HD Molecular Lines in an Absorption System at Redshift z=2.3377
Abstract
We have analyzed the spectrum of the quasar PKS 1232+082 obtained by Petitjean et al. (2000). HD molecular lines are identified in an absorption system at the redshift z=2.3377. The column density of HD molecules in the system is estimated, N(HD)=(1-4)x10^{14} cm^{-2}. The temperature of excitation of the first rotational level J=1 relative to the ground state J=0 is T_ex=70+-7 K. This is, to our knowledge, the first detection of HD molecules at high redshift.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy Letters
- Pub Date:
- November 2001
- DOI:
- 10.1134/1.1415856
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0107310
- Bibcode:
- 2001AstL...27..683V
- Keywords:
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- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 7 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in "Astronomy Letters"