DNC/HNC RATIO OF MASSIVE CLUMPS IN EARLY EVOLUTIONARY STAGES OF HIGH-MASS STAR FORMATION

We have observed the (HNC)-C-13 J = 1-0 and DNC J = 1-0 lines toward 18 massive clumps, including infrared dark clouds (IRDCs) and high-mass protostellar objects (HMPOs), by using the Nobeyama Radio Observatory 45 m telescope. We have found that the (HNC)-C-13 emission is stronger than the DNC emission toward all of the observed sources. The averaged DNC/HNC ratio is indeed lower toward the observed high-mass sources (0.009 +/- 0.005) than toward the low-mass starless and star-forming cores (0.06). The kinetic temperature derived from the NH3 (J, K) = (1, 1) and (2, 2) line intensities is higher toward the observed high-mass sources than toward the low-mass cores. However, the DNC/HNC ratio of some IRDCs involving the Spitzer 24 mu m sources is found to be lower than that of HMPOs, although the kinetic temperature of the IRDCs is lower than that of the HMPOs. This implies that the DNC/HNC ratio does not depend only on the current kinetic temperature. With the aid of chemical model simulations, we discuss how the DNC/HNC ratio decreases after the birth of protostars. We suggest that the DNC/HNC ratio in star-forming cores depends on the physical conditions and history in their starless-core phase, such as its duration time and the gas kinetic temperature.