  We report sensitive, high resolution molecular-line observations of the dark
cloud Barnard 68 obtained with the IRAM 30-m telescope. We analyze
spectral-line observations of C18O, CS(2--1), C34S(2--1), and N2H+(1--0) in
order to investigate the kinematics and dynamical state of the cloud. We find
extremely narrow linewidths in the central regions of the cloud. These narrow
lines are consistent with thermally broadened profiles for the measured gas
temperature of 10.5 K. We determine the thermal pressure to be a factor 4 -- 5
times greater than the non-thermal (turbulent) pressure in the central regions
of the cloud, indicating that thermal pressure is the primary source of support
against gravity in this cloud. This confirms the inference of a thermally
supported cloud drawn previously from deep infrared extinction measurements.
The rotational kinetic energy is found to be only a few percent of the
gravitational potential energy, indicating that the contribution of rotation to
the overall stability of the cloud is insignificant. Finally, our observations
show that CS line is optically thick and self-reversed across nearly the entire
projected surface of the cloud. The shapes of the self-reversed profiles are
asymmetric and are found to vary across the cloud in such a manner that the
presence of both inward and outward motions are observed within the cloud.
Moreover, these motions appear to be globally organized in a clear and
systematic alternating spatial pattern which is suggestive of a small
amplitude, non-radial oscillation or pulsation of the outer layers of the cloud
about an equilibrium configuration.
