Taurus Molecular Cloud Archives - Astrobiology

Molecular abundances as a function of the H2 column density. Each panel shows one molecule, with bars representing the derived abundances for the different cores and widths corresponding to half the uncertainty in N(H2). Hatched bars with a downward-facing triangle indicate upper limits (non-detections). Each panel also shows the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (ρ) and the corresponding p-value. -- astro-ph.GA

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

Tracing The Sulfur Depletion In Starless And Pre-stellar Cores

by Keith CowingMay 15, 2026May 15, 2026

Sulfur is one of the most abundant elements in the Universe, yet the sulfur budget inferred from the observed sulfur-bearing molecules in dense cores is significantly lower than expected.

A visualization of the spectral coverage and (cumulative) on-target integration times. See Table 2 for more information on the spectral settings. The background grayscale shows a representative composite spectrum of the atmospheric transmission, stitched together from am models (Paine 2024) for mean conditions at the respective site altitudes. -- astro-ph.SR

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

Detailed Microwave Continuum Spectra from Bright Protoplanetary Disks in Taurus

by Keith CowingJuly 31, 2025

We present new observations that densely sample the microwave (4-360 GHz) continuum spectra from eight young systems in the Taurus region.

A representation of 1-cyanopyrene detected in space. Credit: NSF/NSF NRAO/AUI/S. Dagnello.

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Press Release

The Largest Molecule Ever Detected Using Radioastronomy

by Keith CowingOctober 25, 2024October 25, 2024

The discovery of a four-ring carbon molecule in a distant interstellar cloud may help to reveal how our own solar system formed.

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 ≤ […]

Left panel (a): Comparison of the IR emission spectra of 1-CNN of a natural line width of γ = 30 cm−1 (red line) for each vibrational transition with that of γ = 10 cm−1 (blue line). The molecule is illuminated by the MMP83 (U = 1) interstellar radiation field. Right panel (b): Same as (a) but for a comparison of γ = 30 cm−1 (red line) with γ = 50 cm−1 (blue line). - astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

Infrared Emission of Specific Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Molecules: Cyanonaphthalenes

by Keith CowingMarch 12, 2024March 12, 2024

The unidentified infrared emission (UIE) features at 3.3, 6.2, 7.7, 8.6, 11.3 and 12.7 micron are ubiquitously seen in a wide variety of astrophysical regions and commonly attributed to polycyclic […]

Potential energy surface of the CN + toluene reaction at the level of CCSD(T)/CBS//M06–2X-D3/6-311+G(d,p) in this work. The energetically favorable pathways are represented in red. Energies in parentheses are the results calculated at the level of M06-2X/aug-cc-pVTZ from Messinger et al. (Messinger et al. 2020). astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report, Titan

Reaction Kinetics Of CN + Toluene And Its Implication On The Productions Of Aromatic Nitriles In The Taurus Molecular Cloud And Titan’s Atmosphere

by Keith CowingApril 10, 2023April 10, 2023

Reactions between cyano radical and aromatic hydrocarbons are believed to be important pathways for the formation of aromatic nitriles in the interstellar medium (ISM) including those identified in the Taurus […]

Observed transitions

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

Discovery Of CH3CHCO In Taurus Molecular Cloud (TMC-1) With The QUIJOTE Line Survey

by Keith CowingFebruary 20, 2023February 20, 2023

We report the detection of methyl ketene towards TMC-1 with the QUIJOTE line survey. Nineteen rotational transitions with rotational quantum numbers ranging from J = 3 up to J = […]