Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Snyder, L. E..
Three general techniques of radio science used to attempt to observe comets are discussed: spectral line, continum and radar observations. Of these, only radio spectral line observations achieved a degree of success but, more often than not, the results was negative. Cometary excitation and reasons why radio searches can fail were examined.
An extensive search for interstellar nitrous oxide (N2O) has been made at two different frequencies, 75.4 and 100.5 GHz, in a number of molecular sources. No N2O signal was detected; however, a number of other spectral lines including two new transitions of methyl formate and several new unidentified lines were measured.
A total of ten stars were observed with cameras of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) in both high and low dispersion. One star, X Persei (HD 24534, 6.0 BE), was analyzed in detail. Ultraviolet observations of the column densities of CO match those derived from the radio to within a factor of 4, with the difference probably due to the larger beam size of the radio measurement and the assumption of a thermal population in the rotational levels of CO. Upper limits are given to the log column densities for OH, HCl, and CH2 of 14.0, 12.3 and 12.8. The carbon abundance was found to be about solar with a possible depletion of about a factor of 2. With precautions concerning both noise and correct background, the IUE can be used for studies of interstellar molecules.
The first search for the lowest-energy conformation of interstellar glycine has been carried out. An emission line has been detected in Sgr B2 which is coincident in frequency with the J(K-K+) = 14(1, 14)-13(1, 13) transition of conformer I glycine; while the carrier of the observed line is uncertain, no other frequency-coincident species are known, and hence glycine cannot be ruled out. Several previously unidentified lines have been identified as methyl formate. Evidence for the existence of the elusive interstellar ethylene oxide, the only reported interstellar ring-structure molecule, is discussed.
The J = 1-0 and 3-2 transitions of phosphorus nitride, PN, with resolvable hyperfine components at 46.99 GHz and blended components at 140.97 GHz, and transitions of phosphine, PH3, at 47.39 and 46.94 GHz, arising from a small induced dipole moment, have been searched for but not found in interstellar molecular clouds. The J = 3/2-1/2, F - 3/2-3/2 transition of nitric oxide, NO, and the J(K-K+) = 16(4, 12) -15(5, 11) transition of sulfur dioxide, SO2, have been detected in Orion and Sagittarius B2. An unidentified emission line, U140921.8 MHz, has been observed in IRC + 10216.
Results are reported for high-spectral-resolution observations of the v = 1, J = 1-0 SiO maser sources at 43,122.027 MHz (6.95 mm wavelength) associated with the variable stars Omega Cet, NML Tau, VY CMa, R Leo, W Hya, VX Sgr, NML Cyg, and R Cas. A weak underlying maser emission pedestal is clearly observed in the spectra of all but NML Cyg and R Cas. The data indicate that the underlying pedestal of SiO emission appears to originate in a shell-like region around the star, has a thermal appearance even though it must be due to weak maser emission, and appears to be part of the spectral signature of SiO maser emission from late-type stars. It is found that the center velocities of the pedestals may be used to determine stellar radial velocities. Observations of large-scale time variations in the intensity of the Ori A SiO maser and the detection of weak maser pedestals associated with each of the two strong emission-feature groups in Orion are also discussed. It is suggested that the Orion molecular cloud might contain two late-type long-period variable stars that may be semiregular variables.
Seven Mira variable stars with silicon monoxide maser emission have been found. All are later than M4 and heavily reddened. Two were observed near maximum light. One, Y Cas, seems to bear out the correlation of 43-GHz SiO maser luminosity and mean spectral type at maximum light. RT Aql, however, falls about 1 mag below the expected brightness. A catalog of SiO maser stars is given.
Line emission from the J = 1-0 transition of interstellar N2D(+) has been detected toward the cool dust cloud L134 N. The N2H(+)/N2D(+) total-projected-density ratio in this cloud is estimated to be about 2.22. Upper limits are obtained for the fractional ionization as well as the CO and N2 abundances in L134 N. The results are shown to support the previously discovered enhancement of the abundance of deuterated molecules in cool dust clouds.
The letter reports resolved measurements of the quadrupole hyperfine structure of HNC (hydrogen isocyanide). These measurements were made in the direction of the cool interstellar dust cloud L134, and were used to make an experimental determination of a fundamental spectroscopic constant of HNC, its quadrupole coupling constant.
During the course of a search of Orion A for signals from three large organic molecules, several millimeter-wave lines from known interstellar molecules were observed. Results are reported for observations of methanol (CH3OH), methyl cyanide (CH3CN), methyl acetylene (CH3CCH), acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) and (Si-29)O. Emission signals from two hydrogen recombination lines (H41-alpha and H42-alpha) detected from the H II region of Orion A are also reported. Negative results were obtained for several millimeter-wave transitions of ethylene oxide, acetone, and cyclopropenone.
The J = 1-0 transition of the deuterated formyl ion, DCO(+), has been detected in emission from NGC 2264 and DR 21(OH) and from the cool dust cloud L134. Estimates for the column-density ratios of H(C-13)O(+) to DCO(+) are given for NGC 2264 and DR 21(OH); lower limits for the ratios are given for five other clouds. The DCO(+) detection in L134 provides unique observational evidence in support of chemical fractionation. The L134 results also suggest that the dust clouds may act as repositories for primordial deuterium.
A search program for microwave line transitions in comet Kohoutek is reviewed. Observations in the 3-mm wavelength region were carried out before perihelion from December 15 to 20, 1973, and after perihelion from January 3 to 7, 1974. During these times, the comet was between 0.3 and 0.5 AU from the sun. Gas production rates of HCN are several times 10 to the 27th power to about 10 to the 28th power molecules/sec at approximately 0.4 AU. Upper limits for CH3CN and several other molecules are given.
Radio detections of CH, OH, HCN, CH3CN, and several unidentified species in comet Kohoutek and the detection of H2O emission from comet Bradfield are discussed in terms of the similarities and differences between cometary molecules and interstellar molecules. Emphasis is placed on excitation and chemistry. The observed projected densities and resulting gas production rates are considered along with the feasibility of future radio molecular observations of comets.
Observations of comet Kohoutek made with a 3-mm line receiver mounted on the 11-m NRAO radio dish at Kitt Peak are presented. The detection of line transitions of hydrogen cyanide and methyl cyanide is reported and discussed along with the variability of neutral gas jets. Microwave transitions in molecules of cometary origin are also examined.
Observations are reported of weak emission from the ground vibrational state of SiO in the Orion molecular cloud. It is shown that this emission has a rather smooth low-intensity profile extending over a large velocity range and is present at velocities where maser emissions from the first and second vibrational states are absent. Based on this difference, the present emission is interpreted as thermal emission in the ground state in regions where there is insufficient excitation to produce the vibrationally excited masers. Possible origins are considered for the Orion SiO maser, and it is noted that only VY CMa shows a profile that could be interpreted as ground-state maser emission.
Twenty-eight X-ogen emission sources at 89.189 GHz have been detected and observed. Twenty of these are new X-ogen sources which also contain other interstellar molecules. No infrared stars are found to be X-ogen sources. A new rest frequency (89,188.65 MHz) is derived for X-ogen. It is shown that X-ogen is not SiC, C2H, or any molecule with spin-doubling, hyperfine structure, or both.
Interstellar sulfur dioxide (SO2) has been detected in emission from the direction of the Orion Nebula molecular cloud and from Sgr B2. SO2 is the heaviest interstellar molecule detected to date, and the only nonlinear triatomic molecule which does not contain hydrogen. The remarkable Orion emission profiles suggest that two components are supporting the SO2 emission: a dense circumstellar-type envelope, which may be in maser emission, and a warm galactic cloud component.
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