Related papers: H3+ Between the Stars
There is a robust polyatomic chemistry in diffuse, partially-molecular interstellar gas that is readily accessible in absorption at radio/mm/sub-mm wavelengths. Accurate column densities are derived owing to the weak internal excitation, so…
We report the detection in TMC-1 of the protonated form of C3S. The discovery of the cation HC3S+ was carried through the observation of four harmonically related lines in the Q band using the Yebes 40m radiotelescope, and is supported by…
The $^3$He isotope is important to many fields of astrophysics, including stellar evolution, chemical evolution, and cosmology. The isotope is produced in low-mass stars which evolve through the planetary nebula (PN) phase. $^3$He…
Gas-phase hydroxylamine (NH$_2$OH) has recently been detected within dense clouds in the interstellar medium. However, it is also likely present within interstellar ices, as well as on the icy surfaces of outer Solar System bodies, where it…
Observations of H3+ in the Galactic diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) have led to various surprising results, including the conclusion that the cosmic-ray ionization rate (zeta_2) is about 1 order of magnitude larger than previously…
Recent astronomical observations have shown that interstellar complex organic molecules (COMs) exist even in cold environments ($\sim$10 K), while various interstellar COMs have conventionally been detected in the hot gas ($\gtrsim$ 100 K)…
Nitriles play a key role as molecular precursors in prebiotic experiments based on the RNA-world scenario for the origin of life. These chemical compounds could have been partially delivered to the young Earth from extraterrestrial objects,…
Most stars in the Galaxy, including the Sun, were born in high-mass star-forming regions. It is hence important to study the chemical processes in these regions to better understand the chemical heritage of both the Solar System and most…
The detection of interstellar radionuclides in geological archives provides insights into nucleosynthesis in stars and stellar explosions as well as interstellar medium dynamics in the Local Bubble and the Local Interstellar Cloud. In this…
The ionization rate of interstellar material by cosmic rays has been a major source of controversy, with different estimates varying by three orders of magnitude. Observational constraints of this rate have all depended on analyzing the…
Urea is a prebiotic molecule that has been detected in few sources of the interstellar medium (ISM) and in Murchison meteorite. Being stable against ultraviolet radiation and high-energy electron bombardment, urea is expected to be present…
The internal energy available in vibrationally excited H2 molecules can be used to overcome or diminish the activation barrier of various chemical reactions of interest for molecular astrophysics. In this article we investigate in detail…
Carbon dioxide (CO$_2$) is one of the most important interstellar molecules. While it is considered that it forms on the surface of interstellar dust grains, the exact contribution of different chemical mechanisms is still poorly…
It is a fact that interstellar formation processes are thermodynamically affected. Based on this, the seven heterocycles; imidazole, pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrrole, quinoline, isoquinoline and furan that have been searched for from different…
With the exception of the Big Bang, responsible for 1,2H, 3,4He, and 7Li, stars act as sources for the composition of the interstellar medium. Cosmic rays are related to the latter and very probably due to acceleration of the mixed…
We discuss new developments of interstellar chemistry, with particular emphasis on the carbon chemistry. We confirm that carbon chains and cycles are ubiquitous in the ISM and closely chemically related to ea ch other, and to carbon.…
Water is observed throughout the universe, from diffuse interstellar clouds to protoplanetary disks around young stars, and from comets in our own solar system and exoplanetary atmospheres to galaxies at high redshifts. This review…
We use the H3O+ molecule to investigate the impact of starburst and AGN activity on the chemistry of the molecular interstellar medium. Using the JCMT, we have observed the 3+_2 - 2-_2 364 GHz line of p-H3O+ towards the centers of seven…
Many chemical models of dense interstellar clouds predict that the majority of gas-phase elemental nitrogen should be present as N2, with an abundance approximately five orders of magnitude less than that of hydrogen. As a homonuclear…
We report the first astronomical detection of the CF+ (fluoromethylidynium) ion obtained by recent observations of its J = 1 - 0 (102.6 GHz), J = 2 - 1 (205.2 GHz), and J = 3 - 2 (307.7 GHz) pure rotational emissions toward the Orion Bar.…