CONFIRMATION OF HIGH DEUTERIUM ABUNDANCE IN QUASAR ABSORBERS

We present a new analysis of a Keck spectrum of Q0014+813, with a new model of the z = 3.32 absorbing cloud. We fit Lyman series absorption of the dominant H I components, including components identified with h ydrogen and associated deuterium at two discrete velocities, with ther mal line broadening of each species. The deuterium features are too na rrow to be interlopers, and the good agreement in temperature and reds hift with their hydrogen counterparts confirms the identification as d euterium. The abundance is measured to be D/H = (1.9 +/- 0.5) x 10(-4) and (1.9 +/- 0.4) x 10(-4) in the two components, with an independent lower limit of D/H > 1.3 x 10(-4) for the sum, derived from the Lyman limit opacity. The impact on cosmological theory is briefly discussed .