THE HYDROCARBON RING C3H2 IS UBIQUITOUS IN THE GALAXY

Publication Date

1985

Journal or Book Title

ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL

Abstract

The discovery of a strong microwave (1.6 cm-wavelength) spectral line, the carrier of which is common and widespread throughout the Galaxy is reported. A survey of a large number of sources shows that the line appears in emission in cold dust clouds, in absorption in the direction of the Galactic center, and exhibits complex profiles toward H II regions. Toward Cas A and distant H II regions, intervening 'spiral arm' clouds produce absorption. For almost all cases, the absorption features show a striking 1:1 radial velocity correspondence with those seen, e.g., in H2CO spectra of the same objects. The data indicate that the line arises between low-lying energy states of a rather polar molecule. Recent work by Thaddeus, Vrtilek, and Gottlieb (1985) incorporating the present data, shows that the line in question is the 1(10)-1(01) transition of the small hydrocarbon ring C3H2.

Comments

The published version is located at http://adsabs.harvard.edu/doi/10.1086/184567

Pages

L61-L65

Volume

298

Issue

2

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