First submillimeter lights from Dome A: Tracing the carbon cycle in the feedback of massive stars.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41499505.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.aea9433 and PMC identifier 12778048.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
The cycling of carbon between its ionized, atomic, and molecular phases shapes the chemical compositions and physical conditions of the interstellar medium (ISM). However, ground-based studies of the full carbon cycle have been limited by atmospheric absorption. Dome A, the most promising site for submillimeter astronomy, has long resisted successful submillimeter astronomical observations. Using the 60-centimeter Antarctic Terahertz Explorer, we present the first successful CO (4-3) and [CI] ([Formula: see text]) mapping observations of two archetypal triggered massive star-formation regions at Dome A. These data, together with archival [CII], provide the first complete characterization of all three carbon phases in these environments. We find elevated C<sup>0</sup>/CO abundance ratios in high-extinction regions, plausibly driven by deep penetration of intense radiation fields from massive stars into a clumpy ISM. These findings mark a major milestone for submillimeter astronomy at Dome A and offer valuable insights into the impact of massive star feedback on the surrounding ISM.