Detection of interstellar hydrogen sulfide in cold, dark clouds

We have detected interstellar hydrogen sulfide (H2S) toward the cold, dark clouds L134N and TMC 1. We derive total column densities of approximately 2.6 x 10(13) cm-2 and approximately 7.0 x 10(12) cm-2 at the SO peak of L134N and at the NH3 peak of TMC 1, respectively. Since the expected gas phase reactions leading to the formation of H2S are thought to be endothermic, grain surface reactions may play a major role in the synthesis of this species in cold, dark clouds. If the carbon abundance is high and grain surface reactions are the dominant formation route, H2CS would be expected to form instead of H2S, and the abundances of H2CS have been observed to be high where those of H2S are low in L134N and TMC 1.