Abstract

Context. Cyanide (CN) emission is expected to originate in the upper layers of protoplanetary disks, tracing UV-irradiated regions. This hypothesis, however, has been observationally tested only in a handful of disks. Elias 2-27 is a young star that hosts an extended, bright, and inclined disk of dust and gas. The inclination and extreme flaring of the disk make Elias 2-27 an ideal target to study the vertical distribution of molecules, particularly CN.