Discovery of interstellar methane : observations of gaseous and solid CH4 absorption toward young stars in molecular clouds

Several molecular clouds have been searched for absorption at 7.6 microns due to gaseous and solid methane. Gaseous CH4 was detected toward NGC 7538 IRS 9 and probably OMC-1 IRc2 and W33 A. The abundance of gaseous CH4 is typically 0.001 that of CO. Solid CH4 was probably detected toward NGC 7538 IRS 9 and possibly detected toward W33 A and NGC 7538 IRS 1. The abundance of solid CH4 is comparable to that of solid CO. The total CH4 abundance (predominantly in the solid phase) is 1-4 percent of the total CO abundance (predominantly gaseous). The high fraction of CH4 in the solid state suggests that it is made in the grain mantles. 22 refs.