Transition 212-303 may help for detection of methylene in a cool cosmic object

Abstract

Methylene is an important astrochemical compound. Though its laboratory spectrum was analyzed in 1982, its first unambiguous detection could be feasible after more than one decade in the hot core of Orion-KL nebula and the approximate molecular cloud of the continuum source W51M through its emission line 404-313. Since then waiting of its further detection has now broken as it has been detected in W51 E, W51 M, W51 N, W49 N, W43, W75 N, DR21, and S140 star forming regions, and in W3 IRS5 through the same transition 404-313. To find potential lines of methylene, we have performed Sobolev LVG analysis of each of the ortho and para species of methylene, considering 10 rotational levels having energy up to 324 cm-1. We have found only three lines, 404-313, 505-414 and 212-303 of methylene, which may help for its detection in a cosmic object. The line 212-303 lying at the lowest energy may be more helpful in a cosmic object having low kinetic temperature.