LABORATORY DETECTION OF THIOCYANIC ACID HSCN

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2009 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/706/2/1588· OSTI ID:21378079

Bruenken, S; Yu, Z; Gottlieb, C A; McCarthy, M C; Thaddeus, P ^[1]

---

1. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

The rotational spectrum of thiocyanic acid HSCN, a highly polar isomer of the well-known astronomical molecule isothiocyanic acid HNCS, has been measured in two radio bands: in the centimeter-wave band by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy in a molecular beam, and in the millimeter-wave band by long-path absorption spectroscopy in a low-pressure glow discharge. Twelve spectroscopic constants were derived from more than 60 a-type rotational transitions between 11 and 346 GHz with J up to 30 and K{sub a} <= 6, including seven centimeter-wave transitions with resolved hyperfine structure. With these constants the rotational spectrum in the K{sub a} = 0 and K{sub a} = 1 ladders-those most likely to be observed in space-can now be calculated up to 400 GHz with formal uncertainties of less than 0.2 km s{sup -1} in equivalent radial velocity. Thiocyanic acid was recently identified in Sgr B2 by Halfen et al. following the laboratory measurements, and there is possible evidence for it in cold dark clouds, with the implication that HSCN may be detectable in many galactic sources.

• OSTI ID: 21378079
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 706; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
BEAMS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FOURIER TRANSFORMATION
FREQUENCY RANGE
GHZ RANGE
GHZ RANGE 100-1000
GLOW DISCHARGES
HYPERFINE STRUCTURE
INTEGRAL TRANSFORMATIONS
ISOMERS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
MOLECULAR BEAMS
RADIAL VELOCITY
RADIATIONS
SPECTROSCOPY
THIOCYANIC ACID
TRANSFORMATIONS
VELOCITY