We report on a deep search with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope
towards the galactic anticenter for the 327 MHz hyperfine transition of DI.
This is a favorable direction for a search because: (i) the HI optical depth is
high due to velocity crowding; (ii) the observed molecular column density is
low (implying that most of the deuterium would probably be in atomic form,
rather than in HD); and (iii) the stellar reprocessing should be minimal.
Our observations are about a factor of two more sensitive than previous
searches for DI in this direction. We detect a low significance (about 4 sigma)
feature, consistent in both amplitude and center frequency with an emission
feature reported previously (Blitz & Heiles 1987). If this is the DI line, then
the implied N_D/N_H of 3.9+/-1.0 x 10^-5 is comparable to the inferred
pre-solar deuterium abundance. Our observation is consistent with the recent
low measurements of D/H towards high-redshift Lyman-limit systems. On the other
hand, if the reports of high DI abundance (about 24 x 10^-5) in such systems
are confirmed, then our observations imply that even in regions of reduced star
formation within the outer Galaxy, the DI abundance has been reduced by a
factor of about 6 from the primordial abundance.Comment: 4 page LaTeX requires l-aa.sty and psfig.sty, 1 ps figure. Accepted
for publication in A&A Letter
