Interstellar Archives

NOEMA 3 mm-band spectral surveys of APM 08279+5255 and NCv1.143, shown as the blue and violet spectra, respectively. For visualization purposes, the spectrum of NCv1.143 has been shifted up by 2 mJy. Both spectra are binned to 50 MHz (about 150 km s−1) to highlight the line detection. Error bars are indicated by thin lines (the same color as the spectra) overlaid on the spectra. Black dashed lines identify the lines detected in both sources, while orange dashed lines highlight the lines that are only detected in one of the two sources. The line names are labeled above the dashed lines. The peak values indicated for CO(3–2), CO(4–3), and [C I](1-0) emission lines in NCv1.143 are the true peak values before the 2 mJy shift, and they are outside the box of the figure. A zoom-in version is provided in Fig. A.1 -- astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

SUNRISE: The Rich Molecular Inventory Of High-redshift Dusty Galaxies Revealed By Broadband Spectral Line Surveys

by Keith CowingNovember 17, 2023November 17, 2023

Understanding the nature of high-z dusty galaxies requires a comprehensive view of their ISM and molecular complexity. However, the molecular ISM at high-z is commonly studied using only a few […]

Integrated intensity map of NH2CHO and CH13 3 CN in Sgr B2(N1). The integrated intensity map of NH2CHO at 103.525 GHz are shown in color scale. The integrated intensity map of CH13 3 CN at 91.94 GHz is shown in contours, which represent 30% to 90% percent of peak integrated intensity. The white crosses indicate the position of Sgr B2(N1E), Sgr B2(N1S), and the center of Sgr B2(N1). The white ellipse shows the size of the respective synthetic beam. -- astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

Tentative Detection Of Cyanoformamide NCCONH2 In Space

by Keith CowingNovember 7, 2023November 7, 2023

The peptide-like molecules, cyanoformamide (NCCONH2), is the cyano (CN) derivative of formamide (NH2CHO). It is known to play a role in the synthesis of nucleic acid precursors under prebiotic conditions.

Scanning electron microscope images of the original carbon material (left) and after ice deposition and subsequent irradiation with X-rays (right). The original thickness of a-13C dust is ∼300 nm. Left: the carbon grains are 3–5 nm in size and form fractal entities that finally produce a very porous, three-dimensional layer. Right: the erosion of carbon is clearly visible by a strong flattening of the carbon structure. -- astro-ph.SR

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Interstellar, Status Report

Interstellar Carbonaceous Dust Erosion Induced By X-ray Irradiation Of Water Ice In Star-forming Regions

by Keith CowingNovember 1, 2023November 1, 2023

The chemical inventory of protoplanetary midplanes is the basis for forming planetesimals. Among them, solid-state reactions based on CO/CO2 toward molecular complexity on interstellar dust grains have been studied in […]

The (H2O)20 cluster model used in this work, optimised at ωB97X-V/def2-TZVP, which also shows the size dimensions. The different positions in which the C atom has been adsorbed (Pos1, Pos2, and Pos3) are also shown. -- astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Interstellar, Status Report

Formation Of Interstellar Complex Organic Molecules On Water-rich Ices Triggered By Atomic Carbon Freezing

by Keith CowingOctober 27, 2023October 27, 2023

The reactivity of interstellar carbon atoms (C) on the water-dominated ices is one of the possible ways to form interstellar complex organic molecules (iCOMs).

The gray-scale and contours show the spatial distribution of different transitions of HCONH2. The figures are listed in order of increasing upper state energy. The first figure is the map of HCONH2 11,1-00,0 at 82549.562 MHz. The contour levels start at 2 K km s−1 with a step of 0.4 K km s−1 . The second figure is the map of HCONH2 40,4-30,3 at 84542.330 MHz. The contour levels start at 7 K km s−1 with a step of 2.5 K km s−1 . The third figure is the map of HCONH2 41,3-31,2 at 87848.874 MHz. The contour levels start at 8.4 K km s−1 with a step of 3 K km s−1 . The fourth figure is the map of HCONH2 42,2-32,1 at 85093.272 MHz. The contour levels start at 3.3 K km s−1 with a step of 3 K km s−1 . The fiveth figure is the map of HCONH2 42,3-32,2 at 84807.795 MHz. The contour levels start at 3 K km s−1 with a step of 2 K km s−1 . The sixth figure is the map of HCONH2 43,2-33,1 and 43,1-33,0 at 84888.994 MHz and 84890.987, respectively. The contour levels start at 2.5 K km s−1 with a step of 2.5 K km s−1 . Sgr B2(N), Sgr B2(M), and G+0.693 are labeled with ′′ × ”. The beam size are shown in the left corner of each panel. -- astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

Mapping Observations of Peptide-like Molecules Around Sagittarius B2

by Keith CowingOctober 25, 2023October 25, 2023

Peptide-like molecule, which has a close connection with the origin of life, has been detected in universe. Mapping observations of HCONH2 and CH3CONH2, two simplest peptide-like molecules, are performed towards […]

Schematic for reactions in space occurring in the gas phase (top), and on the surface of grains (bottom). -- NASA

Astrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Interstellar, Status Report

Density Functional Theory Calculations on the Interstellar Formation of Biomolecules

by Keith CowingOctober 24, 2023October 24, 2023

The density functional theory (DFT) is the most versatile electronic structure method used in quantum chemical calculations, and is increasingly applied in astrochemical research.

Continuum emission at 99 GHz in grey scale overlaid by contours of SO J = 23 − 12 at 99.3 GHz (top) and SiO J = 2 − 1 at 86.85 GHz (bottom) integrated intensities. The inner integration limits vary such that channels that contain deep absorption are excluded. The outer integration limits are fixed at 15 and 115 km s−1 for blue- and red-shifted SO emission, respectively, and 5 and 130 km s−1 for blue- and red-shifted SiO emission, respectively (see also Fig. 3). The blue and red contours start at 5σ and then increase by a factor of 2, where σ = 10.5 (SO, blue), 10.8 (SO, red), 4.5 (SiO, blue), and 5.8 K km s−1 (SiO, red) and corresponds to an average noise level that was measured in the respective map. The black contour indicates the 3σ level of the continuum emission (see Fig. 1). Based on the SO maps, we identify collimated features possibly tracing outflow axes that are shown as solid and dashed black arrows and labelled aB1, aR1, and aR2. The markers are the same as in Fig. 1. In addition to N2, the hot core N3 identified by Bonfand et al. (2017) is marked with a cyan tetragon. Blue and pink star markers indicate H2O maser spots (McGrath et al. 2004) with blue- and red-shifted velocities, respectively, with respect to 3sys ≡ 62 km s−1 . The HPBW is shown in the bottom-right corner of each panel. The position offsets are given with respect to the ReMoCA phase centre (black cross). The maps are not corrected for primary beam attenuation. -- astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

Shocking Sgr B2(N1) With Its Own Outflow: A New Perspective On Segregation Between O- and N-bearing Molecules

by Keith CowingOctober 21, 2023October 19, 2023

We want to investigate the influence of the powerful outflow driven by the hot core Sgr B2(N1) on the gas molecular inventory of the surrounding medium.

‘Oumuamua -- Illustration by Samuel Cabot

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Comets and Asteroids, Interstellar, Meteorites & Asteroids, Panspermia, Press Release, Space Weather & Heliophysics

X-rays May Tell Us More About The Origins Of Visiting Space Rocks

by Keith CowingOctober 14, 2023October 14, 2023

A research team led by a Yale astronomer has some advice for our next close encounter with a wandering, interstellar object. Check its X-rays on the way out. Since 2017, […]

Image of creating super giant carbon and/or PAH molecules after the star explosion. -- astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Interstellar, Status Report

Astronomical Diffuse Interstellar Bands Analyzed by Hydrocarbon Pentagon-Hexagon Combined PAH Molecules

by Keith CowingOctober 11, 2023October 11, 2023

This study theoretically predicted the specific Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules to satisfy both astronomically observed Diffuse Interstellar Bands (DIB) and Infrared Bands (IR).

PES of the reaction [8] of Table 1, CH+ 4 + HCN. The plot shows the results obtained at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ//B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory -- astro-ph.SR

Astrochemistry, Interstellar, Status Report

Revised Gas-phase Formation Network Of Methyl Cyanide: The Origin Of Methyl Cyanide And Methanol Abundance Correlation In Hot Corinos

by Keith CowingSeptember 25, 2023September 25, 2023

Methyl cyanide (CH3CN) is one of the most abundant and widely spread interstellar complex organic molecules (iCOMs). Several studies found that, in hot corinos, methyl cyanide and methanol abundances are […]

Interstellar

SUNRISE: The Rich Molecular Inventory Of High-redshift Dusty Galaxies Revealed By Broadband Spectral Line Surveys

Tentative Detection Of Cyanoformamide NCCONH2 In Space

Interstellar Carbonaceous Dust Erosion Induced By X-ray Irradiation Of Water Ice In Star-forming Regions

Formation Of Interstellar Complex Organic Molecules On Water-rich Ices Triggered By Atomic Carbon Freezing

Mapping Observations of Peptide-like Molecules Around Sagittarius B2

Density Functional Theory Calculations on the Interstellar Formation of Biomolecules

Shocking Sgr B2(N1) With Its Own Outflow: A New Perspective On Segregation Between O- and N-bearing Molecules

X-rays May Tell Us More About The Origins Of Visiting Space Rocks

Astronomical Diffuse Interstellar Bands Analyzed by Hydrocarbon Pentagon-Hexagon Combined PAH Molecules

Revised Gas-phase Formation Network Of Methyl Cyanide: The Origin Of Methyl Cyanide And Methanol Abundance Correlation In Hot Corinos

Potential Survivable Niches For Microbial Life On The Lunar South Pole

JWST Telemetry Combined With Active Coronagraphy: Raw Contrast Predictions For Exoplanet Imaging With The Habitable Worlds Observatory

Antarctica Is Home To Microbes Found Nowhere Else On Earth

Study: Peptides Can Form Well-defined Structures In Harsh, Venus-like Conditions

Modeling Carbon-Based Planets with MAGRATHEA