scholarly journals Mapping observations of complex organic molecules around Sagittarius B2 with the ARO 12 m telescope

2020 ◽  
Vol 492 (1) ◽  
pp. 556-565
Author(s):  
Juan Li ◽  
Junzhi Wang ◽  
Haihua Qiao ◽  
Donghui Quan ◽  
Min Fang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Methyl Formate ◽  
Surface Reactions ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Methyl Amine ◽  
Grain Surface ◽  
Complex Organic

ABSTRACT We have performed high-sensitivity mapping observations of several complex organic molecules around Sagittarius B2 with the ARO 12 m telescope at 3 mm wavelength. Based on their spatial distribution, molecules can be classified as either ‘extended’, those detected not only in Sgr B2(N) and Sgr B2(M), or ‘compact’, those only detected toward or near Sgr B2(N) and Sgr B2(M). The ‘extended’ molecules include glycolaldehyde (CH2OHCHO), methyl formate (CH3OCHO), formic acid (t-HCOOH), ethanol (C2H5OH) and methyl amine (CH3NH2), while the ‘compact’ molecules include dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3), ethyl cyanide (C2H5CN), and amino acetonitrile (H2NCH2CN). These ‘compact’ molecules are likely produced under strong UV radiation, while the ‘extended’ molecules are likely formed at low temperatures, via gas-phase or grain-surface reactions. The spatial distribution of ‘warm’ CH2OHCHO at 89 GHz differs from the spatial distribution of ‘cold’ CH2OHCHO observed at 13 GHz. We found evidence for an overabundance of CH2OHCHO compared to that expected from the gas-phase model, which indicates that grain-surface reactions are necessary to explain the origin of CH2OHCHO in Sagittarius B2. Grain-surface reactions are also needed to explain the correlation between the abundances of ‘cold’ CH2OHCHO and C2H5OH. These results demonstrate the importance of grain-surface chemistry in the production of complex organic molecules.

scholarly journals The GUAPOS project: G31.41+0.31 Unbiased ALMA sPectral Observational Survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 644 ◽  
pp. A84
Author(s):  
C. Mininni ◽  
M. T. Beltrán ◽  
V. M. Rivilla ◽  
A. Sánchez-Monge ◽  
F. Fontani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acetic Acid ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Methyl Formate ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Grain Surface ◽  
Spectral Survey ◽  
Complex Organic

Context. One of the goals of astrochemistry is to understand the degree of chemical complexity that can be reached in star-forming regions, along with the identification of precursors of the building blocks of life in the interstellar medium. To answer such questions, unbiased spectral surveys with large bandwidth and high spectral resolution are needed, in particular, to resolve line blending in chemically rich sources and identify each molecule (especially for complex organic molecules). These kinds of observations have already been successfully carried out, primarily towards the Galactic Center, a region that shows peculiar environmental conditions. Aims. We present an unbiased spectral survey of one of the most chemically rich hot molecular cores located outside the Galactic Center, in the high-mass star-forming region G31.41+0.31. The aim of this 3mm spectral survey is to identify and characterize the physical parameters of the gas emission in different molecular species, focusing on complex organic molecules. In this first paper, we present the survey and discuss the detection and relative abundances of the three isomers of C2H4O2: methyl formate, glycolaldehyde, and acetic acid. Methods. Observations were carried out with the ALMA interferometer, covering all of band 3 from 84 to 116 GHz (~32 GHz bandwidth) with an angular resolution of 1.2′′ × 1.2′′ (~ 4400 au × 4400 au) and a spectral resolution of ~0.488 MHz (~1.3−1.7 km s−1). The transitions of the three molecules have been analyzed with the software XCLASS to determine the physical parameters of the emitted gas. Results. All three isomers were detected with abundances of (2 ± 0.6) × 10−7, (4.3−8) × 10−8, and (5.0 ± 1.4) × 10−9 for methyl formate, acetic acid, and glycolaldehyde, respectively. Methyl formate and acetic acid abundances are the highest detected up to now, if compared to sources in the literature. The size of the emission varies among the three isomers with acetic acid showing the most compact emission while methyl formate exhibits the most extended emission. Different chemical pathways, involving both grain-surface chemistry and cold or hot gas-phase reactions, have been proposed for the formation of these molecules, but the small number of detections, especially of acetic acid and glycolaldehyde, have made it very difficult to confirm or discard the predictions of the models. The comparison with chemical models in literature suggests the necessity of grain-surface routes for the formation of methyl formate in G31, while for glycolaldehyde both scenarios could be feasible. The proposed grain-surface reaction for acetic acid is not capable of reproducing the observed abundance in this work, while the gas-phase scenario should be further tested, given the large uncertainties involved.

scholarly journals Laboratory data in support of JWST observations of interstellar ices

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (S350) ◽  
pp. 420-421
Author(s):  
Marina G. Rachid ◽  
Jeroen Terwisscha van Scheltinga ◽  
Daniël Koletzki ◽  
Giulia Marcandalli ◽  
Ewine F. van Dishoeck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Methyl Formate ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Protoplanetary Disks ◽  
Theoretical Studies ◽  
James Webb Space Telescope ◽  
Complex Organic ◽  
Experimental And Theoretical Studies

AbstractExperimental and theoretical studies have shown that Complex Organic Molecules (COMs) can be formed on icy dusty grains in molecular clouds and protoplanetary disks. The number of astronomical detections of solid COMs, however, is very limited. With the upcoming launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) this should change, but in order to identify solid state features of COMs, accurate laboratory data are needed. Here we present high resolution (0.5 cm–1) infrared ice spectra of acetone (C3H6O) and methyl formate (HCOOCH3), two molecules already identified in astronomical gas phase surveys, whose interstellar synthesis is expected to follow solid state pathways.

scholarly journals Synthesis of solid-state complex organic molecules through accretion of simple species at low temperatures

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (S350) ◽  
pp. 46-50
Author(s):  
D. Qasim ◽  
G. Fedoseev ◽  
K.-J. Chuang ◽  
V. Taquet ◽  
T. Lamberts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Primary Alcohol ◽  
Major Product ◽  
Activation Barriers ◽  
Upper Limit ◽  
Complex Organic

AbstractComplex organic molecules (COMs) have been detected in the gas-phase in cold and lightless molecular cores. Recent solid-state laboratory experiments have provided strong evidence that COMs can be formed on icy grains through ‘non-energetic’ processes. In this contribution, we show that propanal and 1-propanol can be formed in this way at the low temperature of 10 K. Propanal has already been detected in space. 1-propanol is an astrobiologically relevant molecule, as it is a primary alcohol, and has not been astronomically detected. Propanal is the major product formed in the C2H2 + CO + H experiment, and 1-propanol is detected in the subsequent propanal + H experiment. ALMA observations towards IRAS 16293-2422B are discussed and provide a 1-propanol:propanal upper limit of < 0.35–0.55, which are complemented by computationally-derived activation barriers in addition to the performed laboratory experiments.

scholarly journals Complex organic molecules along the accretion flow in isolated and externally irradiated protoplanetary disks

2014 ◽  
Vol 168 ◽  
pp. 389-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Walsh ◽  
Eric Herbst ◽  
Hideko Nomura ◽  
T. J. Millar ◽  
Susanna Widicus Weaver
Keyword(s):  
Surface Chemistry ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Molecular Layer ◽  
Accretion Flow ◽  
Chemical Complexity ◽  
Outer Disk ◽  
Molecular Abundances ◽  
Grain Surface ◽  
Complex Organic

The birth environment of the Sun will have influenced the physical and chemical structure of the pre-solar nebula, including the attainable chemical complexity reached in the disk, important for prebiotic chemistry. The formation and distribution of complex organic molecules (COMs) in a disk around a T Tauri star is investigated for two scenarios: (i) an isolated disk, and (ii) a disk irradiated externally by a nearby massive star. The chemistry is calculated along the accretion flow from the outer disk inwards using a comprehensive network which includes gas-phase reactions, gas-grain interactions, and thermal grain-surface chemistry. Two simulations are performed, one beginning with complex ices and one with simple ices only. For the isolated disk, COMs are transported without major chemical alteration into the inner disk where they thermally desorb into the gas reaching an abundance representative of the initial assumed ice abundance. For simple ices, COMs can efficiently form on grain surfaces under the conditions in the outer disk. Gas-phase COMs are released into the molecular layer via photodesorption. For the irradiated disk, complex ices are also transported inwards; however, they undergo thermal processing caused by the warmer conditions in the irradiated disk which tends to reduce their abundance along the accretion flow. For simple ices, grain-surface chemistry cannot efficiently synthesise COMs in the outer disk because the necessary grain-surface radicals, which tend to be particularly volatile, are not sufficiently abundant on the grain surfaces. Gas-phase COMs are formed in the inner region of the irradiated disk via gas-phase chemistry induced by the desorption of strongly bound molecules such as methanol; hence, the abundances are not representative of the initial molecular abundances injected into the outer disk. These results suggest that the composition of comets formed in isolated disks may differ from those formed in externally irradiated disks with the latter composed of more simple ices.

scholarly journals Synthetic Approaches to Complex Organic Molecules in the Cold Interstellar Medium

2022 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Herbst ◽  
Robin T. Garrod
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Interstellar Medium ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Interstellar Space ◽  
Interstellar Clouds ◽  
Millimeter And Submillimeter Waves ◽  
Complex Organic

The observation and synthesis of organic molecules in interstellar space is one of the most exciting and rapidly growing topics in astrochemistry. Spectroscopic observations especially with millimeter and submillimeter waves have resulted in the detection of more than 250 molecules in the interstellar clouds from which stars and planets are ultimately formed. In this review, we focus on the diverse suggestions made to explain the formation of Complex Organic Molecules (COMs) in the low-temperature interstellar medium. The dominant mechanisms at such low temperatures are still a matter of dispute, with both gas-phase and granular processes, occurring on and in ice mantles, thought to play a role. Granular mechanisms include both diffusive and nondiffusive processes. A granular explanation is strengthened by experiments at 10 K that indicate that the synthesis of large molecules on granular ice mantles under space-like conditions is exceedingly efficient, with and without external radiation. In addition, the bombardment of carbon-containing ice mantles in the laboratory by cosmic rays, which are mainly high-energy protons, can lead to organic species even at low temperatures. For processes on dust grains to be competitive at low temperatures, however, non-thermal desorption mechanisms must be invoked to explain why the organic molecules are detected in the gas phase. Although much remains to be learned, a better understanding of low-temperature organic syntheses in space will add both to our understanding of unusual chemical processes and the role of molecules in stellar evolution.

Chemical modelling of N-bearing COMs in star-forming regions

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (S332) ◽  
pp. 415-417
Author(s):  
David Quénard ◽  
Izaskun Jiménez-Serra ◽  
Serena Viti ◽  
Jonathan Holdship
Keyword(s):  
Surface Chemistry ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Methyl Isocyanate ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Chemical Modelling ◽  
Grain Surface ◽  
Complex Organic

AbstractThe study of complex organic molecules, and more specifically those of prebiotic interest, is important to understand the chemical richness of star-forming regions. The chemistry of nitrogen bearing molecules such as formamide or methyl isocyanate is poorly constrained. We study different chemical pathways to form and destroy these molecules from both the gas phase and grain surface chemistry. From comparison with observations of four different relevant astrophysical regions, we show that both the gas phase and grain surface chemistry are required to explain the observed abundances of these species.

scholarly journals Precursors of complex organic molecules: NH3 and CH3OH in the ices surrounding low-mass protostars

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (S251) ◽  
pp. 105-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandrine Bottinelli ◽  
Adwin C. A. Boogert ◽  
Ewine F. van Dishoeck ◽  
Martha Beckwith ◽  
Jordy Bouwman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Young Stellar Objects ◽  
Stellar Objects ◽  
Space Telescope ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Complex Organic

AbstractNH3 and CH3OH are key molecules in the chemical networks leading to the formation of complex N- and O-bearing organic molecules. However, despite a number of recent studies, there is still a lot to learn about their abundances in the solid state and how they relate to those of other N/O-bearing organic molecules or to NH3 and CH3OH abundances in the gas phase. This is particularly true in the case of low-mass young stellar objects (YSOs), for which only the recent advent of the Spitzer Space Telescope has allowed high sensitivity observations of the ices in their enveloppes. We present a combined study of Spitzer data (obtained within the Legacy program “From Molecular Cores to Planet-Forming Disks”, c2d) and laboratory spectra, leading to the detections of NH3 and CH3OH in the ices of low-mass protostars. We investigate correlations with other ice features and conclude with prospects on further studies linking these two precursors of complex organic molecules with their gas-phase products.

scholarly journals Surface Reactions in Interstellar Space

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 55-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Herbst
Keyword(s):  
Surface Chemistry ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Condensed Phase ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Surface Reactions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Interstellar Space ◽  
Interstellar Molecules ◽  
Grain Surface

AbstractIt is impossible to explain the abundances of some gas-phase and most condensed-phase interstellar molecules without the use of grain chemistry. Nevertheless, grain-surface chemistry is relatively poorly understood for a variety of reasons. Our current knowledge of this chemistry and its use in interstellar models is discussed along with specific needs for future research.

scholarly journals The ALMA-PILS survey: inventory of complex organic molecules towards IRAS 16293–2422 A

2020 ◽  
Vol 635 ◽  
pp. A48 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Manigand ◽  
J. K. Jørgensen ◽  
H. Calcutt ◽  
H. S. P. Müller ◽  
N. F. W. Ligterink ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Rotational Temperature ◽  
Line Strength ◽  
Spatial Differentiation ◽  
Complex Species ◽  
Ethyl Methyl ◽  
Compact Region ◽  
Many Sources ◽  
Complex Organic

Context. Complex organic molecules are detected in many sources in the warm inner regions of envelopes surrounding deeply embedded protostars. Exactly how these species form remains an open question. Aims. This study aims to constrain the formation of complex organic molecules through comparisons of their abundances towards the Class 0 protostellar binary IRAS 16293–2422. Methods. We utilised observations from the ALMA Protostellar Interferometric Line Survey of IRAS 16293–2422. The species identification and the rotational temperature and column density estimation were derived by fitting the extracted spectra towards IRAS 16293–2422 A and IRAS 16293–2422 B with synthetic spectra. The majority of the work in this paper pertains to the analysis of IRAS 16293–2422 A for a comparison with the results from the other binary component, which have already been published. Results. We detect 15 different complex species, as well as 16 isotopologues towards the most luminous companion protostar IRAS 16293–2422 A. Tentative detections of an additional 11 isotopologues are reported. We also searched for and report on the first detections of methoxymethanol (CH3OCH2OH) and trans-ethyl methyl ether (t-C2H5OCH3) towards IRAS 16293–2422 B and the follow-up detection of deuterated isotopologues of acetaldehyde (CH2DCHO and CH3CDO). Twenty-four lines of doubly-deuterated methanol (CHD2OH) are also identified. Conclusions. The comparison between the two protostars of the binary system shows significant differences in abundance for some of the species, which are partially correlated to their spatial distribution. The spatial distribution is consistent with the sublimation temperature of the species; those with higher expected sublimation temperatures are located in the most compact region of the hot corino towards IRAS 16293–2422 A. This spatial differentiation is not resolved in IRAS 16293–2422 B and will require observations at a higher angular resolution. In parallel, the list of identified CHD2OH lines shows the need of accurate spectroscopic data including their line strength.

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