On the Detection of the Cyanomethyl Radical, H2CCN, in Extragalactic Sources

S. Muller, A. Beelen, M. Guélin, S. Aalto, J. H. Black, F. Combes, S. J. Curran, P. Theule, and S. N. Longmore
used the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) to study the molecular content of a foreground galaxy at z = 0.89 (FG0.89 consisting of two subsources, FG0.89SW and FG0.89NO) in absorption toward the quasar PKS 1830-211:
Molecules at //z// = 0.89: A 4-mm-Rest-Frame Absorption-Line Survey toward PKS 1830-211
Astron. Astrophys. 535, (2011) Art. No. A103.
The cyanomethyl radical shows at low quantum numbers complicated pattern caused by fine structure (FS) and hyperfine structure (HFS) of the N nucleus; at even Ka, HFS of the two equivalent H nuclei occurs. Two Ka = 0 transitions with J“ = 2 and 3 were detected. The lines were broadened because of FS and HFS.


Contributor(s): H. S. P. Müller; 5, 2012