Concepedia

Publication | Closed Access

Detection of interstellar PN - The first identified phosphorus compound in the interstellar medium

DOI

205

Citations

0

References

1987

Year

B. E. Turner, John Bally
The Astrophysical Journal

Abstract

Interstellar PN has been identified in Ori (KL), W51M, and Sgr B2, by observations of its J = 2-1, 3-2, and 5-4 rotational transitions. PN appears to occur in regions of relatively high excitation, with fractional abundances of (1-10) x 10 to the -11th. Ion-molecule gas-phase reactions involving P at low temperatures cannot account for the observed PN abundances, especially when combined with upper limits for interstellar PO. Other processes, such as high-temperature gas-phase reactions (unlikely) or grain disruption, seem necessary to explain interstellar PN.