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International audience; Context: Comet C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) was extensively studied with the 1.1-m submillimetre telescope of the Odin satellite. The H2O line at 557 GHz was regularly observed from 6 March to 16 May 2004 and nearly continuously monitored during 3 periods between 26 April and 2 May 2004. Aims: This last set of data shows periodic variations in the line intensity, and we looked for characterising the long- and short-term behaviour of this comet. Methods: We used the variance ratio method and chi2 minimization to find the period of variation in the water production rate and simulations to infer its amplitude at the nucleus surface. Results: A 40% periodic variation in the water production rate is measured with a period of 0.816±0.004 day (19.58±0.1 h). The comet also exhibits a seasonal effect with a mean peak of outgassing around 2.7×1029 molec. s-1 taking place about 18 days before perihelion.

We have used the Odin satellite to obtain strip maps of the ground-state rotational transitions of ortho-water and ortho-ammonia, as well as CO(5-4) and 13CO(5-4) across the PDR, and H218O in the central position. A physi-chemical inhomogeneous PDR model was used to compute the temperature and abundance distributions for water, ammonia and CO. A multi-zone escape probability method then calculated the level populations and intensity distributions. These results are compared to a homogeneous model computed with an enhanced version of the RADEX code. H2O, NH3 and 13CO show emission from an extended PDR with a narrow line width of ~3 kms. Like CO, the water line profile is dominated by outflow emission, however, mainly in the red wing. The PDR model suggests that the water emission mainly arises from the surfaces of optically thick, high density clumps with n(H2)>10^6 cm^-3 and a clump water abundance, with respect to H2, of 5x10^-8. The mean water abundance in the PDR is 5x10^-9, and between ~2x10^-8 -- 2x10^-7 in the outflow derived from a simple two-level approximation. Ammonia is also observed in the extended clumpy PDR, likely from the same high density and warm clumps as water. The average ammonia abundance is about the same as for water: 4x10^-9 and 8x10^-9 given by the PDR model and RADEX, respectively. The similarity of water and ammonia PDR emission is also seen in the almost identical line profiles observed close to the bright rim. Around the central position, ammonia also shows some outflow emission although weaker than water in the red wing. Predictions of the H2O(110-101) and (111-000) antenna temperatures across the PDR are estimated with our PDR model for the forthcoming observations with the Herschel Space Observatory., 13 pages, 14 figures, 10 tables. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics 14 November 2008

Aims. Our aim is to better understand the complex chemistry of organic molecules in the interstellar medium, leading to the formation of pre-biotic molecules such as amino acids. Methods. We have performed a search for the pre-biotic molecules amino acetonitrile (H2 NC H2 CN) and vinyl acetylene (C2H3 CCH) towards four northern hot core sources using the Onsala 20 m telescope. Results. We have determined upper limits to the column density of amino acetonitrile (1–4 × 10 13 cm −2 ) and vinyl acetylene (2– 7 × 10 14 cm −2 ) in the observed sources. In addition, from the absence of other lines within the observed frequency band, we have further constrained the column density of oxiranecarbonitrile (c-C3H3 NO) and amino-ethanol (NH2 CH2 CH2 OH) in these sources.

Aims. The very high main beam efficiency (90%) of the telescope on the sub-millimetre wave satellite Odin, in combination with the small calibration errors in the absence of atmospheric attenuation, assures that observed line brightness temperatures are very accurately determined. Based on this, we attempt to determine the column density distribution of H-2, and the ortho-water abundance, in the Orion KL region. Methods. We have, for the first time, mapped the (CO)-C-12 J = 5-4 emission in a 7' x 7' region covering Orion KL, observed simultaneously with a (CO)-C-13 J = 5-4 map. Also presented are (CO)-O-18 J = 5-4 emission data at four different positions and a (CO)-O-17 J = 5-4 emission spectrum detected towards the Orion KL position. The Odin mapping was performed at 1' spacing ( beam full width at half maximum 126'' at 557 GHz). Results. The CO J = 5-4 narrow line emission from this region mainly arises in the warm, dense gas at the interface ( the photon-dominated region) between the M42 HII region and the Orion A molecular cloud, the Orion PDR. The (CO)-C-12 and (CO)-C-13 J = 5-4 emission maps have been used to determine the column density distribution of H-2 gas across the Orion KL region. The results have been verified by comparing to column densities obtained using the decidedly optically thin (CO)-O-18 emission as input to the RADEX radiative transfer code. We find H-2 column densities ranging from 5 x 10(21) cm(-2) at map edges to 7 x 10(22) cm(-2) at the molecular ridge. The mass of the gas in the mapped region is estimated to be 480 M-circle dot, of which 320 M-circle dot is situated towards the molecular ridge. We estimate that about half of this mass belongs to the warm Orion PDR interface layer. Finally, based on data from the positions where (CO)-O-18 J = 5-4 has been observed, we estimate the ortho-water abundance in the Orion PDR layer to be >= 8 x 10(-8), higher than previously estimated.

We present Odin observations of the AGB star W Hya in the ground-state transition of ortho-H2O, 1(10)-1(01), at 557GHz. The line is clearly of circumstellar origin. Radiative transfer modelling of the water lines observed by Odin and ISO results in a mass-loss rate of (2.5 +/- 0.5)E-7 Msol/yr, and a circumstellar H2O abundance of (2.0 +/- 1.0)E-3. The inferred mass-loss rate is consistent with that obtained from modelling the circumstellar CO radio line emission, and also with that obtained from the dust emission modelling combined with a dynamical model for the outflow. The very high water abundance, higher than the cosmic oxygen abundance, can be explained by invoking an injection of excess water from evaporating icy bodies in the system. The required extra mass of water is quite small, on the order of ~ 0.1 earth mass., Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

The radiometer on-board the Odin satellite comprises four different sub-mm receivers covering the 486 - 581 GHz frequency range and one fixed frequency 119 GHz receiver. Two auto-correlators and one acousto-optical spectrometer serve as backends. This article gives an overview over the processing of the data delivered by these instruments and discusses calibration issues.

The Odin satellite, which can observe the 1 1 0 -1 0 1 rotational line at 557 GHz of ortho water with a high spectral resolution (80 m s - 1 ) and a spatial resolution of 2.1', is well suited for cometary studies. The intensity of this line provides an estimate of the water production rate. The line width gives a direct measure of the coma expansion velocity. The line centre position and shape are affected by the anisotropy of the outgassing and by optical depth effects. Comets observed with Odin up to now are C/2001 A2 (LINEAR) during the commissioning phase of the satellite, 19P/Borrelly at the time of the Deep Space 1 flyby, C/2000 WM 1 (LINEAR), and 153P/2002 Cl (Ikeya-Zhang). For this last comet, thorough observations were made at the moment of its closest approach to Earth at the end of April 2002. A deep integration resulted in the detection of the 1 1 0 -1 0 1 line of H 2 1 8 O at 548 GHz. No 1 6 O/ 1 8 O isotopic anomaly is found.

For the first time, a search has been conducted in our Galaxy for the 119 GHz transition connecting to the ground state of O2, using the Odin satellite. Equipped with a sensitive 3 mm receiver (Tsy ...

Odin has successfully observed the molecular core rho Oph A in the 572.5 GHz rotational ground state line of ammonia, NH3 (J,K = 1,0 - 0,0). The interpretation of this result makes use of complementary molecular line data obtained from the ground (C17O and CH3OH) as part of the Odin preparatory work. Comparison of these observations with theoretical model calculations of line excitation and transfer yields a quite ordinary abundance of methanol, X(CH3OH) = 3e-9. Unless NH3 is not entirely segregated from C17O and CH3OH, ammonia is found to be significantly underabundant with respect to typical dense core values, viz. X(NH3) = 8e-10.

Odin is a satellite with a combined astronomy and aeronomy mission. It is designed for observations of species dicult or impossible to observe from ground, especially water and oxygen. The main instrument is a radiometer, operating in the frequency range 486-581 GHz and at 118.75 GHz. Its double-reflector telescope has a 1.1 m primary and the front-end amplifiers are cooled for maximum sensitivity. A 3-axis-stabilisation system provides a pointing accuracy better than 10 00 .O din was developed on behalf of the space agencies in Sweden, Canada, France and Finland and was launched into a sun synchronous circular orbit in February 2001. The Odin Science Team, composed of astronomers and aeronomers from the partner countries, has established the observing programme and is responsible for all scientific matters regarding the Odin project. The spacecraft and instruments are performing well and operations are expected to continue well beyond the nominal two-year lifetime.

Context. The Odin satellite is now into its sixteenth year of operation, much surpassing its design life of two years. One of the sources which Odin has observed in great detail is the Sgr A Complex in the centre of the Milky Way. Aims. To study the presence of NH3 in the Galactic Centre and spiral arms. Methods. Recently, Odin has made complementary observations of the 572 GHz NH3 line towards the Sgr A +50 km/s Cloud and Circumnuclear Disk (CND). Results. Significant NH3 emission has been observed in both the +50 km/s Cloud and the CND. Clear NH3 absorption has also been detected in many of the spiral arm features along the line of sight from the Sun to the core of our Galaxy. Conclusions. The very large velocity width (80 km/s) of the NH3 emission associated with the shock region in the southwestern part of the CND may suggest a formation/desorption scenario similar to that of gas-phase H2O in shocks/outflows.

To date O2 has definitely been detected in only two sources, namely rho Oph A and Orion, reflecting the extremely low abundance of O2 in the interstellar medium. One of the sources in the HOP program is the +50 km/s Cloud in the Sgr A Complex in the centre of the Milky Way. The Herschel HIFI is used to search for the 487 and 774 GHz emission lines of O2. No O2 emission is detected towards the Sgr A +50 km/s Cloud, but a number of strong emission lines of methanol (CH3OH) and absorption lines of chloronium (H2Cl+) are observed. A 3 sigma upper limit for the fractional abundance ratio of (O2)/(H2) in the Sgr A +50 km/s Cloud is found to be X(O2) less than 5 x 10(-8). However, since we can find no other realistic molecular candidate than O2 itself, we very tentatively suggest that two weak absorption lines at 487.261 and 487.302 GHz may be caused by the 487 GHz line of O2 in two foreground spiral arm clouds. By considering that the absorption may only be apparent, the estimated upper limit to the O2 abundance of less than (10-20) x 10(-6) in these foreground clouds is very high. This abundance limit was determined also using Odin non-detection limits. If the absorption is due to a differential Herschel OFF-ON emission, the O2 fractional abundance may be of the order of (5-10) x 10(-6). With the assumption of pure absorption by foreground clouds, the unreasonably high abundance of (1.4-2.8) x 10(-4) was obtained. The rotation temperatures for CH3OH-A and CH3OH-E lines in the +50 km/s Cloud are found to be 64 and 79 K, respectively, and the fractional abundance of CH3OH is approximately 5 x 10(-7).

Aims. The Sagittarius A complex in the Galactic centre comprises an ensemble of molecular clouds of different species with a variety of geometrical and kinematic properties. This work aims to study molecular abundances, morphology, and kinematics by comparing hydroxyl, water, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and atomic carbon and some of their isotopologues, in the +50 km s-1 cloud, the circumnuclear disk (CND), the +20 km s-1 cloud, the expanding molecular ring and the line-of-sight spiral arm features, including the Local/Sgr arm, the −30 km s-1 arm, and the 3-kpc arm. Methods. We observed the +50 km s-1 cloud, the CND and the +20 km s-1 cloud, and other selected positions at the Galactic centre with the VLA, and the Odin satellite. The VLA was used to map the 1665 and 1667 MHz OH lambda doublet main lines of the (2Π3/2) state, and the Odin satellite was used to map the 557 GHz H2O (110 − 101) line as well as to observe the 548 GHz H218O (110-101) line, the 572 GHz NH3 (10 − 00) line, the 576 GHz CO J = 5 − 4 line and the 492 GHz C i (3P1–3P0) line. Furthermore, the SEST was used to map a region of the Sgr A complex in the 220 GHz C18O J = 2−1 line. Results. Strong OH absorption, H2O emission and absorption lines were seen at all observed positions, and the H218O line was detected in absorption towards the +50 km s-1 cloud, the CND, the +20 km s-1cloud, the expanding molecular ring, and the 3-kpc arm. Strong CO J = 5−4, C18O J = 2−1, and neutral carbon C i emissions were seen towards the +50 and +20 km s-1 clouds. NH3 was only detected in weak absorption originating in the line-of-sight spiral arm features. The abundances of OH and H2O in the +50 and +20 km s-1 clouds reflect the different physical environments in the clouds, where shocks and star formation prevail in the +50 km s-1 cloud and giving rise to a higher rate of H2O production there than in the +20 km s-1 cloud. In the CND, cloud collisions and shocks are frequent, and the CND is also subject to intense UV-radiation emanating from the supermassive black hole and the central star cluster. The CND is rich in H2O and OH, and these abundances are considerably higher than in the +50 and +20 km s-1 clouds. We compare our estimated abundances of OH, H2O, and NH3 with similar and differing results for some other sources available in the literature. As compared to the quiescent cloud values of a few × 10-9, or lower, the H2O abundance is markedly enhanced in the front sides of the Sgr A molecular cloud cores, (2−7) × 10-8, as observed in absorption, and highest in the CND. A similar abundance enhancement is seen in OH. The likely explanation is PDR chemistry including grain surface reactions, and perhaps also the influence of shocks. In the redward high-velocity line wings of the +50 and +20 km s-1 clouds and the CND, the H2O abundances are estimated to be (1−6) × 10-6 or higher, i.e., similar to the water abundances in outflows of the Orion KL and DR21 molecular clouds, which are said to be caused by the combined action of shock desorption from icy grain mantles and high-temperature, gas-phase shock chemistry.