![Schematic diagram of our spectral line stacking and matched filtering procedures. First, (a) shows relevant spectral regions of the (synthetic) observational data (black) and an initial spectral simulation (red). Each spectral window is then weighted based on the signal-to-noise ratio of each region to create a velocity stack of all relevant molecular rotational transitions (b). Finally, the stacked simulation is used as a matched filter and is cross-correlated with the stacked data to visualize the statistical significance of a given detection (c). -- [astro-ph.GA]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Exploring-the-Limits.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
[astro-ph.GA] The formation history of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the interstellar medium remains a topic of active debate, with proposed mechanisms ranging from high-temperature stellar ejecta processes to low-temperature […]
TMC-1
![Molecular structure of the two conformational isomers that are connected through a single bond rotation,syn and anti CH2CHCHS. The numbers represent the zero-point energy corrected energy separation in kcal mol−1 at the CCSD(T)-F12/cc-pVTZ-F12//SCS-MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ, described later in the text. -- [astro-ph.GA]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Laboratory-spectroscopy.png?resize=1200%2C723&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry
Laboratory Spectroscopy, Theoretical Characterization, And Astronomical Search For Syn-propenethial (CH2CHCHS)
[astro-ph.GA] We report the laboratory characterization of the higher-energy isomer of propenethial, syn-CH2CHCHS. While the lower-energy isomer, anti-CH2CHCHS, was detected in the interstellar medium during the QUIJOTE line survey of […]
Posted inAstrochemistry
Reaction Mechanisms and Kinetics of CN and CCH with H2CS: Implications for Interstellar Sulfur Chemistry
We report an ab initio and master-equation investigation of the gas-phase reactions of thioformaldehyde (H2CS) with CN and CCH radicals, motivated by the recent detection of the S-containing species HCSCN […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Acenaphthene Derivatives As Signatures Of C11H9 Reactivity With Methylated Naphthalenes
C11H+9 ion is the dominant fragment cation formed from methyl-naphthalene (MeNp) and dimethyl-naphthalene (diMeNp).
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
TMC-1: Probing The Onset Of Chemical Complexity In Space
In recent years, the obsessive interest in the observation of TMC-1 has brought a boost in our knowledge of the chemistry of cold dark clouds. The number of molecules detected […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Aromatic Rings In The Central Molecular Zone: Benzonitrile
In recent years, several aromatic molecules (benzene-based rings) have been detected in the cold molecular cloud TMC-1, with its CN-derivative, benzonitrile (c-C6H5CN), also identified in other nearby cold sources.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
The Impact Of Hydrogen Atom Tunneling On Aromatic Chemistry In TMC-1
Hydrogen atom tunneling likely plays a substantial role in the gas-phase chemistry of astrochemical environments. To determine the potential effect that it has on the chemical modeling of aromatic molecules, […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Ice as a Photochemical Shield: Adsorption Energetics and Spectroscopic Modulation of Interstellar Thiocyanates HCSCN and HCSCCH in TMC-1
The recent detections of thioformyl cyanide (HCSCN) and propynethial (HCSCCH) in TMC-1 provide critical insights into the interstellar sulfur inventory, yet their sequestration and survivability on dust grain mantles remain […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Interstellar Formation of Thioethanal (CH3CHS). Gas-Phase and Ice-Surface Mechanisms involving Secondary Sulfur Products
The formation pathways of sulfur-bearing species in the interstellar medium are crucial to understand astrochemical processes in cold molecular clouds and to gain new insights about the sulfur budget in […]
![polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) 1H-cyclopent[cd]indene (c-C11H8) -- astro-ph.GA](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Discovery-of-1H-cyclopentcdindene.png?resize=1200%2C716&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report
Discovery Of 1H-cyclopent[cd]indene (c-C11H8) In TMC-1 With The QUIJOTE Line Survey: A New Three-ringed Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon
We report the detection of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) 1H-cyclopent[cd]indene (c-C11H8) in TMC-1 with the QUI- JOTE line survey. We detected 22 independent lines corresponding to 88 rotational transitions […]