Open AccessA search for high‐redshift molecular absorption lines towards millimetre‐loud, optically faint quasars
Author(s) -
Murphy M. T.,
Curran S. J.,
Webb J. K.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06586.x
Subject(s) - redshift , physics , quasar , millimeter , astrophysics , molecular absorption , absorption (acoustics) , astronomy , telescope , absorption spectroscopy , spectral line , optics , galaxy
We describe initial results of a search for redshifted molecular absorption towards four millimetre‐loud, optically faint quasars. A wide frequency bandwidth of up to 23 GHz per quasar was scanned using the Swedish–ESO Submillimetre Telescope at La Silla. Using a search list of commonly detected molecules, we obtained nearly complete redshift coverage up to z abs = 5 . The sensitivity of our data is adequate to have revealed absorption systems with characteristics similar to those seen in the four known redshifted millimetre‐band absorption systems, but none were found. Our frequency‐scan technique nevertheless demonstrates the value of wide‐band correlator instruments for searches such as these. We suggest that a somewhat larger sample of similar observations should lead to the discovery of new millimetre‐band absorption systems.