1997A&A...328L...1G

We report the detection with the IRAM interferometer at 3mm of J=5-4 CO line in the radio quiet quasar BRI 1335-0415 at redshift of z=4.41. After BR 1202-0725 at z=4.69 (Ohta et al. 1996Natur.382..426O, Omont et al. 1996Natur.382..428O), this is the second detection of CO at z>3. The integrated line intensity is 2.8±0.3 Jy.km/s with a linewidth of 420±60 km/s. The dust continuum emission has also been mapped at 1.35mm. The 1.35mm flux is found to be 5.6±1.1mJy. The ratio of the CO to 1.35mm continuum flux is slightly larger than for BR 1202-0725. Contrary to the case of BR 1202-0725, there is only marginal evidence of extension of the 1.35mm continuum and 3mm CO emission. In the absence of gravitational lensing, for which there is no a priori evidence, and within the uncertainties of the CO to M(H₂) conversion factors, the mass of molecular gas M(H₂) could be 10¹¹M_☉.