Source of Interest: SgrB2(N-LMH)
The giant molecular cloud complex, Sagittarius B2(N) near the center
of our Galaxy, is undoubtedly the preeminent source for the study of
large complex interstellar molecules. Of the 141 interstellar
molecules detected, more than half have been detected first in the
Sagittarius B2 star-forming region. The Sgr B2 complex is a
star-forming region containing compact hot molecular cores of
arcsecond dimensions, molecular maser emitting regions, and
ultracompact continuum sources surrounded by larger-scale continuum
features as well as molecular material extended on the order of
arcminutes. In addition, small-scale and large-scale shock phenomenon
characterize the complex. In particular, the hot molecular core known
as the Large Molecule Heimat (LMH) has for the last ten years been the
first source searched to detect and identify new large interstellar
molecules since many of the large organic species have previously been
confined to its ~5'' diameter. However, the recent GBT detections of large organic molecules have
suggested that prebiotic molecules found toward the SgrB2(N) complex
are are extended, perhaps even on the order of the 2'x2' field shown
in Figure 1.
