Oral Presentation

Enhanced Ionization in Protostellar Envelopes

Author(s): Kamber Schwarz (University of Georgia), Sebastien Maret (Univ. Grenoble Alpes), Molly Wells (IRAM), Caroline Gieser (MPIA), Andre Belloche (MPIfR), Philippe Andre (AIM Universite Paris-Saclay), Claudio Codella (INAF)

Presenter: Kamber Schwarz (University of Georgia)

Ionization is a major driver of both physical and chemical evolution in protostellar systems. Theory predicts that the dynamic environment near Class 0 protostars could result in a local enhancement of cosmic rays. Outflows, infall, and accretion all potentially producing cosmic ray generating shocks. In this talk I will present NOEMA and IRAM 30m observations of H13CO+ and C18O in three Class 0 protostellar envelopes. Using the ratio of these two molecules we derive envelope ionization rates several orders of magnitude above the ionization rate in the diffuse interstellar medium. This study supports the emerging picture of star forming regions as locations of local cosmic ray enhancement, with the potential to drive rapid chemical processing at the earliest stages of planet formation.