On the Chemical Evolution of Collapsing Starless Cores

In order to understand internal dynamics of starless cores, molecular line emissions are usually observed. From profiles of the molecular lines, internal motions of starless cores have been deduced using a simple radiative transfer model such as the two-layer model (Myers et al.1996). This brings complexities arising from the chemical evolution. The motivation of this study is to follow the chemical evolution of a starless core that goes through gravitational contraction. For this purpose, we have performed hydrodynamical simulations with a marginally unstable Bonnor-Ebert sphere as an initial condition. We follow the chemical evolution of this core with changing conditions such as the chemical reaction rate at the dust surface and the strength of radiation field that penetrate into the core. At the core center, the molecules suffer from a higher degree of molecular depletion on the dust covered by ice rather than on the bare silicate dust. The stronger radiation field dissociates more molecules at the core envelope. From analysis on the line profile using the two-layer model, we found that the speed of inward motion deduced from the HCN F = 2-1 line adequately traces the true infall speed, when the dust is covered by ice and the core is exposed to the diffuse interstellar radiation field. Under different conditions, the two-layer model significantly underestimate the infall speed.