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The Arecibo ARP 220 spectral census I: discovery of the pre-biotic molecule methanimine and new cm-wavelength transitions of other molecules
List of Titles
The Arecibo ARP 220 spectral census I: discovery of the pre-biotic molecule methanimine and new cm-wavelength transitions of other molecules
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/229438
- Title
- The Arecibo ARP 220 spectral census I: discovery of the pre-biotic molecule methanimine and new cm-wavelength transitions of other molecules
- Author(s)
- Salter, C. J.; Ghosh, T.; Catinella, B.; Lebron, M.; Lerner, M. S.; Minchin, R.; Momjian, E.
- Abstract
- An on-going Arecibo line search between 1.1 and 10 GHz of the prototypical starburst/megamaser galaxy, Arp 220, has revealed a spectrum rich in molecular transitions. These include the 'pre-biotic' molecules: methanimine (CH 2NH) in emission, three v 2 = 1 direct l-type absorption lines of HCN, and an absorption feature likely to be from either 18OH or formic acid (HCOOH). In addition, we report the detection of two, possibly three, transitions of lambda 4 cm excited OH not previously detected in Arp 220 which are seen in absorption, and a possible absorption feature from the 6.668 GHz line of methanol. This marks the first distant extragalactic detection of methanimine, a pre-biotic molecule. Also, if confirmed, the possible methanol absorption line presented here would represent the first extragalactic detection of methanol at a distance further than 10 Mpc. In addition, the strong, previously undetected, cm-wave HCN v 2 = 1 direct l-type lines will aid the study of dense molecular gas and active star-forming regions in this starburst galaxy.
- Publication type
- Journal article
- Source
- Astronomical Journal, Vol. 136, no. 1 (Jul 2008), pp. 389-399
- Publication year
- 2008
- FOR Code(s)
- 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences
- Keyword(s)
- Arp 220; Galaxies; ISM; Radio lines; Starburst
- Publisher
- Institute of Physics Publishing
- ISSN
- 0004-6256
- Publisher URL
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/136/1/389
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2008 The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. The American Astronomical Society does not allow Swinburne Research Bank to archive either the accepted manuscript or the published version of the article. However you can find an earlier version of the full text here: http://arxiv.org/abs/0805.1205
- Peer reviewed
