Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Emission from a Young, Embedded Protostar in NGC 2264
First Author:
Achim Tappe
Email: atappe AT cfa.harvard.edu
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
60 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Coauthors:
Lada, C. J., Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Forbrich, J., Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Teixeira, P. S., Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Muench, A. A., Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Berne, O., Centre d'Etude Spatiale des Rayonnements, Universite de Toulouse
Joblin, C., Centre d'Etude Spatiale des Rayonnements, Universite de Toulouse
Abstract
We present a Spitzer IRS spectrum complemented by near-IR to submm photometry toward a deeply embedded, Av ~ 17 mag, protostar in NGC 2264 (800 pc) featuring strong PAH emission. The mid-IR continuum emission peaks longward of 70 micron and shows a prominent 15.2 micron CO2 ice feature, suggesting that the source still retains an envelope and presumably is a Class I object. The observed PAH emission originates less than 1000 AU from the star, and is most likely associated with its accretion disk or inner envelope. A preliminary analysis of the PAH bands shows that the molecules are ionized, implying the presence of a strong UV radiation field and a possible connection with the strong observed X-ray emission from this protostar.
