Rotational Spectrum and First Interstellar Detection of 2-methoxyethanol Using ALMA Observations of NGC 6334I
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Rotational Spectrum and First Interstellar Detection of 2-methoxyethanol Using ALMA Observations of NGC 6334I. / Fried, Zachary T. P.; El-Abd, Samer J.; Hays, Brian M.; Wenzel, Gabi; Byrne, Alex N.; Margulès, Laurent; Motiyenko, Roman A.; Shipman, Steven T.; Horne, Maria P.; Jørgensen, Jes K.; Brogan, Crystal L.; Hunter, Todd R.; Remijan, Anthony J.; Lipnicky, Andrew; Loomis, Ryan A.; McGuire, Brett A.
In: Astrophysics Journal Letters, Vol. 965, No. 2, L23, 2024.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Rotational Spectrum and First Interstellar Detection of 2-methoxyethanol Using ALMA Observations of NGC 6334I
AU - Fried, Zachary T. P.
AU - El-Abd, Samer J.
AU - Hays, Brian M.
AU - Wenzel, Gabi
AU - Byrne, Alex N.
AU - Margulès, Laurent
AU - Motiyenko, Roman A.
AU - Shipman, Steven T.
AU - Horne, Maria P.
AU - Jørgensen, Jes K.
AU - Brogan, Crystal L.
AU - Hunter, Todd R.
AU - Remijan, Anthony J.
AU - Lipnicky, Andrew
AU - Loomis, Ryan A.
AU - McGuire, Brett A.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - We use both chirped-pulse Fourier transform and frequency-modulated absorption spectroscopy to study the rotational spectrum of 2-methoxyethanol (CH3OCH2CH2OH) in several frequency regions ranging from 8.7 to 500 GHz. The resulting rotational parameters permitted a search for this molecule in Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations toward the massive protocluster NGC 6334I, as well as source B of the low-mass protostellar system IRAS 16293−2422. A total of 25 rotational transitions are observed in the ALMA Band 4 data toward NGC 6334I, resulting in the first interstellar detection of 2-methoxyethanol. A column density of cm−2 is derived at an excitation temperature of K. However, molecular signal is not observed in the Band 7 data toward IRAS 16293−2422B, and an upper-limit column density of 2.5 × 1015 cm−2 is determined. Various possible formation pathways—including radical recombination and insertion reactions—are discussed. We also investigate physical differences between the two interstellar sources that could result in the observed abundance variations.
AB - We use both chirped-pulse Fourier transform and frequency-modulated absorption spectroscopy to study the rotational spectrum of 2-methoxyethanol (CH3OCH2CH2OH) in several frequency regions ranging from 8.7 to 500 GHz. The resulting rotational parameters permitted a search for this molecule in Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations toward the massive protocluster NGC 6334I, as well as source B of the low-mass protostellar system IRAS 16293−2422. A total of 25 rotational transitions are observed in the ALMA Band 4 data toward NGC 6334I, resulting in the first interstellar detection of 2-methoxyethanol. A column density of cm−2 is derived at an excitation temperature of K. However, molecular signal is not observed in the Band 7 data toward IRAS 16293−2422B, and an upper-limit column density of 2.5 × 1015 cm−2 is determined. Various possible formation pathways—including radical recombination and insertion reactions—are discussed. We also investigate physical differences between the two interstellar sources that could result in the observed abundance variations.
U2 - 10.3847/2041-8213/ad37ff
DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/ad37ff
M3 - Letter
VL - 965
JO - The Astrophysical Journal Letters
JF - The Astrophysical Journal Letters
SN - 2041-8205
IS - 2
M1 - L23
ER -
ID: 389661813