2014ApJ...780...41M

We present a detailed analysis of the mid-infrared spectrum of the peculiar evolved object HR 4049. The full Spitzer-IRS high-resolution spectrum shows a wealth of emission with prominent features from CO₂ and H₂O and possible contributions from HCN and OH. We model the molecular emission and find that it originates from a massive (M ≳ 8x10^–3 M_☉), warm (T_ex~ 500 K) and radially extended gas disk that is optically thick at infrared wavelengths. We also report less enrichment in ¹⁷O and ¹⁸O than previously found and a comparison of the Spitzer observations to earlier data obtained by the Short Wavelength Spectrometer on board the Infrared Space Observatory reveals that the CO₂flux has more than doubled in 10 yr time, indicating active and ongoing chemical evolution in the circumbinary disk. If the gas originates from interaction between the stellar wind and the dust, this suggests that the dust could be oxygen-rich in nature. The molecular gas plays a crucial role in the thermal properties of the circumbinary disk by allowing visible light to heat the dust and then trapping the infrared photons emitted by the dust. This results in higher temperatures and a more homogeneous temperature structure in the disk.