Ammonia, radio emission

When ammonia gas was introduced into an argon plasma jet at a flow rate of 60 seem, all argon emission lines disappeared, and a very short but brilliant light-blue flame was formed. A very strong NH emission band was observed. In the ammonia radio frequency plasma, some very weak N2 emission bands due to N2 second positive appeared, but in the ammonia flame formed in an argon plasma jet no emission related to N2 species was observed. 

The radio emissions from Uranus arise from sufficient depths that collision-induced absorption by hydrogen is an important source of opacity at millimeter wavelengths. Ammonia is severely depleted in Uranus atmosphere, at least at pressure levels less than 25 bar. Since, based upon planet formation theories, nitrogen must be present in at least solar proportions, it is believed that ammonia gas is abundant at deeper levels, but reacts with H2S to form a cloud of NH4SH. If indeed this process accounts for the observed depletion in NH3, hydrogen sulfide should be enriched in Uranus atmosphere by about an order of magnitude over solar S. Such an abundance of H2S itself will contribute to the radio opacity in Uranus atmosphere and actually help reconcile observed spectra with models. 

One of the most exciting applications since the 1970s has been the observation of microwave (rotational) spectra of interstellar molecules. Common species such as formaldehyde, ammonia and methylamine and more exotic species such as HCO and H—CC-C=C—CN have been detected in various interstellar media. The experimental technique differs substantially from that outlined in Figures 1 and 2. In this case the interstellar molecular spectra are detected by collecting microwave emissions from interstellar space with large radio telescopes equipped with sensitive... 

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