[meteorite-list] Super-Complex Organic Molecules Found in Interstellar Space

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2010 14:39:18 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201007012139.o61LdI1B016499_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

21 June 2010

Media Contact:
Dr. Robert Massey
Royal Astronomical Society
+44 (0)20 7734 3307 / 4582 x 214
rm at ras.org.uk

** Additional contacts appear below. **

SUPER-COMPLEX ORGANIC MOLECULES FOUND IN INTERSTELLAR SPACE

A team of scientists from the Instituto Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC)
and the University of Texas has succeeded in identifying one of the
most complex organic molecules yet found in the material between the
stars, the so-called interstellar medium. The discovery of anthracene
could help resolve a decades-old astrophysical mystery concerning the
production of organic molecules in space. The researchers report their
findings in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical
Society.

'We have detected the presence of anthracene molecules in a dense
cloud in the direction of the star Cernis 52 in Perseus, about 700
light-years from the Sun,' explains Susana Iglesias Groth, the IAC
researcher heading the study.

In her opinion, the next step is to investigate the presence of amino
acids. Molecules like anthracene are prebiotic, so when they are
subjected to ultraviolet radiation and combined with water and
ammonia, they could produce amino acids and other compounds essential
for the development of life

'Two years ago,' says Iglesias, 'we found proof of the existence of
another organic molecule, naphthalene, in the same place, so
everything indicates that we have discovered a star formation region
rich in prebiotic chemistry.' Until now, anthracene had been detected
only in meteorites and never in the interstellar medium. Oxidized
forms of this molecule are common in living systems and are
biochemically active. On our planet, oxidized anthracene is a basic
component of al

The new finding suggests that a good part of the key components in
terrestrial prebiotic chemistry could be present in interstellar
matter.

Since the 1980s, hundreds of bands found in the spectrum of the
interstellar medium, known as diffuse spectroscopic bands, have been
known to be associated with interstellar matter, but their origin has
not been identified until now. This discovery indicates that they
could result from molecular forms based on anthracene or naphthalene.
Since they are widely distributed in interstellar space, they might
have played a key role in the production of many of the organic
molecules present at the time of the formation of the Solar System.

The results are based on observations carried out at the William
Herschel Telescope at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma
in the Canary Islands and with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope in Texas in
the United States.

Science Contacts:
Dr. Susana Iglesias Groth
Instituto Astrofisica de Canarias
+34 922 605 240
sigroth at iac.es

Dr. Rafael Rebolo
Instituto Astrofisica de Canarias
+34 922 605 273
rrl at iac.es

Professor David Lambert
University of Texas
dll at astro.as.utexas.edu

Image:
http://www.iac.es/img/prensa/prensa631_790_hi.jpg

Caption: Image of the anthracene band recently identified in the
Perseus star formation region by researchers from the IAC and the
University of Texas. This molecule is formed by three hexagonal rings
of carbon atoms surrounded by hydrogen atoms.

Credit:
Gaby Perez and Susana Iglesias-Groth

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The new work appears in the paper "Anthracene cations toward the
Perseus molecular complex", S. Iglesias Groth S., Manchado A., Rebolo
R., Gonzalez J. I., Garcia Hernandez A. (IAC); Lambert D. L. (McDonald
Observatory, University of Texas), Monthly Notices of the Royal
Astronomical Society, in press.

Preprint of the paper:
http://arxiv.org/abs/1005.4388

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS: www.ras.org.uk <http://www.ras.org.uk> ), fou
encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science,
geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes
scientific meetings, publishes international research and review
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and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through
grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally
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based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities,
observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and
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Received on Thu 01 Jul 2010 05:39:18 PM PDT