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, indicati...

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Published inarXiv.org
Main Authors McGuire, Brett A, Loomis, Ryan A, Charness, Cameron M, Corby, Joanna F, Blake, Geoffrey A, Hollis, Jan M, Lovas, Frank J, Jewell, Philip R, Remijan, Anthony J
Format Paper Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 07.09.2012
Subjects
Celestial bodies
Emission
Energy levels
Interstellar
Line spectra
Physics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
Star formation
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Summary: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.
ISSN:2331-8422
DOI:10.48550/arxiv.1209.1590