Knowledge Bank

The $ J = 0 {\rightarrow} 1$ transition of $N2H+$, seen previously in the interstellar medium by Turner, has been detected in a glow discharge in a nitrogen-hydrogen mixture at liquid nitrogen temperature. The pattern we observe is a triplet due to the quadrupole splitting of the outer nitrogen. We have also seen the same transition in the $\mathrm{<mrow\; data-mjx-texclass="ORD">15</mrow>}N2H+$ species, where it is a singlet, and have thus determined the molecular structure. Progress on other isotopic variants of $N2H+$ will be reported.