INTERSTELLAR CARBODIIMIDE (HNCNH): A NEW ASTRONOMICAL DETECTION FROM THE GBT PRIMOS SURVEY VIA MASER EMISSION FEATURES
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States)
- Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States)
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899 (United States)
- National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (United States)
In this work, we identify carbodiimide (HNCNH), which is an isomer of the well-known interstellar species cyanamide (NH{sub 2}CN), in weak maser emission, using data from the Green Bank Telescope PRIMOS survey toward Sgr B2(N). All spectral lines observed are in emission and have energy levels in excess of 170 K, indicating that the molecule likely resides in relatively hot gas that characterizes the denser regions of this star-forming region. The anticipated abundance of this molecule from ice mantle experiments is {approx}10% of the abundance of NH{sub 2}CN, which in Sgr B2(N) corresponds to {approx}2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 13} cm{sup -2}. Such an abundance results in transition intensities well below the detection limit of any current astronomical facility and, as such, HNCNH could only be detected by those transitions which are amplified by masing.
- OSTI ID:
- 22078482
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 758, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Weak maser emission of methyl formate toward Sagittarius B2(N) in the green bank telescope PRIMOS survey
DETECTION OF E-CYANOMETHANIMINE TOWARD SAGITTARIUS B2(N) IN THE GREEN BANK TELESCOPE PRIMOS SURVEY