Evidence for interstellar H2O in the Orion molecular cloud

Abstract

A search for interstellar gas phase H2O in the infrared spectrum of the BN object in Orion is reported. There is absorption (S/N = 2-4) at the position of the nu3 1(01)-2(02) line of H2O at 3801.42/cm, the strongest expected H2O line. Statistical analysis of the spectrum provides corroborating evidence for other H2O lines. With an assumed H2O excitation temperature of 150 K, N(H2O) of 2.3 x 10 to the 17th/sq cm or less toward the BN object is derived. The H2O column density implies abundance ratios of (H2O)/(CO) = 0.01-0.08 or less and (HDO)/(H2O) = 0.8-3.0 x 10 to the -3rd or more. The gas-to-ice ratio is (H2O gas)/(H2O ice) = 0.06 with an estimated uncertainty of a factor of 5.