Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 May 2016
The extent and nature of molecular material in the outer Galaxy (R > R⊙) has been an open, interesting question since the discovery of molecular material in the outer Galaxy (Kutner & Mead, 1981). From large scale CO surveys, two estimates of the total molecular mass have been made with the same result, M(H2) = 6 × 108 M⊙ (Wouterloot et al., 1990), (Digel et al., 1990). Both estimates have a strong bias towards large, star forming (warm) clouds. Wouterloot et al. used the IRAS point source catalog as a finder chart for their observations and the inner Galaxy mass distribution to scale their result. Digel et al. conducted an unbiased survey with a large (8.8 arcminute) beam which underestimated the amount of material in small clouds due to the effects of beam dilution.