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Jørgensen, Jes K., Arnaud Belloche, and Robin T. Garrod. "Astrochemistry During the Formation of Stars." Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics 58, no. 1 (August 18, 2020): 727–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-astro-032620-021927.
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Star-forming regions show a rich and varied chemistry, including the presence of complex organic molecules—in both the cold gas distributed on large scales and the hot regions close to young stars where protoplanetary disks arise. Recent advances in observational techniques have opened new possibilities for studying this chemistry. In particular, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array has made it possible to study astrochemistry down to Solar System–size scales while also revealing molecules of increasing variety and complexity. In this review, we discuss recent observations of the chemistry of star-forming environments, with a particular focus on complex organic molecules, taking context from the laboratory experiments and chemical models that they have stimulated. The key takeaway points include the following: ▪ The physical evolution of individual sources plays a crucial role in their inferred chemical signatures and remains an important area for observations and models to elucidate. ▪ Comparisons of the abundances measured toward different star-forming environments (high-mass versus low-mass, Galactic Center versus Galactic disk) reveal a remarkable similarity, which is an indication that the underlying chemistry is relatively independent of variations in their physical conditions. ▪ Studies of molecular isotopologues in star-forming regions provide a link with measurements in our own Solar System, and thus may shed light on the chemical similarities and differences expected in other planetary systems.
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Cridland, Alexander J., Christian Eistrup, and Ewine F. van Dishoeck. "Connecting planet formation and astrochemistry." Astronomy & Astrophysics 627 (July 2019): A127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201834378.
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Combining a time-dependent astrochemical model with a model of planet formation and migration, we compute the carbon-to-oxygen ratio (C/O) of a range of planetary embryos starting their formation in the inner solar system (1–3 AU). Most of the embryos result in hot Jupiters (M ≥ MJ, orbital radius <0.1 AU) while the others result in super-Earths at wider orbital radii. The volatile and ice abundance of relevant carbon and oxygen bearing molecular species are determined through a complex chemical kinetic code that includes both gas and grain surface chemistry. This is combined with a model for the abundance of the refractory dust grains to compute the total carbon and oxygen abundance in the protoplanetary disk available for incorporation into a planetary atmosphere. We include the effects of the refractory carbon depletion that has been observed in our solar system, and posit two models that would put this missing carbon back into the gas phase. This excess gaseous carbon then becomes important in determining the final planetary C/O because the gas disk now becomes more carbon rich relative to oxygen (high gaseous C/O). One model, where the carbon excess is maintained throughout the lifetime of the disk results in hot Jupiters that have super-stellar C/O. The other model deposits the excess carbon early in the disk life and allows it to advect with the bulk gas. In this model the excess carbon disappears into the host star within 0.8 Myr, returning the gas disk to its original (substellar) C/O, so the hot Jupiters all exclusively have substellar C/O. This shows that while the solids tend to be oxygen rich, hot Jupiters can have super-stellar C/O if a carbon excess can be maintained by some chemical processing of the dust grains. The atmospheric C/O of the super-Earths at larger radii are determined by the chemical interactions between the gas and ice phases of volatile species rather than the refractory carbon model. Whether the carbon and oxygen content of the atmosphere was accreted primarily by gas or solid accretion is heavily dependent on the mass of the atmosphere and where in the disk the growing planet accreted.
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Tan, Jonathan C. "Fire from Ice - Massive Star Birth from Infrared Dark Clouds." Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 13, S332 (March 2017): 139–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1743921317009784.
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AbstractI review massive star formation in our Galaxy, focussing on initial conditions in Infrared Dark Clouds (IRDCs), including the search for massive pre-stellar cores (PSCs), and modeling of later stages of massive protostars, i.e., hot molecular cores (HMCs). I highlight how developments in astrochemistry, coupled with rapidly improving theoretical/computational and observational capabilities are helping to improve our understanding of the complex process of massive star formation.
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Ishak, B. "Introduction to astrochemistry: chemical evolution from interstellar clouds to star and planet formation." Contemporary Physics 60, no. 3 (June 20, 2019): 262. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00107514.2019.1621938.
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Aalto, S. "Astrochemistry and star formation in nearby galaxies: from galaxy disks to hot nuclei." EAS Publications Series 75-76 (2015): 73–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/eas/1575013.
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Mason, Nigel J., Binukumar Nair, Sohan Jheeta, and Ewelina Szymańska. "Electron induced chemistry: a new frontier in astrochemistry." Faraday Discuss. 168 (2014): 235–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c4fd00004h.
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The commissioning of the ALMA array and the next generation of space telescopes heralds the dawn of a new age of Astronomy, in which the role of chemistry in the interstellar medium and in star and planet formation may be quantified. A vital part of these studies will be to determine the molecular complexity in these seemingly hostile regions and explore how molecules are synthesised and survive. The current hypothesis is that many of these species are formed within the ice mantles on interstellar dust grains with irradiation by UV light or cosmic rays stimulating chemical reactions. However, such irradiation releases many secondary electrons which may themselves induce chemistry. In this article we discuss the potential role of such electron induced chemistry and demonstrate, through some simple experiments, the rich molecular synthesis that this may lead to.
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Nishimura, Yuri, Takashi Shimonishi, Yoshimasa Watanabe, Nami Sakai, Yuri Aikawa, Akiko Kawamura, Kotaro Kohno, and Satoshi Yamamoto. "Molecular Composition of Local Dwarf Galaxies: Astrochemistry in Low-metallicity Environments." Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 14, S344 (August 2018): 182–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1743921318006336.
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AbstractTo investigate molecular composition of low-metallicity environments, we conducted spectral line survey observations in the 3 mm band toward three dwarf galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud, IC 10, and NGC 6822 with the Mopra 22 m, the Nobeyama 45 m and the IRAM 30 m, respectively. The rotational transitions of CCH, HCN, HCO+, HNC, CS, SO, 13CO, and 12CO were detected in all three galaxies. We found that the spectral intensity patterns are similar to one another regardless of star formation activities. Compared with Solar-metallicity environments, the molecular compositions of dwarf galaxies are characterized by (1) deficient nitrogen-bearing molecules and (2) enhanced CCH and suppressed CH3OH. These are interpreted (1) as a direct consequence of the lower elemental abundance of nitrogen, and (2) as a consequence of extended photon dominated regions in cloud peripheries due to the lower abundance of dust grains, respectively.
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Harada, Nanase. "High-Temperature Chemistry in External Galaxies." Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 13, S332 (March 2017): 25–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1743921317006755.
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AbstractIn external galaxies, some galaxies have higher activities of star formation and central supermassive black holes. The interstellar medium in those galaxies can be heated by different mechanisms such as UV-heating, X-ray heating, cosmic-ray heating, and shock/mechanical heating. Chemical compositions can also be affected by those heating mechanisms. Observations of many molecular species in those nearby galaxies are now possible with the high sensitivity of Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA). Here I cover different chemical models for those heating mechanisms. In addition, I present recent ALMA results of extragalactic astrochemistry including our results of a face-on galaxy M83 and an infrared-luminous merger NGC 3256.
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Qin, Sheng-Li, Tie Liu, Xunchuan Liu, Paul F. Goldsmith, Di Li, Qizhou Zhang, Hong-Li Liu, et al. "ATOMS: ALMA Three-millimeter Observations of Massive Star-forming regions – VIII. A search for hot cores by using C2H5CN, CH3OCHO, and CH3OH lines." Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 511, no. 3 (January 29, 2022): 3463–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stac219.
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ABSTRACT Hot cores characterized by rich lines of complex organic molecules are considered as ideal sites for investigating the physical and chemical environments of massive star formation. We present a search for hot cores by using typical nitrogen- and oxygen-bearing complex organic molecules (C2H5CN, CH3OCHO, and CH3OH), based on ALMA Three-millimeter Observations of Massive Star-forming regions (ATOMS). The angular resolutions and line sensitivities of the ALMA observations are better than 2 arcsec and 10 mJy beam−1, respectively. A total of 60 hot cores are identified with 45 being newly detected, in which the complex organic molecules have high gas temperatures (> 100 K) and hot cores have small source sizes (< 0.1 pc). So far, this is the largest sample of hot cores observed with similar angular resolution and spectral coverage. The observations have also shown nitrogen and oxygen differentiation in both line emission and gas distribution in 29 hot cores. Column densities of CH3OH and CH3OCHO increase as rotation temperatures rise. The column density of CH3OCHO correlates tightly with that of CH3OH. The pathways for production of different species are discussed. Based on the spatial position difference between hot cores and ultracompact H ii (UC H ii) regions, we conclude that 24 hot cores are externally heated, while the other hot cores are internally heated. The observations presented here will potentially help establish a hot core template for studying massive star formation and astrochemistry.
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Caselli, P., O. Sipilä, and J. Harju. "Deuterated forms of H 3 + and their importance in astrochemistry." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 377, no. 2154 (August 5, 2019): 20180401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2018.0401.
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At the low temperatures (approx. 10 K) and high densities (approx. 100 000 H 2 molecules per cm −3 ) of molecular cloud cores and protostellar envelopes, a large amount of molecular species (in particular those containing C and O) freeze-out onto dust grain surfaces. It is in these regions that the deuteration of H 3 + becomes very efficient, with a sharp abundance increase of H 2 D + and D 2 H + . The multi-deuterated forms of H 3 + participate in an active chemistry: (i) their collision with neutral species produces deuterated molecules such as the commonly observed N 2 D + , DCO + and multi-deuterated NH 3 ; (ii) their dissociative electronic recombination increases the D/H atomic ratio by several orders of magnitude above the D cosmic abundance, thus allowing deuteration of molecules (e.g. CH 3 OH and H 2 O) on the surface of dust grains. Deuterated molecules are the main diagnostic tools of dense and cold interstellar clouds, where the first steps toward star and protoplanetary disc formation take place. Recent observations of deuterated molecules are reviewed and discussed in view of astrochemical models inclusive of spin-state chemistry. We present a new comparison between models based on complete scrambling (to calculate branching ratio tables for reactions between chemical species that include protons and/or deuterons) and models based on non-scrambling (proton hop) methods, showing that the latter best agree with observations of NH 3 deuterated isotopologues and their different nuclear spin symmetry states. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Advances in hydrogen molecular ions: H 3 + , H 5 + and beyond’.
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Allen, V., F. F. S. van der Tak, A. López-Sepulcre, Á. Sánchez-Monge, V. M. Rivilla, and R. Cesaroni. "Exploring the formation pathways of formamide." Astronomy & Astrophysics 636 (April 2020): A67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201935791.
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Context. As a building block for amino acids, formamide (NH2CHO) is an important molecule in astrobiology and astrochemistry, but its formation path in the interstellar medium is not understood well. Aims. We aim to find empirical evidence to support the chemical relationships of formamide to HNCO and H2CO. Methods. We examine high angular resolution (~0.2″) Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array maps of six sources in three high-mass star-forming regions and compare the spatial extent, integrated emission peak position, and velocity structure of HNCO and H2CO line emission with that of NH2CHO by using moment maps. Through spectral modeling, we compare the abundances of these three species. Results. In these sources, the emission peak separation and velocity dispersion of formamide emission is most often similar to HNCO emission, while the velocity structure is generally just as similar to H2CO and HNCO (within errors). From the spectral modeling, we see that the abundances between all three of our focus species are correlated, and the relationship between NH2CHO and HNCO reproduces the previously demonstrated abundance relationship. Conclusions. In this first interferometric study, which compares two potential parent species to NH2CHO, we find that all moment maps for HNCO are more similar to NH2CHO than H2CO in one of our six sources (G24 A1). For the other five sources, the relationship between NH2CHO, HNCO, and H2CO is unclear as the different moment maps for each source are not consistently more similar to one species as opposed to the other.
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Dyson, John, Tom Millar, You-Hua Chu, Gary Ferland, Pepe Franco, Trung Hua, Susana Lizano, et al. "Division VI: Interstellar Matter." Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 1, T26A (December 2005): 267–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1743921306004662.
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Commission 34 covers diffuse matter in space on scales ranging from the circumstellar to the galactic and intergalactic. As such it has enormous scope and because of this, it alone forms Division VI. Key aspects include star formation, matter around evolved stars, astrochemistry, nebulae, galactic and intergalactic clouds and the multitude of effects of the interaction of stars with their surroundings. Associated with these areas are a huge range of physical and chemical processes including hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics, radiative processes, molecular physics and chemistry, plasma processes and others too numerous to name. These are complemented by an equally huge range of observational studies using practically all space and ground-based instrumentation at nearly all observable wavelengths. A glance at any data-base of publications over the past few years attests to the vigorous state of these studies. The current membership of the Division is around 800. It also has three separate working groups.
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Jensen, S. S., J. K. Jørgensen, L. E. Kristensen, K. Furuya, A. Coutens, E. F. van Dishoeck, D. Harsono, and M. V. Persson. "ALMA observations of water deuteration: a physical diagnostic of the formation of protostars." Astronomy & Astrophysics 631 (October 15, 2019): A25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201936012.
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Context. How water is delivered to planetary systems is a central question in astrochemistry. The deuterium fractionation of water can serve as a tracer for the chemical and physical evolution of water during star formation and can constrain the origin of water in Solar System bodies. Aims. The aim is to determine the HDO/H2O ratio in the inner warm gas toward three low-mass Class 0 protostars selected to be in isolated cores, i.e., not associated with any cloud complexes. Previous sources for which the HDO/H2O ratio have been established were all part of larger star-forming complexes. Determining the HDO/H2O ratio toward three isolated protostars allows comparison of the water chemistry in isolated and clustered regions to determine the influence of local cloud environment. Methods. We present ALMA Band 6 observations of the HDO 31,2–22,1 and 21,1–21,2 transitions at 225.897 GHz and 241.562 GHz along with the first ALMA Band 5 observations of the H218O 31,3–22,0 transition at 203.407 GHz. The high angular resolution observations (0′′.3–1′′.3) allow the study of the inner warm envelope gas. Model-independent estimates for the HDO/H2O ratios are obtained and compared with previous determinations of the HDO/H2O ratio in the warm gas toward low-mass protostars. Results. We successfully detect the targeted water transitions toward the three sources with signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) > 5. We determine the HDO/H2O ratio toward L483, B335 and BHR71–IRS1 to be (2.2 ± 0.4) × 10−3, (1.7 ± 0.3) × 10−3, and (1.8 ± 0.4) × 10−3, respectively, assuming Tex = 124 K. The degree of water deuteration of these isolated protostars are a factor of 2–4 higher relative to Class 0 protostars that are members of known nearby clustered star-forming regions. Conclusions. The results indicate that the water deuterium fractionation is influenced by the local cloud environment. This effect can be explained by variations in either collapse timescales or temperatures, which depends on local cloud dynamics and could provide a new method to decipher the history of young stars.
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Rimmer, Paul B., Catherine Walsh, and Christiane Helling. "Cosmic Rays, UV Photons, and Haze Formation in the Upper Atmospheres of Hot Jupiters." Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 8, S299 (June 2013): 303–4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1743921313008703.
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AbstractCosmic ray ionization has been found to be a dominant mechanism for the formation of ions in dense interstellar environments. Cosmic rays are further known to initiate the highly efficient ion-neutral chemistry within star forming regions. In this talk we explore the effect of both cosmic rays and UV photons on a model hot Jupiter atmosphere using a non-equlibrium chemical network that combines reactions from the UMIST Database for Astrochemistry, the KIDA database for interstellar and protoplanetary environments and three-body and combustion reactions from the NIST database and from various irradiated gas planet networks. The physical parameters for our model atmosphere are based on HD 189733 b (Effective Temperature of 1000 K, log g = 3.3, solar metallicity, at a distance 0.03 AU from a K dwarf). The active UV photochemistry high in our model hot Jupiter atmosphere tends to destroy these hydrocarbons, but on a time-scale sufficiently slow that PAH formation could already have taken place. In most cases, carbon-bearing species formed by cosmic rays are destroyed by UV photons (e.g. C2H2, C2H4, HC3N). Conversely, carbon-bearing species enhanced by an active photochemistry are depleted when cosmic ray ionization is significant (e.g. CN, HCN and CH4). Ammonia is an interesting exception to this trend, enhanced both by an active photochemistry and a high cosmic ray ionization rate.
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Bergner, Jennifer B., Mahesh Rajappan, and Karin I. Öberg. "HCN Snow Lines in Protoplanetary Disks: Constraints from Ice Desorption Experiments." Astrophysical Journal 933, no. 2 (July 1, 2022): 206. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac771e.
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Abstract HCN is among the most commonly detected molecules in star- and planet-forming regions. It is of broad interest as a tracer of star formation physics, a probe of nitrogen astrochemistry, and an ingredient in prebiotic chemical schemes. Despite this, one of the most fundamental astrochemical properties of HCN remains poorly characterized: its thermal desorption behavior. Here, we present a series of experiments to characterize the thermal desorption of HCN in astrophysically relevant conditions, with a focus on predicting the HCN sublimation fronts in protoplanetary disks. We derive HCN–HCN and HCN–H2O binding energies of 3207 ± 197 and 4192 ± 68 K, which translate to disk midplane sublimation temperatures around 85 and 103 K. For a typical midplane temperature profile, HCN should only begin to sublimate ∼1–2 au exterior to the H2O snow line. Additionally, in H2O-dominated mixtures (20:1 H2O:HCN), we find that the majority of HCN remains trapped in the ice until H2O crystallizes. Thus, HCN may be retained in disk ices at almost all radii where H2O-rich planetesimals form. This implies that icy body impacts to planetary surfaces should commonly deliver this potential prebiotic ingredient. A remaining unknown is the extent to which HCN is pure or mixed with H2O in astrophysical ices, which impacts the HCN desorption behavior as well as the outcomes of ice-phase chemistry. Pure HCN and HCN:H2O mixtures exhibit distinct IR bands, raising the possibility that the James Webb Space Telescope will elucidate the mixing environment of HCN in star- and planet-forming regions and address these open questions.
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Yang, Yao-Lun, Joel D. Green, Klaus M. Pontoppidan, Jennifer B. Bergner, L. Ilsedore Cleeves, Neal J. Evans II, Robin T. Garrod, et al. "CORINOS. I. JWST/MIRI Spectroscopy and Imaging of a Class 0 Protostar IRAS 15398–3359." Astrophysical Journal Letters 941, no. 1 (December 1, 2022): L13. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aca289.
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Abstract The origin of complex organic molecules (COMs) in young Class 0 protostars has been one of the major questions in astrochemistry and star formation. While COMs are thought to form on icy dust grains via gas-grain chemistry, observational constraints on their formation pathways have been limited to gas-phase detection. Sensitive mid-infrared spectroscopy with JWST enables unprecedented investigation of COM formation by measuring their ice absorption features. Mid-infrared emission from disks and outflows provide complementary constraints on the protostellar systems. We present an overview of JWST/Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) Medium Resolution Spectroscopy (MRS) and imaging of a young Class 0 protostar, IRAS 15398−3359, and identify several major solid-state absorption features in the 4.9–28 μm wavelength range. These can be attributed to common ice species, such as H2O, CH3OH, NH3, and CH4, and may have contributions from more complex organic species, such as C2H5OH and CH3CHO. In addition to ice features, the MRS spectra show many weaker emission lines at 6–8 μm, which are due to warm CO gas and water vapor, possibly from a young embedded disk previously unseen. Finally, we detect emission lines from [Fe ii], [Ne ii], [S i], and H2, tracing a bipolar jet and outflow cavities. MIRI imaging serendipitously covers the southwestern (blueshifted) outflow lobe of IRAS 15398−3359, showing four shell-like structures similar to the outflows traced by molecular emission at submillimeter wavelengths. This overview analysis highlights the vast potential of JWST/MIRI observations and previews scientific discoveries in the coming years.
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Ioppolo, S., B. A. McGuire, M. A. Allodi, and G. A. Blake. "THz and mid-IR spectroscopy of interstellar ice analogs: methyl and carboxylic acid groups." Faraday Discuss. 168 (2014): 461–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c3fd00154g.
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A fundamental problem in astrochemistry concerns the synthesis and survival of complex organic molecules (COMs) throughout the process of star and planet formation. While it is generally accepted that most complex molecules and prebiotic species form in the solid phase on icy grain particles, a complete understanding of the formation pathways is still largely lacking. To take full advantage of the enormous number of available THz observations (e.g.,Herschel Space Observatory, SOFIA, and ALMA), laboratory analogs must be studied systematically. Here, we present the THz (0.3–7.5 THz; 10–250 cm−1) and mid–IR (400–4000 cm−1) spectra of astrophysically-relevant species that share the same functional groups, including formic acid (HCOOH) and acetic acid (CH3COOH), and acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) and acetone ((CH3)2CO), compared to more abundant interstellar molecules such as water (H2O), methanol (CH3OH), and carbon monoxide (CO). A suite of pure and mixed binary ices are discussed. The effects on the spectra due to the composition and the structure of the ice at different temperatures are shown. Our results demonstrate that THz spectra are sensitive to reversible and irreversible transformations within the ice caused by thermal processing, suggesting that THz spectra can be used to study the composition, structure, and thermal history of interstellar ices. Moreover, the THz spectrum of an individual species depends on the functional group(s) within that molecule. Thus, future THz studies of different functional groups will help in characterizing the chemistry and physics of the interstellar medium (ISM).
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Schuessler, Caden, Anthony Remijan, Ci Xue, Joshua Carder, Haley Scolati, and Brett McGuire. "Searching for Propionamide (C2H5CONH2) toward Sagittarius B2 at Centimeter Wavelengths." Astrophysical Journal 941, no. 1 (December 1, 2022): 102. http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac8668.
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Abstract The formation of molecules in the interstellar medium (ISM) remains a complex and unresolved question in astrochemistry. A group of molecules of particular interest involves the linkage between a carboxyl and amine group, similar to that of a peptide bond. The detection of molecules containing these peptide-like bonds in the ISM can help elucidate possible formation mechanisms, as well as indicate the level of molecular complexity available within certain regions of the ISM. Two of the simplest molecules containing a peptide-like bond, formamide (NH2CHO) and acetamide (CH3CONH2), have previously been detected toward the star-forming region Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2). Recently, the interstellar detection of propionamide (C2H5CONH2) was reported toward Sgr B2(N) with Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations at millimeter wavelengths. Yet, this detection has been questioned by others from the same set of ALMA observations as no statistically significant line emission was identified from any uncontaminated transitions. Using the Prebiotic Interstellar Molecule Survey (PRIMOS) observations, we report an additional search for C2H5CONH2 at centimeter wavelengths conducted with the Green Bank Telescope. No spectral signatures of C2H5CONH2 were detected. An upper limit for C2H5CONH2 at centimeter wavelengths was determined to be N T < 1.8 × 1014 cm−2 and an upper limit to the C2H5CONH2/CH3CONH2 ratio is found to be <2.34. This work again questions the initial detection of C2H5CONH2 and indicates that more complex peptide-like structures may have difficulty forming in the ISM or are below the detection limits of current astronomical facilities. Additional structurally related species are provided to aid in future laboratory and astronomical searches.
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Mininni, C., M. T. Beltrán, V. M. Rivilla, A. Sánchez-Monge, F. Fontani, T. Möller, R. Cesaroni, et al. "The GUAPOS project: G31.41+0.31 Unbiased ALMA sPectral Observational Survey." Astronomy & Astrophysics 644 (December 2020): A84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202038966.
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Context. One of the goals of astrochemistry is to understand the degree of chemical complexity that can be reached in star-forming regions, along with the identification of precursors of the building blocks of life in the interstellar medium. To answer such questions, unbiased spectral surveys with large bandwidth and high spectral resolution are needed, in particular, to resolve line blending in chemically rich sources and identify each molecule (especially for complex organic molecules). These kinds of observations have already been successfully carried out, primarily towards the Galactic Center, a region that shows peculiar environmental conditions. Aims. We present an unbiased spectral survey of one of the most chemically rich hot molecular cores located outside the Galactic Center, in the high-mass star-forming region G31.41+0.31. The aim of this 3mm spectral survey is to identify and characterize the physical parameters of the gas emission in different molecular species, focusing on complex organic molecules. In this first paper, we present the survey and discuss the detection and relative abundances of the three isomers of C2H4O2: methyl formate, glycolaldehyde, and acetic acid. Methods. Observations were carried out with the ALMA interferometer, covering all of band 3 from 84 to 116 GHz (~32 GHz bandwidth) with an angular resolution of 1.2′′ × 1.2′′ (~ 4400 au × 4400 au) and a spectral resolution of ~0.488 MHz (~1.3−1.7 km s−1). The transitions of the three molecules have been analyzed with the software XCLASS to determine the physical parameters of the emitted gas. Results. All three isomers were detected with abundances of (2 ± 0.6) × 10−7, (4.3−8) × 10−8, and (5.0 ± 1.4) × 10−9 for methyl formate, acetic acid, and glycolaldehyde, respectively. Methyl formate and acetic acid abundances are the highest detected up to now, if compared to sources in the literature. The size of the emission varies among the three isomers with acetic acid showing the most compact emission while methyl formate exhibits the most extended emission. Different chemical pathways, involving both grain-surface chemistry and cold or hot gas-phase reactions, have been proposed for the formation of these molecules, but the small number of detections, especially of acetic acid and glycolaldehyde, have made it very difficult to confirm or discard the predictions of the models. The comparison with chemical models in literature suggests the necessity of grain-surface routes for the formation of methyl formate in G31, while for glycolaldehyde both scenarios could be feasible. The proposed grain-surface reaction for acetic acid is not capable of reproducing the observed abundance in this work, while the gas-phase scenario should be further tested, given the large uncertainties involved.
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ABERFELDS, A., and A. VASYUNIN. "First molecular cloud measurement with Irbene RT-32 radio telescope." Astronomical and Astrophysical Transactions, Vol. 32, No. 1, Volume 32, Numéro 1 (September 1, 2020): 39–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.17184/eac.4632.
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This paper describes the efforts of the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Center (VSRC) astrochemist and observation groups to study the formation of massive stars from chemical evaluation and radio emission point of view. By observing all four selected sources chemists group observations can provide important feedback to models, mainly an information for molecules with maser emission. Based on detection of masers in young stellar object (YSO) observations provide information that there are parts of molecular clouds where gas density and molecular abundances are higher by a few orders than in typical young star forming clouds.
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Jørgensen, Jes K. "The ALMA-PILS Survey: New insights into the complex chemistry of young stars." Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 14, S345 (August 2018): 132–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1743921319002849.
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AbstractUnderstanding how, when and where complex organic and potentially prebiotic molecules are formed is a fundamental goal of astrochemistry. Since its beginning the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has demonstrated its capabilities for studies of the chemistry of solar-type stars. Its high sensitivity and fine spectral and angular resolution makes it possible to study the chemistry of young stars on Solar System scales. We here present an unbiased spectral survey, Protostellar Interferometric Line Survey (PILS), of the astrochemical template source and Class 0 protostellar binary IRAS 16293-2422 using ALMA. The high quality ALMA data have allowed us to detect a wealth of species previously undetected toward solar-type protostars as well as the interstellar medium in general. Also, the data show the presence of numerous rare isotopologues of complex organic molecules and other species: the exact measurements of the abundances of the complex organic molecules and their isotopologues shed new light onto the formation of these species and provide a chemical link between the embedded protostellar stages and the early Solar System.
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López-Sepulcre, Ana, and Mathilde Bouvier. "Molecular richness in protostars: Lessons learnt from spectral observations." EPJ Web of Conferences 265 (2022): 00026. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202226500026.
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The gas associated with the early stages of star formation contains traces of a large variety of molecular species, many of which are organic in nature. Interestingly, we observe a substantial chemical diversity among protostars, with some objects being enriched in what astrochemists label interstellar complex organic molecules (iCOMs), such as methyl formate (HCOOCH3), while others are overabundant in unsaturated carbon chains such as C4H. What is the cause of this diversity? And where should we place the proto-solar-system in this chemical context: was it rich in iCOMs, or in carbon chains, or in both? Thanks to the development of sensitive broadband (sub-)millimetre instrumentation, both in single-dish telescopes and interferometers, we are currently witnessing big steps forward in this area. The present contribution summarises what we have learnt, in the past decade or so, about the molecular contents in solar-mass protostellar sources, and suggests a few guidelines to stimulate progress in the field.
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Drozdovskaya, Maria N., Isaac R. H. G. Schroeder I, Martin Rubin, Kathrin Altwegg, Ewine F. van Dishoeck, Beatrice M. Kulterer, Johan De Keyser, Stephen A. Fuselier, and Michael Combi. "Prestellar grain-surface origins of deuterated methanol in comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko." Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 500, no. 4 (October 31, 2020): 4901–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa3387.
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ABSTRACT Deuterated methanol is one of the most robust windows astrochemists have on the individual chemical reactions forming deuterium-bearing molecules and the physicochemical history of the regions where they reside. The first-time detection of mono- and di-deuterated methanol in a cometary coma is presented for comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko using Rosetta–ROSINA data. D-methanol (CH3OD and CH2DOH combined) and D2-methanol (CH2DOD and CHD2OH combined) have an abundance of 5.5 ± 0.46 and 0.00069 ± 0.00014 per cent relative to normal methanol. The data span a methanol deuteration fraction (D/H ratio) in the 0.71−6.6 per cent range, accounting for statistical corrections for the location of D in the molecule and including statistical error propagation in the ROSINA measurements. It is argued that cometary CH2DOH forms from CO hydrogenation to CH3OH and subsequent H–D substitution reactions in CH3–R. CHD2OH is likely produced from deuterated formaldehyde. Meanwhile, CH3OD and CH2DOD could form via H–D exchange reactions in OH–R in the presence of deuterated water ice. Methanol formation and deuteration is argued to occur at the same epoch as D2O formation from HDO, with formation of mono-deuterated water, hydrogen sulphide, and ammonia occurring prior to that. The cometary D-methanol/methanol ratio is demonstrated to agree most closely with that in prestellar cores and low-mass protostellar regions. The results suggest that cometary methanol stems from the innate cold (10–20 K) prestellar core that birthed our Solar system. Cometary volatiles individually reflect the evolutionary phases of star formation from cloud to core to protostar.
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Mendoza, Edgar, Nicolas Duronea, Daniele Ronsó, Lia C. Corazza, Floris van der Tak, Sergio Paron, and Lars-Åke Nyman. "Interrelations Between Astrochemistry and Galactic Dynamics." Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences 8 (May 28, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2021.655450.
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This paper presents a review of ideas that interconnect astrochemistry and galactic dynamics. Since these two areas are vast and not recent, each one has already been covered separately by several reviews. After a general historical introduction, and a needed quick review of processes such as stellar nucleosynthesis that gives the base to understand the interstellar formation of simple chemical compounds (e.g., H2, CO, NH3, and H2O), we focus on a number of topics that are at the crossing of the two big areas, dynamics and astrochemistry. Astrochemistry is a flourishing field that intends to study the presence and formation of molecules as well as the influence of them on the structure, evolution, and dynamics of astronomical objects. The progress in the knowledge on the existence of new complex molecules and of their process of formation originates from the observational, experimental, and theoretical areas that compose the field. The interfacing areas include star formation, protoplanetary disks, the role of the spiral arms, and the chemical abundance gradients in the galactic disk. It often happens that the physical conditions in some regions of the interstellar medium are only revealed by means of molecular observations. To organize a rough classification of chemical evolution processes, we discuss about how astrochemistry can act in three different contexts, namely, the chemistry of the early universe, including external galaxies, star-forming regions, and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and circumstellar envelopes. We mention that our research is stimulated by plans for instruments and projects, such as the ongoing Large Latin American Millimeter Array (LLAMA), which consists in the construction of a 12 m sub-mm radio telescope in the Andes. Thus, modern and new facilities can play a key role in new discoveries not only in astrochemistry but also in radio astronomy and related areas. Furthermore, the research on the origin of life is also a stimulating perspective.
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Sahu, Dipen, Sheng-Yuan Liu, and Tie Liu. "Anatomy of Orion Molecular Clouds—The Astrochemistry Perspective/Approach." Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences 8 (October 15, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2021.672893.
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The Orion molecular cloud (OMC) complex is the nearest and perhaps the best-studied giant molecular cloud complex within which low-mass and massive star formation occur. A variety of molecular species, from diatomic molecules to complex organic molecules (COMs), have been observed in the OMC regions. Different chemical species are found at different scales—from giant molecular clouds at parsec scales to cloud cores around young stellar objects at hundreds of au scales, and they act as tracers of different physical and chemical conditions of the sources. The OMC, therefore, is an ideal laboratory for studying astrochemistry over a broad spectrum of molecular cloud structures and masses. In this review, we discuss the usage of astrochemistry/molecular tracers and (sub) millimeter observations to understand the physical and chemical conditions of large-scale molecular clouds, filaments, and clumps down to cores and protostars in the OMC complex as a demonstration case.
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Hill, C. R., C. Mitterdorfer, T. G. A. Youngs, D. T. Bowron, N. Pascual, O. Auriacombe, T. Loerting, H. J. Fraser, and Susanne Höfner. "Are interstellar ices porous, and how do the pores collapse?" Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 11, A29A (August 2015). http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1743921317005117.
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Amorphous solid water (ASW) is of great importance in astrochemistry as it has been detected in star forming regions, comets, and cold solar-system objects. A key property of ASW is its porous nature (with the extent of porosity reflecting the formation and growth conditions) and the subsequent pore collapse when the ice is heated. If interstellar ices are porous there are huge implications to both the process of planet formation and the budgets of molecular gas in the solid and gas phases. It is therefore vital to understand ASW porosity over astronomically relevant conditions in order to effectively model its potential effects on these processes.
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Bergner, Jennifer B., Yancy L. Shirley, Jes K. Jørgensen, Brett McGuire, Susanne Aalto, Carrie M. Anderson, Gordon Chin, et al. "Astrochemistry With the Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems." Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences 8 (February 2, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2021.793922.
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Chemistry along the star- and planet-formation sequence regulates how prebiotic building blocks—carriers of the elements CHNOPS—are incorporated into nascent planetesimals and planets. Spectral line observations across the electromagnetic spectrum are needed to fully characterize interstellar CHNOPS chemistry, yet to date there are only limited astrochemical constraints at THz frequencies. Here, we highlight advances to the study of CHNOPS astrochemistry that will be possible with the Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems (OASIS). OASIS is a NASA mission concept for a space-based observatory that will utilize an inflatable 14-m reflector along with a heterodyne receiver system to observe at THz frequencies with unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution. As part of a survey of H2O and HD toward ∼100 protostellar and protoplanetary disk systems, OASIS will also obtain statistical constraints on the emission of complex organics from protostellar hot corinos and envelopes as well as light hydrides including NH3 and H2S toward protoplanetary disks. Line surveys of high-mass hot cores, protostellar outflow shocks, and prestellar cores will also leverage the unique capabilities of OASIS to probe high-excitation organics and small hydrides, as is needed to fully understand the chemistry of these objects.
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Bérard, Rémi, Kremena Makasheva, Karine Demyk, Aude Simon, Dianailys Nuñez Reyes, Fabrizio Mastrorocco, Hassan Sabbah, and Christine Joblin. "Impact of Metals on (Star)Dust Chemistry: A Laboratory Astrophysics Approach." Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences 8 (March 25, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2021.654879.
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Laboratory experiments are essential in exploring the mechanisms involved in stardust formation. One key question is how a metal is incorporated into dust for an environment rich in elements involved in stardust formation (C, H, O, Si). To address experimentally this question we have used a radiofrequency cold plasma reactor in which cyclic organosilicon dust formation is observed. Metallic (silver) atoms were injected in the plasma during the dust nucleation phase to study their incorporation in the dust. The experiments show formation of silver nanoparticles (~15 nm) under conditions in which organosilicon dust of size 200 nm or less is grown. The presence of AgSiO bonds, revealed by infrared spectroscopy, suggests the presence of junctions between the metallic nanoparticles and the organosilicon dust. Even after annealing we could not conclude on the formation of silver silicates, emphasizing that most of silver is included in the metallic nanoparticles. The molecular analysis performed by laser mass spectrometry exhibits a complex chemistry leading to a variety of molecules including large hydrocarbons and organometallic species. In order to gain insights into the involved chemical molecular pathways, the reactivity of silver atoms/ions with acetylene was studied in a laser vaporization source. Key organometallic species, AgnC2Hm (n = 1–3; m = 0–2), were identified and their structures and energetic data computed using density functional theory. This allows us to propose that molecular Ag–C seeds promote the formation of Ag clusters but also catalyze hydrocarbon growth. Throughout the article, we show how the developed methodology can be used to characterize the incorporation of metal atoms both in the molecular and dust phases. The presence of silver species in the plasma was motivated by objectives finding their application in other research fields than astrochemistry. Still, the reported methodology is a demonstration laying down the ground for future studies on metals of astrophysical interest, such as iron.
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Codella, C., C. Ceccarelli, C. Chandler, N. Sakai, S. Yamamoto, and The FAUST Team. "Enlightening the Chemistry of Infalling Envelopes and Accretion Disks Around Sun-Like Protostars: The ALMA FAUST Project." Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences 8 (December 23, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2021.782006.
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The huge variety of planetary systems discovered in recent decades likely depends on the early history of their formation. In this contribution, we introduce the FAUST Large Program which focuses specifically on the early history of solar-like protostars and their chemical diversity at scales of ∼ 50 au, where planets are expected to form. In particular, the goal of the project is to reveal and quantify the variety of chemical composition of the envelope/disk system at scales of 50 au in a sample of Class 0 and I protostars representative of the chemical diversity observed at larger scales. For each source, we propose a set of molecules able to (1) disentangle the components of the 50–2000 au envelope/disk system, (2) characterize the organic complexity in each of them, (3) probe their ionization structure, and (4) measure their molecular deuteration. The output will be a homogeneous database of thousands of images from different lines and species, i.e., an unprecedented source survey of the chemical diversity of solar-like protostars. FAUST will provide the community with a legacy dataset that will be a milestone for astrochemistry and star formation studies.
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Mifsud, Duncan V., Perry A. Hailey, Alejandra Traspas Muiña, Olivier Auriacombe, Nigel J. Mason, and Sergio Ioppolo. "The Role of Terahertz and Far-IR Spectroscopy in Understanding the Formation and Evolution of Interstellar Prebiotic Molecules." Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences 8 (November 29, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2021.757619.
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Stellar systems are often formed through the collapse of dense molecular clouds which, in turn, return copious amounts of atomic and molecular material to the interstellar medium. An in-depth understanding of chemical evolution during this cyclic interaction between the stars and the interstellar medium is at the heart of astrochemistry. Systematic chemical composition changes as interstellar clouds evolve from the diffuse stage to dense, quiescent molecular clouds to star-forming regions and proto-planetary disks further enrich the molecular diversity leading to the evolution of ever more complex molecules. In particular, the icy mantles formed on interstellar dust grains and their irradiation are thought to be the origin of many of the observed molecules, including those that are deemed to be “prebiotic”; that is those molecules necessary for the origin of life. This review will discuss both observational (e.g., ALMA, SOFIA, Herschel) and laboratory investigations using terahertz and far-IR (THz/F-IR) spectroscopy, as well as centimeter and millimeter spectroscopies, and the role that they play in contributing to our understanding of the formation of prebiotic molecules. Mid-IR spectroscopy has typically been the primary tool used in laboratory studies, particularly those concerned with interstellar ice analogues. However, THz/F-IR spectroscopy offers an additional and complementary approach in that it provides the ability to investigate intermolecular interactions compared to the intramolecular modes available in the mid-IR. THz/F-IR spectroscopy is still somewhat under-utilized, but with the additional capability it brings, its popularity is likely to significantly increase in the near future. This review will discuss the strengths and limitations of such methods, and will also provide some suggestions on future research areas that should be pursued in the coming decade exploiting both space-borne and laboratory facilities.