Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
Radio astronomers detected in 1963 hydroxyl molecules (first in absorption), in form of microwave lines at the frequencies 1612, 1665, 1667, and 1720 MHz (1612.231 + 1720.533 (=) 1665.401 + 1667.358), corresponding to a wavelength near 18 cm. Since 1968, some infrared stars have been known to be observable with radio telescopes as sources of such microwave lines, in emission with line widths of 2 kHz or less. In addition to the ground state, a Π state with Λ = 1, the OH molecule has three known electronic excited states, Σ states with Λ = 0, at about 30 000, 60 000, and 90 000 cm−1 above the ground state. These electric-dipole transitions are about 104 times stronger than the magnetic-dipole transitions which produce hydrogen or deuterium lines; the energy of the 2II3/2 state is less than that of the 2II1/2 state what indicates that the observed OH radio emission is subject to far infrared stellar radiation.