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First Astronomical Detection of the CF+ Ion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2006

D. A. Neufeld ,
P. Schilke ,
K. M. Menten ,
M. G. Wolfire ,
J. H. Black ,
F. Schuller ,
H. Müller ,
S. Thorwirth ,
R. Güsten  and
S. Philipp
D. A. Neufeld
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
P. Schilke
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
K. M. Menten
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
M. G. Wolfire
Affiliation:
Astronomy Department, University of Maryland, College Park, USA
J. H. Black
Affiliation:
Onsala Space Observatory, Onsala, Sweden
F. Schuller
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
H. Müller
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany Universität zu Köln, Köln, Germany
S. Thorwirth
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
R. Güsten
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
S. Philipp
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
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Abstract

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We report the first astronomical detection of the CF$^+$ (fluoromethylidynium) ion, obtained by recent observations of its $J = 1-0$ (102.6 GHz), $J = 2-1$ (205.2 GHz), and $J = 3-2$ (307.7 GHz) pure rotational emissions toward the Orion Bar. Our search for CF$^+$ — carried out using the IRAM 30m and APEX 12m telescopes—was motivated by recent theoretical models that predict CF$^+$ abundances of a $\rm few \times 10^{-10}$ in UV-irradiated molecular regions where C$^+$ is present. The measurements confirm the predictions. They provide support for our current theories of interstellar fluorine chemistry, which suggest that hydrogen fluoride should be ubiquitous in interstellar gas clouds.

Keywords

astrochemistry — ISM: clouds — ISM: molecules — molecular processes — radio lines: ISM