protostellar disk Archives - Astrobiology

Schematic of a Sun-like star and planet formation, showing the transition from a prestellar core to a planetary system. This figure was generated using Gemini (Google) based on an original conceptual sketch provided by the author. -- astro-ph.SR

Astrochemical Study of Early Embedded Discs

by Keith CowingJuly 1, 2026July 1, 2026

[astro-ph.SR] The question of how our planet was formed and, more generally, how a planetary system forms is fundamental and has been addressed in a broad range of research domains. […]

IRAS 15398 JWST NIRSpec spectrum (Program ID 1854, PI: M. McClure), NIRSpec Prism spectrum (Program ID 6161, PI: K. Slavicinska), and MIRI-MRS spectrum (Program ID 2151, PI: Y.-L. Yang) with the radiative transfer model spectrum extracted in a 1” diameter overlaid in black. Data points which hit the noise floor from the G395H and Prism data were removed. A spectrum zoomed in to the NIR CO2 and CO absorption is shown in Appendix E. -- astro-ph.SR

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

CORINOS V: Radiative Transfer Effects In Protostellar Ice Observations

by Keith CowingMay 2, 2026May 2, 2026

Recent observations of protostars with the James Webb Space Telescope have revealed unprecedented chemical complexity from their ice absorption features.

Graphical abstract -- astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

VUV Processing of Nitrile Ice: Direct Comparison of Branching in Ice and TPD Spectra

by Keith CowingMay 21, 2025May 21, 2025

The interplay between radiation chemistry and sublimation dynamics of condensed organic compounds on cold grains is fundamental to describe observed gas-phase and ice-phase molecular abundances in the ISM.

Perseus Molecular Cloud H2 column density map from Herschel (Sadavoy et al. 2012; Pezzuto et al. 2012; Sadavoy et al. 2014). Overplotted are the numbered starless and prestellar cores observed (pink, gold and orange points) and those underlined in gold have had successful ARO 12m CH3CHO detections at the 𝜎𝑇mb = 6 mK level and were followed up with the Yebes 40m telescope. Cores 67 and 658 are italicized and labeled in blue, denoting these are the cores that were followed up with additional ARO 12m observations probing down to 𝜎𝑇mb = 2.5 mK. The remaining starless and prestellar cores are in magenta. In all cores CH3OH has been detected. For comparison, in green are the locations of the 27 protostars from the PEACHES sample with CH3OH detections (see their Table 5 in Yang et al. 2021). The apparent overlap in sources is a projection effect, as seen from the zoom-in insert panels for regions IC348 and NGC1333. The size of the starless and prestellar core circles are at a FWHM of 62 arcsec. -- astro-ph.SR

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

Survey of Complex Organic Molecules in Starless and Prestellar Cores in the Perseus Molecular Cloud

by Keith CowingAugust 22, 2024August 22, 2024

Cold (∼10 K) and dense (∼105 cm−3) cores of gas and dust within molecular clouds, known as starless and dynamically evolved prestellar cores, are the birthplaces of low-mass (M ≤ […]

Early Planet Formation In An Embedded Disk -- NASA

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

Early Planet Formation in Embedded Disks (eDisk) XV: Influence of Magnetic Field Morphology in Dense Cores on Sizes of Protostellar Disks

by Keith CowingMay 16, 2024May 16, 2024

The magnetic field of a molecular cloud core may play a role in the formation of circumstellar disks in the core. We present magnetic field morphologies in protostellar cores of […]