Far-Infrared Detection of H3O+ in Sagittarius B2

We report the first far-infrared detection of the hydronium ion (H₃O⁺) toward the Sagittarius B2 molecular cloud, near the Galactic center. Using the Infrared Space Observatory Long-Wavelength Spectrometer, we have detected three lines arising from the ν₂ ground-state inversion mode (0⁺-->0^-) at 55.3 cm^-1. All transitions are observed in absorption against the optically thick infrared continuum emission of the dust. Two different absorption regions can be distinguished, the H₃O⁺ associated with the Sgr B2 extended envelope and that of foreground gas along the line of sight. The derived abundances for both components are rather similar, <~1×10^-9, and may explain the high water abundance found in the low-density gas toward Sgr B2 as its dissociative recombination leads to the formation of important molecules OH and H₂O. Contribution of the Q(1, 1) line of para-H₃O⁺ to the 2₁₂-1₀₁ line of H₂¹⁸O is also analyzed. This allows a better determination of water abundance from far-infrared observations. The corrected H₂O abundances are <=10^-6 for the diffuse clouds along the line of sight and a few times 10^-6 for the gas associated with the Sgr B2 envelope, in good agreement with water vapor observations from the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite. Based on observations with ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA member states (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK) and with participation of ISAS and NASA.