Abundances of hydrogen sulfide in star-forming regions

Interstellar H2S and its isotopic variant H2(S-34) have been observed toward several star-forming regions via their 1(10)-1(01) transitions at 2 mm, using the FCRAO telescope. In sources where both isotopic species were observed, column densities of about 10 to the 16th/sq cm were measured. Column density lower limits of about 10 to the 14th/sq cm for H2S were found for other sources, where only the main isotopic line was observed. The fractional abundances of H2S relative to molecular hydrogen appear to be enhanced by at least an order of magnitude relative to quiescent cloud values (about 10 to the -9th) for many of the observed sources.