mid-IR observations of SiS towards the C-rich AGB star IRC+10216 carried out with the
Texas Echelon-cross-Echelle Spectrograph mounted on the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. We have identified 204 ro-vibrational
lines of 28Si32S, 26 of 29Si32S, 20 of 28Si34S, and 15 of 30Si32S in the frequency range 720–790 cm−...
We report the detection during the ALMA Cycle 0 of SiS rotational lines in
high-vibrational states as well as SiO and SiC$_2$ lines in their ground
vibrational state, towards IRC+10216. The spatial distribution of these
molecules shows compact emission for SiS and a more extended emission for SiO
and SiC$_2$ , and also proves the existence of an in...
We present low spectral resolution molecular interferometric observations at 1.2 mm obtained with the Combined Array for Research
in Millimetre-wave Astronomy (CARMA) towards the C-rich AGB star IRC+10216. We have mapped the emission of several lines of
SiS, H13CN, SiO and SiC2 in the ground and first excited vibrational states with a high angular...
CRL 618 is an object that exhibits characteristics of both AGB and post-AGB star. It also displays a spectacular array of bipolar lobes with a dense equatorial region, which makes it an excellent object to study the development of asymmetries in evolved stars. In the recent decades, an elliptical compact HII region located in the center of the nebu...
In this article, we present Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) 3.5 mm observations and SubMillimeter Array (SMA) 870 μm observations toward the high-mass star-forming region IRAS 18162-2048, which is the core of the HH 80/81/80N system. Molecular emission from HCN, HCO+, and SiO traces two molecular outflows (the so-ca...
CRL 618 is an object that exhibits characteristics of both AGB and post-AGB
star. It also displays a spectacular array of bipolar lobes with a dense
equatorial region, which makes it an excellent object to study the development
of asymmetries in evolved stars. In the recent decades, an elliptical compact
HII region located in the center of the nebu...
Observations towards IRC +10216 of CS, SiO, SiS, NaCl, KCl, AlCl, AlF, and
NaCN have been carried out with the IRAM 30-m telescope in the 80-357.5 GHz
frequency range. A large number of rotational transitions covering a wide range
of energy levels, including highly excited vibrational states, are detected in
emission and serve to trace different re...
We present a mid-infrared high spectral resolution spectrum of CRL618 in the frequency ranges 778-784 and 1227-1249 cm^-1 (8.01-8.15 and 12.75-12.85 um) taken with the Texas Echelon-cross-Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) and the Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF). We have identified more than 170 ro-vibrational lines arising from C2H2, HCN, C4H2, and C...