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Aims. We present the results of a multi-transition CO observational program conducted on a sample of AGB and post-AGB stars envelopes. We have collected maps and single pointing observations of these envelopes in 5 rotational transitions ranging from J = 1-0 to J = 6-5, including in particular new observations of the CO line at 691 GHz at the CSO. The use of such a set of mm and submm CO line on stellar envelopes is rare and limited to the work of some authors on IRC+10216. Methods. Using a model for the CO emission of an AGB circumstellar envelope, in combination with a standard LVG approach, we have conducted a systematic modelling analysis using the whole set of CO data collected for a sample of 12 sources. We simultaneously fit all five transitions, taking into account the spatial information provided by the maps. Results. We find mass-loss rates in the range 1 × 10 −7 to 4 × 10 −4 M /yr, and envelope temperatures ranging from 20 K to 1000 K at a radius of 10 16 cm. There seem to be a general anti-correlation between mass loss rates and temperature, the high mass loss rate AGBs having low temperatures, and vice versa. We show that most AGB data can be fitted using a constant mass loss rate, at least within the calibration uncertainties associated with the data collected at different frequencies. For some cases though (e.g. CIT 6, R Hya, χ Cyg), a change in the mass loss rate history needs to be invoked to reconcile data at low-and high-J, a scenario already mentioned by several authors to explain observations of WX Psc.

The nuclei of active comets emit molecules anisotropically from discrete vents. As the nucleus rotates, we expect to observe periodic variability in the molecular emission line profiles, which can be studied through mm/submm spectroscopy. Using this technique * Based on observations carried out with the IRAM 30-m, JCMT 15-m, and CSO 10.4-m telescopes. IRAM is supported by INSU/CNRS (France), MPG (Germany), and IGN (Spain).we investigated the HCN atmosphere of comet 103P/Hartley 2, the target of NASA's EPOXI mission, which had an exceptionally favorable apparition in late 2010. We detected short-term evolution of the spectral line profile, which was stimulated by the nucleus rotation, and which provides evidence for rapid deceleration and excitation of the rotation state. The measured rate of change in the rotation period is +1.00 ± 0.15 min per day and the period itself is 18.32 ± 0.03 hr, both applicable at the epoch of the EPOXI encounter. Surprisingly, the spin-down efficiency is lower by two orders of magnitude than the measurement in comet 9P/Tempel 1 and the best theoretical prediction. This secures rotational stability of the comet's nucleus during the next few returns, although we anticipate a catastrophic disruption from spin-up as its ultimate fate.

Observations of the effect of the magnetic field on its environment are usually achieved with techniques which rely on the interaction with the spin of the particles under study. Because of the relative weakness of this effect, extraction of the field characteristics proves to be a most challenging task. We take a totally different approach to the problem and show that the manifestation of the magnetic field can be directly observed by means of a comparison of the spectra of molecular ions with those of neutral molecules. This takes advantage of the strong cyclotron interaction between the ions and the field, but requires the presence of flows or turbulent motion in the gas. We compare our theory to data obtained on the OMC-1, OMC-2, OMC-3 and DR21(OH) molecular clouds.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, 2 table

We present the results of N 2 H + (J = 1 − 0) observations toward Serpens South, the nearest cluster-forming, infrared dark cloud. The physical quantities are derived by fitting the hyperfine structure of N 2 H + . The Herschel and 1.1-mm continuum maps show that a pc-scale filament fragments into three clumps with radii of 0.1 − 0.2 pc and masses of 40 − 230M ⊙ . We find that the clumps contain smaller-scale (∼ 0.04 pc) structures, i.e., dense cores. We identify 70 cores by applying CLUMPFIND to the N 2 H + data cube. In the central cluster-forming clump, the excitation temperature and line-width tend to be large, presumably due to protostellar outflow feedback and stellar radiation. However, for all the clumps, the virial ratios are evaluated to be 0.1 − 0.3, indicating that the internal motions play only a minor role in the clump support. The clumps exhibit no free-fall, but low-velocity infall, and thus the clumps should be supported by additional forces. The most promising force is the globallyordered magnetic field observed toward this region. We propose that the Serpens South filament was close to magnetically-critical and ambipolar diffusion triggered the cluster formation. We find that the northern clump, which shows no active star formation, has a mass and radius comparable to the central cluster-forming clump, and therefore, it is a likely candidate of a pre-protocluster clump. The initial condition for cluster formation is likely to be a magnetically-supported clump of cold, quiescent gas. This appears to contradict the accretion-driven turbulence scenario, for which the turbulence in the clumps is maintained by the accretion flow.Recently, Nakamura et al. (2011) performed 12 CO (J = 3 − 2) mapping observations toward the Serpens South IRDC using the ASTE 10-m telescope and discovered that a number of powerfull outflows are blowing out of the central dense clump that is located near the southern edge of a