Committee on Radio Astronomy Frequencies

The Committee on Radio Astronomy Frequencies (CRAF) is a committee of the European Science Foundation (ESF).

Molecules observed in insterstellar and circumstellar clouds

- (as of January 1st, 1997)
  • Inorganic, stable molecules: 

      H2    HCl   NH3   SiH4   CO    H2O  NaCl 
  CS    H2S   KCl   NO     HNO   AlF  ALCl 
  NS    N2O   SiO   SO2    NaCN 
  SiS   OCS   PN
  • Organic, stable molecules: 

      CH4       C2H2     C2H4       HCN      CH3CN    HC3N 
  CH2CHCN   CH3C3N   CH3CH2CN   CH3CCH   CH3C4H 
  HNCO      CH3OH    CH3CH2OH   H2CO     H2CCO 
  HCCCHO    CH3CHO   CH3OCHO    (CH2)2O
  (CH3)2CO  H2CS     HNCS       CH3SH    CH2NH 
  NH2CN     NH2CH3   NH2CHO
    (not found: acetic acid, urea, glycine)
  • reactive molecules:

    carbon chains: 

      C2     C3     C5 
  HC5N   HC7N   HC9N   HC11N(?) 
  H2C3   H2C4 
  C2O    C3O 
  C2S    C3S    C5S

    linear radicals: 

      C2H    C3H    C4H    C5H 
  C6H    C7H    C8H 
  CH     CH2(?) 
  OH     NH     NH2 
  CN     C3N 
  HCO    HCCN   H2CCN 
  CP     SO      
  SiC    SiC2   SiC4   SiN 
  MgNC   MgCN

    isomers: 

      HNC    CH3NC  HCCNC  HNCCC

    cycles: 

      c-C3H    c-C3H2

  • ions: 

      CH+      CO+    SO+    H3+     H3O+    HCNH+ 
  HCCCNH+
  HCO+     HCS+   HN2+   HCO2+

    The detections of CH2H and HC11N are based on one single rotational transition.

    Last modified: June 18, 1997