Chemical changes during star formation: high- versus low-mass YSOs

Abstract

Recent observational studies of high- and low-mass YSOs at (sub)millimeter and infrared wavelengths are reviewed, and chemical diagnostics of the different physical components are summarized. Methods for determining the temperature, density and abundance profiles in the envelopes are outlined, and are illustrated for one high-mass and one low-mass YSO. The combination of (sub)millimeter and infrared data gives a nearly complete chemical inventory of the gas and solid state material. In both high- and low-mass YSOs, the chemical characteristics are dominated by freeze-out in the cold outer part of the envelope and evaporation of ices in the warm inner part. Abundance jumps of factors of ~100 in selected molecules are found in the warm gas for both types of objects. Potential differences include (i) the complex hot core chemistry, which has been observed so far only for high-mass YSOs; (ii) the high level of deuterium fractionation seen only in low-mass YSOs; (iii) the effects of internal or external UV and X-rays; (iv) the relative importance of shocks versus thermal heating of the envelope; and (v) the importance of geometrical effects.