1975ApJ...200L.

151K

The Astrophysical Journal, 200:L151-L153, 1975 September 15

© 1975. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

DETECTION OF 2.6-MILLIMETER RADIATION PROBABLY DUE TO NITROGEN SULFIDE

T. B. H. Kuiper
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
B. ZUCKERMAN*
Astronomy Program, University of Maryland
R. K. Kakar
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
AND
Eva N. Rodriguez Kuiper
Medical Physics Program, University of California, Los Angeles
Received 1975 May 2; revised 1975 June 30
ABSTRACT
Millimeter-wavelength radiation was seen in Sgr B2 at two frequencies which correspond to transi-
tions between the / = 5/2 and the / = 3/2 A-doublet sublevels in the 2ni/2 state of nitrogen sul-
fide. If the radiation is due to this molecule, the hyperfine ratios may be anomalous.
Subject headings: molecules, interstellar — radio lines
During a search for millimeter-wavelength radiation considered unidentified. We regard this possibility as
from the gauche isomer of ethyl alcohol, the results of unlikely since this velocity exceeds by 150 km s“1 the
which will be reported elsewhere, we detected two next highest velocity at which CO is seen in Sgr B2
spectral features in Sgr B2 which we tentatively
identify as due to nitrogen sulfide, NS. The millimeter J F
transitions of this molecule have been reported by
Amano et al. (1969). Figure 1 shows the energy-level
diagram for the transitions of interest.
The observations were conducted on 1975 February
19 and 20 with the NRAO111-m telescope at Kitt Peak,
Arizona, using a cooled-mixed receiver. Spectra of 30 s
duration on the source were alternated with 30-s
reference spectra at a position —30' away in azimuth.
Figure 2 shows the spectra obtained toward Sgr B2. The
ordinate in Figure 2 is in equivalent brightness tem-
perature which incorporates corrections for beam effi-
ciency (0.7) and atmospheric attenuation obtained by
the chopper-wheel method (Penzias and Burrus 1973).
The equivalent brightness temperature differs from the
true brightness temperature only by a filling factor.
The scale was calibrated by observing 12C160 in Orion
(Ulich and Haas 1975). Parabolic baselines have been
removed in each case. The width of the features, ^25
km s-1, is consistent with the width of other molecular
lines in Sgr B2. No spectral lines were seen at 115,155
MHz toward the KL nebula in Orion (upper limit of
0.2 K) or towards IRC +10216 (upper limit of 0.05 K).
Two considerations preclude positive identification
of the observed features with transitions of NS. It is
conceivable that the radiation at 115,155 MHz in
Figure la is due to 12C160 at an LSR velocity of +360
km s-1. In this case, the line at 115,555 MHz would be
1 1
* Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow. —/JJ i //—L-1 1
H^ ^
1
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is operated by 115,150 115,200 115,500 115,550 115,600
Associated Universities, Inc., under contract with the National Fig. 1.—Energy levels of nitrogen sulfide for the transitions
Science Foundation. discussed in the text. The + and — levels are due to A-doubling.
L151

© American Astronomical Society • Provided by the NASA Astrophysics Data System

L152 KUIPER, ZUCKERMAN, KAKAR, AND RODRIGUEZ KUIPER Vol. 200

LSR VELOCITY, km/s

200 100 0 -100 -200

LSR VELOCITY, km/s

300 200 100 0 -100

Fig. 2.—Millimeter-wavelength radiation from Sgr B2, tentatively identified as due to nitrogen sulfide, (a) The/ = 5/2 3/2 (/-state)
transitions. This spectrum consists of 110 minutes of integration. The LSR velocity scale is relative to a frequency of 115153.92 MHz. The
frequency scale is given in a rest frame having an LSR velocity of +60 km s-1. Two separate klystron frequencies were used to verify that
the feature occurred in the upper sideband of the receiver. Toward higher frequencies, high-velocity components of CO emission are seen
(b) The / = 5/2 <— 3/2 (/-state) transitions. This spectrum consists of 110 minutes of integration. The LSR velocity scale is relative to a
frequency of 115556.43 MHz. The frequency scale is given in a rest frame having an LSR velocity of 60 km s-1. Three separate klystron
frequencies were used.

(see Fig. 2a), and because the width of the feature agrees
with the width of other molecular lines seen at +60
km s-1. A more serious consideration is the apparently
anomalous ratio of the hyperfine components. In
Figure 2 we have indicated the expected frequencies
and relative intensities, assuming an optically thin NS
distribution in thermodynamic equilibrium. It is seen
that a strong feature would be expected at 115,571
MHz due to a blend of the ¿-state F = 5/2 3/2 and
F = 3/2 <— 1/2 transitions, but at best a weak feature
is observed. (We follow Amano et al. 1969 in the defini-
tion of “c-levels” and “¿-levels”.) Also, because of a
blending of the c-state F = 7/2<— 5/2 and F = 5/2 <—
3/2 components, we expect the feature at 115,155 MHz
to be stronger than the one at 115,555 MHz. Instead,
they both have an apparent brightness temperature of
^0.3 K. Also, the 115,155 MHz feature occurs at a
slightly higher frequency than expected for a c-state
/ = 7/2 5/2 and 5/2 <- 3/2 blend.
Various explanations may be put forward for the

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1975ApJ...200L.151K

No. 3, 1975 2.6-MILLIMETER RADIATION DUE TO NS L153

present observations:
a) The hyperfine ratios are normal, but this is not
apparent with the present signal-to-noise ratio
b) The F = 7/2 4—5/2 features in both states are
enhanced, because of maser action or some other
phenomenon (e.g., collisions selecting specific hyperfine
states). In this interpretation, the slight frequency
discrepancy in the c-state spectrum would be an artifact
of the noise in the spectra.
c) The dominant spectral features are the c-state
F = 5/2 4— 3/2 and Estate F = 7/2 5/2 transitions.
However, a mechanism to account for this is not ap-
parent to us.
d) The hyperfine ratios may have been altered by
radiative trapping if the lines are optically thick, though
this would require either a source size much smaller than
the beam or an unusually low excitation temperature.
NO and NS bonds have long been sought in inter-
stellar space (Penzias, private communication, 1975).
This is the first indication that such bonds may exist,
and a more sensitive search for NO in Sgr B2 now
seems worthwhile. In order to confirm the NS identifica-
tion, two tests may be proposed : {a) a long integration
to detect the F = 5/2 4—3/2 and 3/2^— 1/2 blend for
the d-state, and (b) a detection of / = 3/2 4—1/2
transitions at 69 GHz.
We wish to thank the NRAO Tucson staff, and
particularly Mr. Jack Cochran, for excellent support
during these observations. This paper represents one
phase of research carried out at JPL under contract
NAS 7-100 sponsored by NASA. T. B. H. K. is a NRC
Resident Research Associate at JPL. Partial financial
support was provided through NSF grant GP-26218 to
the University of Maryland.
Note added in proof.—Observations in 1975 May of the
Estate by Gottlieb et al. (1975) show the hyperfine
components more nearly in their optically thin LTE
ratio than is shown in our Figure 2b. This confirms that
the radiation we have observed is due to NS.

REFERENCES
Amano, T., Saito, S., Hirota, E., and Morino, Y. 1969, J. Mol. Penzias, A. A., and Burrus, C. A. 1973, Ann. Rev. Astr. and Ap.,
Spedrosc.,, 32, 97. 11, 51.
Gottlieb, C. A., Ball, J. A., Gottlieb, E. W., Lada, C. J., and Ulich, B. L., and Haas, R. W. 1975, preprint.
Penfield, H. 1975, Ap. J. {Letters), 200, L147.

R. K. Kakar and T. B. H. Kuiper: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 183B-365, Pasadena, CA 91103

Eva N. Rodriguez Kuiper: Medical Physics Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024
B. Zuckerman: Astronomy Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742

© American Astronomical Society • Provided by the NASA Astrophysics Data System