Interstellar Carbodiimide (HNCNH) - A New Astronomical Detection from the GBT PRIMOS Survey via Maser Emission Features

In this work, we identify carbodiimide (HNCNH), which is an isomer of the well-known interstellar species cyanamide (NH2CN), in weak maser emission, using data from the GBT 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 ~10% of the abundance of NH2CN, which in Sgr B2(N) corresponds to ~2 x 10^13 cm-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.Comment: Accepted in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 13 pages, 2 figures, generated using AAS LaTeX Macros v 5.

Detection of Voigt Spectral Line Profiles of Hydrogen Radio Recombination Lines toward Sagittarius B2(N)

We report the detection of Voigt spectral line profiles of radio recombination lines (RRLs) toward Sagittarius B2(N) with the 100-m Green Bank Telescope (GBT). At radio wavelengths, astronomical spectra are highly populated with RRLs, which serve as ideal probes of the physical conditions in molecular cloud complexes. An analysis of the Hn(alpha) lines presented herein shows that RRLs of higher principal quantum number (n>90) are generally divergent from their expected Gaussian profiles and, moreover, are well described by their respective Voigt profiles. This is in agreement with the theory that spectral lines experience pressure broadening as a result of electron collisions at lower radio frequencies. Given the inherent technical difficulties regarding the detection and profiling of true RRL wing spans and shapes, it is crucial that the observing instrumentation produce flat baselines as well as high sensitivity, high resolution data. The GBT has demonstrated its capabilities regarding all of these aspects, and we believe that future observations of RRL emission via the GBT will be crucial towards advancing our knowledge of the larger-scale extended structures of ionized gas in the interstellar medium (ISM)

Observational Results of a Multi-Telescope Campaign in Search of Interstellar Urea [(NH2_2)2_2CO]

In this paper, we present the results of an observational search for gas phase urea [(NH$_2$)$_2$CO] observed towards the Sgr B2(N-LMH) region. We show data covering urea transitions from $\sim$100 GHz to 250 GHz from five different observational facilities: BIMA, CARMA, the NRAO 12 m telescope, the IRAM 30 m telescope, and SEST. The results show that the features ascribed to urea can be reproduced across the entire observed bandwidth and all facilities by best fit column density, temperature, and source size parameters which vary by less than a factor of 2 between observations merely by adjusting for telescope-specific parameters. Interferometric observations show that the emission arising from these transitions is cospatial and compact, consistent with the derived source sizes and emission from a single species. Despite this evidence, the spectral complexity, both of (NH$_2$)$_2$CO and of Sgr B2(N), makes the definitive identification of this molecule challenging. We present observational spectra, laboratory data, and models, and discuss our results in the context of a possible molecular detection of urea.Comment: 38 pages, 9 Figures, accepted in the Astrophysical Journa

Microwave rotation-tunneling spectroscopy of the water–methanol dimer: Direct structural proof for the strongest bound conformation

Rotation-tunneling a-type spectra of CH3OH[centered ellipsis]H2O and CH3OD[centered ellipsis]D2O were recorded between 18 and 60 GHz using direct absorption microwave spectroscopy, and for CH3OH[centered ellipsis]H2O, 13CH3OH[centered ellipsis]H2O, CH3OH[centered ellipsis]DOH, CD3OH[centered ellipsis]H2O, and CH3OD[centered ellipsis]D2O between 7 and 24 GHz using a Fourier-transform microwave spectrometer. Because CH3OH and H2O are capable of both accepting and donating hydrogen bonds, there exists some question as to which donor–acceptor pairing of the molecules is the lowest energy form. This question is further emphasized by the ambiguity and variety present in previous experimental and computational results. Transitions arising from the methyl torsional A state were assigned in each of the studied isotopomers, and for the A and E states in CH3OH[centered ellipsis]H2O. While the measured components of the dipole moment for the parent (H,12C,16O) isotopomer—µa = 7.956 ± 0.03 × 10^–30 C m (2.385 ± 0.008 D), µb = 3.636 ± 0.02 × 10^–30 C m (1.090 ± 0.006 D), µc = 0.43 ± 0.47 × 10^–30 C m (0.13 ± 0.14 D), where the errors correspond to 1 sigma uncertainties—are consistent with either conformation, the fit of the structure to the rotational constants demonstrates unambiguously that the lower-energy conformation formed in supersonically cooled molecular beams corresponds to a water–donor, methanol–acceptor complex. The results and implications for future work are also discussed in terms of the permutation-inversion theory presented by Hougen and Ohashi [J. Mol. Spectros. 159, 363 (1993)]

A Search for l-C_3H^+ and l-C_3H in Sgr B2(N), Sgr B2(OH), and the Dark Cloud TMC-1

Pety et al. (2012) recently reported the detection of several transitions of an unknown carrier in the Horsehead PDR and attribute them to l-C_3H^+. Here, we have tested the predictive power of their fit by searching for, and identifying, the previously unobserved J = 1−0 and J = 2−1 transitions of the unknown carrier (B11244) towards Sgr B2(N) in data from the publicly available PRIMOS project. Also presented here are observations of the J = 6 − 5 and J = 7 − 6 transitions towards Sgr B2(N) and Sgr B2(OH) using the Barry E. Turner Legacy Survey and results from the Kaifu et al. (2004) survey of TMC-1. We calculate an excitation temperature and column density of B11244 of ∼10 K and ∼10^(13) cm^(−2) in Sgr B2(N) and ∼79 K with an upper limit of ≤ 1.5 × 10^(13) cm^(−2) in Sgr B2(OH) and find trace evidence for the cation’s presence in TMC-1. Finally, we present spectra of the neutral species in both Sgr B2(N) and TMC-1, and comment on the robustness of the assignment of the detected signals to l-C_3H^+

Molecular structures of gas‐phase polyatomic molecules determined by spectroscopic methods

Spectroscopic data related to the structures of polyatomic molecules in the gas phase have been reviewed, critically evaluated, and compiled. All reported bond distances and angles have been classified as equilibrium (re), average (rz), substitution (rs), or effective (ro) parameters, and have been given a quality rating which is a measure of the parameter uncertainty. The surveyed literature includes work from all of the areas of gas‐phase spectroscopy from which precise quantitative structural information can be derived. Introductory material includes definitions of the various types of parameters and a description of the evaluation procedure.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87746/2/619_1.pd

The microwave spectrum, structure and dipole moment of 1,4-pentadiyne

The microwave spectra of 1,4-pentadiyne and 1,4-pentadiyne-1,5-d2 are assigned and rotational and centrifugal distortion constants obtained. A unique structure could not be determined. However, analysis of the moments of inertia indicates that the bond distances in C5H4 are close to typical values found in other related compounds. An interaction involving the acetylene moieties is evidenced by the derived bond angles. The data are consistent with either the central CCC angle being close to the tetrahedral value with the acetylene groups pushed away from linearity by approximately 3-4[deg] or opening of the central CCC angle to about 113[deg] along with linear acetylene groups. A range of structures between these two is also possible. The dipole moment is determined to be 0.516(5) D.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/24440/1/0000713.pd