Silicon nitride, SiN, was identified in spectra recorded toward IRC+10216 by
B. E. Turner,
Detection of SiN in IRC +10216
Astrophys. J. 388, L35–L38 (1992).

SiN is one of the few silicon containing molecules that have been observed in the interstellar medium – in this case in absorption toward Sgr B2(M):
P. Schilke, S. Leurini, K. M. Menten, and J. Alcolea,
Interstellar SiN
Astron. Astrophys. 412, L15–L18 (2003).
Even though only the J = 5/2 – 3/2 fine structure component of the N = 2 – 1 rotational transition was observed the resolved ¹⁴N hyperfine structure secures the detection.

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Contributor(s): H. S. P. Müller; 02, 2006

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