Radio detection of interstellar sulfur dioxide.
Abstract
Interstellar sulfur dioxide (SO2) has been detected in emission from the direction of the Orion Nebula molecular cloud and from Sgr B2. SO2 is the heaviest interstellar molecule detected to date, and the only nonlinear triatomic molecule which does not contain hydrogen. The remarkable Orion emission profiles suggest that two components are supporting the SO2 emission: a dense circumstellar-type envelope, which may be in maser emission, and a warm galactic cloud component.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- June 1975
- DOI:
- 10.1086/181817
- Bibcode:
- 1975ApJ...198L..81S
- Keywords:
-
- Emission Spectra;
- Interstellar Gas;
- Molecular Spectra;
- Radio Astronomy;
- Sulfur Oxides;
- Ground State;
- Hydrogen Clouds;
- Masers;
- Molecular Rotation;
- Nebulae;
- Astrophysics