New molecular species at redshift z=0.89

Abstract

We present the first detections of CH3SH, C3H+, C3N, HCOOH, CH2CHCN, and H2CN in an extragalactic source. Namely the spiral arm of a galaxy located at z=0.89 on the line of sight to the radio-loud quasar PKS 1830-211. OCS, SO2, and NH2CN were also detected, raising the total number of molecular species identified in that early time galaxy to 54, not counting isotopologues. The detections were made in absorption against the SW quasar image, at 2 kpc from the galaxy centre, over the course of a Q band spectral line survey made with the Yebes 40 m telescope (rest-frame frequencies: 58.7-93.5 GHz). We derived the rotational temperatures and column densities of those species, which are found to be subthermally excited. The molecular abundances, and in particular the large abundances of C3H+ and of several previously reported cations, are characteristic of diffuse or translucent clouds with enhanced UV radiation or strong shocks.

Accepted for publication in A&A

References in corpus (16)

• Discovery of the Interstellar Chiral Molecule Propylene Oxide (CH${}_3$CHCH${}_2$O)
• A 2 mm spectral line survey of the starburst galaxy NGC 253
• The chemistry and spatial distribution of small hydrocarbons in UV-irradiated molecular clouds: the Orion Bar PDR
• Detection of E-cyanomethanimine towards Sagittarius B2(N) in the Green Bank Telescope PRIMOS Survey
• Laboratory Characterization and Astrophysical Detection of Vibrationally Excited States of Vinyl Cyanide in Orion-KL
• Spectral imaging of the Sagittarius B2 region in multiple 3-mm molecular lines with the Mopra telescope
• Probing isotopic ratios at z = 0.89: molecular line absorption in front of the quasar PKS 1830-211
• Complex organic molecules in strongly UV-irradiated gas
• An ALMA Early Science survey of molecular absorption lines toward PKS1830-211 -- Analysis of the absorption profiles
• Gamma-ray flaring activity from the gravitationally lensed blazar PKS 1830-211 observed by Fermi LAT
• Trans-cis molecular photoswitching in interstellar Space
• Drastic changes in the molecular absorption at redshift z=0.89 toward the quasar PKS 1830-211
• Detection of chloronium and measurement of the 35Cl/37Cl isotopic ratio at z=0.89 toward PKS1830-211
• OH+ and H2O+ absorption toward PKS1830-211
• Detection of CH+, SH+, and their 13C- and 34S- isotopologues toward PKS1830-211
• A CSO Search for $l$-C${}_3$H${}^{+}$: Detection in the Orion Bar PDR

Cited by in corpus (10)

• Yebes 40 m radio telescope and the broad band NANOCOSMOS receivers at 7 mm and 3 mm for line surveys
• A study of C4H3N isomers in TMC-1: line by line detection of HCCCH2CN
• Discovery of C5H+ and detection of C3H+ in TMC-1 with the QUIJOTE line survey
• Interstellar detection of the simplest aminocarbyne, H2NC: an ignored but abundant molecule
• A study of submillimeter methanol absorption toward PKS1830-211: Excitation, invariance of the proton-electron mass ratio, and systematics
• The chemistry of H2NC in the interstellar medium and the role of the C + NH3 reaction
• H2CN/H2NC abundance ratio: a new potential temperature tracer for the interstellar medium
• Discovery of Hydrogen Radio Recombination Lines at z=0.89 towards PKS 1830-211
• On the scarcity of redshifted OH and millimetre-band molecular absorption
• Carbonates and ices in the $z=0.89$ galaxy-absorber towards PKS 1830-211 and within star-forming regions of the Milky Way