An Unbiased 1.3 mm Emission Line Survey of the Protoplanetary Disk Orbiting LkCa 15

Abstract

The outer (>30 AU) regions of the dusty circumstellar disk orbiting the ̃2-5 Myr old, actively accreting solar analog LkCa 15 are known to be chemically rich, and the inner disk may host a young protoplanet within its central cavity. To obtain a complete census of the brightest molecular line emission emanating from the LkCa 15 disk over the 210-270 GHz (1.4-1.1 mm) range, we have conducted an unbiased radio spectroscopic survey with the Institute de Radioastronomie Millimétrique (IRAM) 30 m telescope. The survey demonstrates that in this spectral region, the most readily detectable lines are those of CO and its isotopologues <SUP>13</SUP>CO and C<SUP>18</SUP>O, as well as HCO<SUP>+</SUP>, HCN, CN, C<SUB>2</SUB>H, CS, and H<SUB>2</SUB>CO. All of these species had been previously detected in the LkCa 15 disk; however, the present survey includes the first complete coverage of the CN (2-1) and C<SUB>2</SUB>H (3-2) hyperfine complexes. Modeling of these emission complexes indicates that the CN and C<SUB>2</SUB>H either reside in the coldest regions of the disk or are subthermally excited, and that their abundances are enhanced relative to molecular clouds and young stellar object environments. These results highlight the value of unbiased single-dish line surveys in guiding future high-resolution interferometric imaging of disks.