NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) mission has mapped interstellar ice at an unprecedented scale.
Interstellar Dust
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Broadband Spectroscopy Of Astrophysical Ice Analogues: IV. Optical Constants Of N2 Ice In The Terahertz And Mid-infrared Ranges
Context. Understanding the optical properties of astrophysical ices is crucial for modeling dust continuum emission and radiative transfer in cold, dense interstellar environments. Molecular nitrogen (N2), a major nitrogen reservoir […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Comets and Asteroids, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
SPHERE’s Debris Disk Gallery: Tell-tale Signs Of Dust And Small Bodies In Distant Solar Systems
Observations with the instrument SPHERE at ESO’s Very Large Telescope have produced an unprecedented gallery of “debris disks” in exoplanetary systems. Gaël Chauvin (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy), project scientist […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Binding Energy Distributions Of Alcohols, Thiols, And Their Precursors On Interstellar Water Ice Surfaces
Binding energy (BE) is a critical parameter in astrochemical modeling, governing the retention of species on interstellar dust grains and their subsequent chemical evolution.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Photochemistry Of Interstellar Ice Forming Complex Organic Molecules
Astrochemistry is a well-established multidisciplinary field devoted to the study of atoms and molecules in space.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Investigating Silicate, Carbon, And Water In The Diffuse Interstellar Medium: The First Shots From WISCI
The dusty interstellar medium (ISM) of the Milky Way is distributed in a complex, cloudy structure.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
Hydroxylated Mg-rich Amorphous Silicates as Catalysts for Molecular Hydrogen Formation in the Interstellar Medium
We present results from an experimental study on the interaction of atomic deuterium with Mg-rich amorphous enstatite and forsterite type silicates. Infrared spectroscopy was used to examine the process.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Press Release
ALMA Reveals The Lives Of Planet-Forming Disks
An international team of astronomers has unveiled groundbreaking findings about the disks of gas and dust surrounding nearby young stars, using the powerful Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Press Release
Windswept Grains Hold Clues To A Planet’s Beginnings
The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has uncovered a key piece of the puzzle in how rocky planets, such as Earth, form around young stars.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Press Release
Astrochemistry: Webb Watches Carbon-Rich Dust Shells Form, Expand in Star System
Astronomers have long tried to track down how elements like carbon, which is essential for life, become widely distributed across the universe. Now, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has examined […]