Interstellar hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and its isotopic variant (H2(34)S) have been observed toward several positions in OMC-1 via their 1(10)-1(01) transitions near 168 GHz using the FCRAO 14 m telescope. We derive total column densities toward Orion(KL) for the extended ridge, for the plateau, and for the hot core, in addition to values for other positions in OMC-1. The fractional abundance of H2S (approximately 10(-9)) in the quiescent regions of OMC-1 seems to be difficult to explain by currently known ion-molecule reactions. The fractional abundance of H2S relative to H2 is enhanced by a factor of 1000 in the hot core and the plateau relative to the quiescent clouds. This enhancement may be a result of grain surface chemistry and/or of high-temperature gas-phase chemistry. From the nondetection of HDS in its 2(11)-2(12) transition, we estimate the abundance ratio [HDS]/H2S] < or = 0.02 in the hot core.
A spectral survey of Orion-KL has been carried out in the 2 mm atmospheric window in the frequency range 149.6-159.6 GHz, using the FCRAO 14 m telescope. Typical sensitivities achieved were T*A approximately 0.03-0.1 K, peak-to-peak. Over 180 spectral lines were detected, including approximately 45 unidentified features. The spectra were measured with a single-sideband receiver and, even at levels of T*A approximately 30 mK, are far from being confusion-limited. Fifteen known species were conclusively identified in Orion in this spectral region, with the largest numbers of lines arising from methyl formate, ethyl cyanide, methanol, and dimethyl ether. These species have beam-averaged column densities of N(tot) approximately 0.5-8 x 10(15) cm-2. Several other species have been tentatively observed, including acetaldehyde, C2S, and possibly EtOH. The large organic species, however, appear to arise from different regions. For example, CH3CCH and (CH3)2O come primarily from the extended ridge, while EtCN and VyCN exclusively arise in the hot core. This survey clearly demonstrates that the 2 mm window is rich in spectral lines. It also suggests there is much chemical selectivity in the formation of large organic interstellar molecules.
We have detected a new interstellar molecule, H2CN (methylene amidogen), in the cold, dark molecular cloud TMC-l. The column density of H2CN is estimated to be approximately 1.5 x 10(11) cm-2 by assuming an excitation temperature of 5 K. This column density corresponds to a fractional abundance relative to H2 of approximately 1.5 x 10(-11). This value is more than three orders of magnitude less than the abundance of the related molecule HCN in TMC-1. We also report a tentative detection of H2CN in Sgr B2(N). The formation mechanism of H2CN is discussed. Our detection of the H2CN molecule may suggest the existence of a new series of carbon-chain molecules, CH2CnN (n = 0, 1, 2,...).
Nitric oxide has been newly detected towards several star-forming clouds, including Orion-KL, Sgr B2(N), W33A, W51M, and DR21(OH) via its J = 3/2 --> 1/2 transitions near 150 GHz, using the FCRAO 14 m telescope. Both lambda-doubling components of NO were observed towards all sources. Column densities derived for nitric oxide in these clouds are N approximately 10(15)-10(16) cm-2, corresponding to fractional abundances of f approximately 0.5-1.0 x 10(-8), relative to H2. Towards Orion-KL, the NO line profile suggests that the species arises primarily from hot, dense gas. Nitric oxide may arise from warm material toward the other clouds as well. Nitric oxide in star-forming regions could be synthesized by high-temperature reactions, although the observed abundances do not disagree with values predicted from low-temperature, ion-molecule chemistry by more than one order of magnitude. The abundance of NO, unlike other simple interstellar nitrogen compounds, does appear to be reproduced by chemical models, at least to a good approximation. Regardless of the nature of formation of NO, it appears to be a common constituent of warm, dense molecular clouds. N-O bonds may therefore be more prevalent than previously thought.
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