Identification of the interstellar cyanomethyl radical (CH2CN) in the molecular clouds TMC-1 and Sagittarius B2.

W. M. Irvine; P. Friberg; A. Hjalmarson; S. Ishikawa; N. Kaifu; K. Kawaguchi; S. C. Madden; H. E. Matthews; M. Ohishi; S. Saito; H. Suzuki; P. Thaddeus; B. E. Turner; S. Yamamoto; L. M. Ziurys

doi:10.1086/185323

Identification of the interstellar cyanomethyl radical (CH2CN) in the molecular clouds TMC-1 and Sagittarius B2.

W. M. Irvine, P. Friberg, A. Hjalmarson, S. Ishikawa, N. Kaifu, K. Kawaguchi, S. C. Madden, H. E. Matthews, M. Ohishi, S. Saito, H. Suzuki, P. Thaddeus, B. E. Turner, S. Yamamoto, L. M. Ziurys

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Abstract

We report the astronomical identification of the cyanomethyl radical, CH2CN, the heaviest nonlinear molecular radical to be identified in interstellar clouds. The complex fine and hyperfine structures of the lowest rotational transitions at about 20.12 and 40.24 GHz are resolved in TMC-1, where the abundance appears to be about 5 x 10(-9) relative to that of H2. This is significantly greater than the observed abundance of CH3CN (methyl cyanide) in TMC-1. In Sgr B2 the hyperfine structure is blended in the higher frequency transitions at 40, 80, and 100 GHz, although the spin-rotation doubling is clearly evident. Preliminary searches in other sources indicate that the distribution of CH2CN is similar to that for such carbon chain species as HC3N or C4H.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L107-111
Journal	The Astrophysical journal
Volume	334
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/185323
State	Published - Nov 15 1988
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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Irvine, W. M., Friberg, P., Hjalmarson, A., Ishikawa, S., Kaifu, N., Kawaguchi, K., Madden, S. C., Matthews, H. E., Ohishi, M., Saito, S., Suzuki, H., Thaddeus, P., Turner, B. E., Yamamoto, S., & Ziurys, L. M. (1988). Identification of the interstellar cyanomethyl radical (CH2CN) in the molecular clouds TMC-1 and Sagittarius B2. The Astrophysical journal, 334(2), L107-111. https://doi.org/10.1086/185323

Irvine, WM, Friberg, P, Hjalmarson, A, Ishikawa, S, Kaifu, N, Kawaguchi, K, Madden, SC, Matthews, HE, Ohishi, M, Saito, S, Suzuki, H, Thaddeus, P, Turner, BE, Yamamoto, S & Ziurys, LM 1988, 'Identification of the interstellar cyanomethyl radical (CH2CN) in the molecular clouds TMC-1 and Sagittarius B2.', The Astrophysical journal, vol. 334, no. 2, pp. L107-111. https://doi.org/10.1086/185323

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title = "Identification of the interstellar cyanomethyl radical (CH2CN) in the molecular clouds TMC-1 and Sagittarius B2.",

abstract = "We report the astronomical identification of the cyanomethyl radical, CH2CN, the heaviest nonlinear molecular radical to be identified in interstellar clouds. The complex fine and hyperfine structures of the lowest rotational transitions at about 20.12 and 40.24 GHz are resolved in TMC-1, where the abundance appears to be about 5 x 10(-9) relative to that of H2. This is significantly greater than the observed abundance of CH3CN (methyl cyanide) in TMC-1. In Sgr B2 the hyperfine structure is blended in the higher frequency transitions at 40, 80, and 100 GHz, although the spin-rotation doubling is clearly evident. Preliminary searches in other sources indicate that the distribution of CH2CN is similar to that for such carbon chain species as HC3N or C4H.",

author = "Irvine, {W. M.} and P. Friberg and A. Hjalmarson and S. Ishikawa and N. Kaifu and K. Kawaguchi and Madden, {S. C.} and Matthews, {H. E.} and M. Ohishi and S. Saito and H. Suzuki and P. Thaddeus and Turner, {B. E.} and S. Yamamoto and Ziurys, {L. M.}",

year = "1988",

month = nov,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1086/185323",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "334",

pages = "L107--111",

journal = "The Astrophysical journal",

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T1 - Identification of the interstellar cyanomethyl radical (CH2CN) in the molecular clouds TMC-1 and Sagittarius B2.

AU - Irvine, W. M.

AU - Friberg, P.

AU - Hjalmarson, A.

AU - Ishikawa, S.

AU - Kaifu, N.

AU - Kawaguchi, K.

AU - Madden, S. C.

AU - Matthews, H. E.

AU - Ohishi, M.

AU - Saito, S.

AU - Suzuki, H.

AU - Thaddeus, P.

AU - Turner, B. E.

AU - Yamamoto, S.

AU - Ziurys, L. M.

PY - 1988/11/15

Y1 - 1988/11/15

N2 - We report the astronomical identification of the cyanomethyl radical, CH2CN, the heaviest nonlinear molecular radical to be identified in interstellar clouds. The complex fine and hyperfine structures of the lowest rotational transitions at about 20.12 and 40.24 GHz are resolved in TMC-1, where the abundance appears to be about 5 x 10(-9) relative to that of H2. This is significantly greater than the observed abundance of CH3CN (methyl cyanide) in TMC-1. In Sgr B2 the hyperfine structure is blended in the higher frequency transitions at 40, 80, and 100 GHz, although the spin-rotation doubling is clearly evident. Preliminary searches in other sources indicate that the distribution of CH2CN is similar to that for such carbon chain species as HC3N or C4H.

AB - We report the astronomical identification of the cyanomethyl radical, CH2CN, the heaviest nonlinear molecular radical to be identified in interstellar clouds. The complex fine and hyperfine structures of the lowest rotational transitions at about 20.12 and 40.24 GHz are resolved in TMC-1, where the abundance appears to be about 5 x 10(-9) relative to that of H2. This is significantly greater than the observed abundance of CH3CN (methyl cyanide) in TMC-1. In Sgr B2 the hyperfine structure is blended in the higher frequency transitions at 40, 80, and 100 GHz, although the spin-rotation doubling is clearly evident. Preliminary searches in other sources indicate that the distribution of CH2CN is similar to that for such carbon chain species as HC3N or C4H.

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JF - The Astrophysical journal

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ER -

Identification of the interstellar cyanomethyl radical (CH2CN) in the molecular clouds TMC-1 and Sagittarius B2.

Abstract

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