_version_ 1866915286610870272
author Draine, B. T.
Sandstrom, Karin
Dale, Daniel A.
Smith, J. -D. T.
Chown, Ryan
Donnelly, Grant P.
Duval, Sara E.
Whitcomb, Cory M.
Adamo, Angela
Armus, L.
Berg, Danielle A.
Böker, Torsten
Bolatto, Alberto D.
Boyer, Martha L.
Calzetti, Daniela
Elmegreen, B. G.
Gaches, Brandt A. L.
Gordon, Karl D.
Hunt, L. K.
Kennicutt, R. C.
Klessen, Ralf S.
Lai, Thomas S. -Y.
Leroy, Adam K.
Linden, Sean T.
Pedrini, Alex
Rogers, Noah S. J.
Roman-Duval, Julia C.
Schinnerer, Eva
Skillman, Evan B.
Walter, Fabian
Weinbeck, Tony D.
Williams, Benjamin F.
author_facet Draine, B. T.
Sandstrom, Karin
Dale, Daniel A.
Smith, J. -D. T.
Chown, Ryan
Donnelly, Grant P.
Duval, Sara E.
Whitcomb, Cory M.
Adamo, Angela
Armus, L.
Berg, Danielle A.
Böker, Torsten
Bolatto, Alberto D.
Boyer, Martha L.
Calzetti, Daniela
Elmegreen, B. G.
Gaches, Brandt A. L.
Gordon, Karl D.
Hunt, L. K.
Kennicutt, R. C.
Klessen, Ralf S.
Lai, Thomas S. -Y.
Leroy, Adam K.
Linden, Sean T.
Pedrini, Alex
Rogers, Noah S. J.
Roman-Duval, Julia C.
Schinnerer, Eva
Skillman, Evan B.
Walter, Fabian
Weinbeck, Tony D.
Williams, Benjamin F.
contents Deuteration of hydrocarbon material, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), has been proposed to account for the low gas-phase abundances of D in the interstellar medium. JWST spectra of four star-forming regions in M51 show an emission feature, with central wavelength $\sim$4.647$μ$m and FWHM 0.0265$μ$m, corresponding to the C-D stretching mode in aliphatic hydrocarbons. The emitting aliphatic material is estimated to have (D/H)$_{\rm aliph}\approx 0.17\pm0.02$ -- a factor $\sim$$10^4$ enrichment relative to the overall interstellar medium (ISM). On $\sim$$50\,$pc scales, deuteration levels toward four H$\,$II regions in M51 are 2-3 times higher than in the Orion Bar photodissociation region (PDR), with implications for the processes responsible for the formation and evolution of hydrocarbon nanoparticles, including PAHs. The deuteration of the aliphatic material is found to anticorrelate with helium ionization in the associated H$\,$II, suggesting that harsh FUV radiation may act to lower the deuteration of aliphatics in PDRs near massive stars. No evidence is found for deuteration of aromatic material, with (D/H)$_{\rm arom} \lesssim 0.016$: deuteration of the aliphatic material exceeds that of the aromatic material by at least a factor 10. The observed levels of deuteration may account for the depletion of D observed in the Galactic interstellar medium. If so, the $4.65μ$m feature may be detectable in absorption.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_02538
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Detection of Deuterated Hydrocarbon Nanoparticles in the Whirlpool Galaxy, M51
Draine, B. T.
Sandstrom, Karin
Dale, Daniel A.
Smith, J. -D. T.
Chown, Ryan
Donnelly, Grant P.
Duval, Sara E.
Whitcomb, Cory M.
Adamo, Angela
Armus, L.
Berg, Danielle A.
Böker, Torsten
Bolatto, Alberto D.
Boyer, Martha L.
Calzetti, Daniela
Elmegreen, B. G.
Gaches, Brandt A. L.
Gordon, Karl D.
Hunt, L. K.
Kennicutt, R. C.
Klessen, Ralf S.
Lai, Thomas S. -Y.
Leroy, Adam K.
Linden, Sean T.
Pedrini, Alex
Rogers, Noah S. J.
Roman-Duval, Julia C.
Schinnerer, Eva
Skillman, Evan B.
Walter, Fabian
Weinbeck, Tony D.
Williams, Benjamin F.
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Deuteration of hydrocarbon material, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), has been proposed to account for the low gas-phase abundances of D in the interstellar medium. JWST spectra of four star-forming regions in M51 show an emission feature, with central wavelength $\sim$4.647$μ$m and FWHM 0.0265$μ$m, corresponding to the C-D stretching mode in aliphatic hydrocarbons. The emitting aliphatic material is estimated to have (D/H)$_{\rm aliph}\approx 0.17\pm0.02$ -- a factor $\sim$$10^4$ enrichment relative to the overall interstellar medium (ISM). On $\sim$$50\,$pc scales, deuteration levels toward four H$\,$II regions in M51 are 2-3 times higher than in the Orion Bar photodissociation region (PDR), with implications for the processes responsible for the formation and evolution of hydrocarbon nanoparticles, including PAHs. The deuteration of the aliphatic material is found to anticorrelate with helium ionization in the associated H$\,$II, suggesting that harsh FUV radiation may act to lower the deuteration of aliphatics in PDRs near massive stars. No evidence is found for deuteration of aromatic material, with (D/H)$_{\rm arom} \lesssim 0.016$: deuteration of the aliphatic material exceeds that of the aromatic material by at least a factor 10. The observed levels of deuteration may account for the depletion of D observed in the Galactic interstellar medium. If so, the $4.65μ$m feature may be detectable in absorption.
title Detection of Deuterated Hydrocarbon Nanoparticles in the Whirlpool Galaxy, M51
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.02538