A study of interstellar aldehydes and enols as tracers of a cosmic ray-driven nonequilibrium synthesis of complex organic molecules

Abplanalp, Matthew J.; Gozem, Samer; Krylov, Anna I.; Shingledecker, Christopher N.; Herbst, Eric; Kaiser, Ralf I.

doi:10.1073/pnas.1604426113

Title: A study of interstellar aldehydes and enols as tracers of a cosmic ray-driven nonequilibrium synthesis of complex organic molecules

Journal Article · Tue Jul 05 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1604426113· OSTI ID:1260424

Abplanalp, Matthew J. ^[1]; Gozem, Samer ^[2]; Krylov, Anna I. ^[2]; Shingledecker, Christopher N. ^[3]; Herbst, Eric ^[4]; Kaiser, Ralf I. ^[1]

W. M. Keck Research Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822,, Department of Chemistry, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822,
Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089,
Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904,
Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904,, Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904

Complex organic molecules such as sugars and amides are ubiquitous in star- and planet-forming regions, but their formation mechanisms have remained largely elusive until now. Here we show in a combined experimental, computational, and astrochemical modeling study that interstellar aldehydes and enols like acetaldehyde (CH₃CHO) and vinyl alcohol (C₂H₃OH) act as key tracers of a cosmic-ray-driven nonequilibrium chemistry leading to complex organics even deep within low-temperature interstellar ices at 10 K. Here, our findings challenge conventional wisdom and define a hitherto poorly characterized reaction class forming complex organic molecules inside interstellar ices before their sublimation in star-forming regions such as SgrB2(N). Lastly, these processes are of vital importance in initiating a chain of chemical reactions leading eventually to the molecular precursors of biorelevant molecules as planets form in their interstellar nurseries.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: FG02-05ER15685

OSTI ID:: 1260424

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1469570

Journal Information:: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Vol. 113 Journal Issue: 28; ISSN 0027-8424

Publisher:: Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 93 works

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Title: A study of interstellar aldehydes and enols as tracers of a cosmic ray-driven nonequilibrium synthesis of complex organic molecules

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