New Delhi: Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to discover a variety of molecules in and around early-stage protostars where planets are yet to form. The molecules ranged from simple ones like methane to complex compounds like acetic acid (the acid in vinegar) and ethanol (which is an alcohol). Some of these are key ingredients of life and could make potentially habitable planets.

Scientist had predicted the presence of such complex organic molecules in protostars decades ago based on lab experiments and tentative detections made by other space telescopes. But this is the first time that these complex molecules’ presence in interstellar ices was confirmed and also the first time that these have been individually identified. The scientists detected acetaldehyde, ethanol, methyl formate and acetic acid in solid state.

“This finding contributes to one of the long-standing questions in astrochemistry. What is the origin of COMs in space? Are they made in the gas phase or in ices? The detection of COMs in ices suggests that solid-phase chemical reactions on the surfaces of cold dust grains can build complex kinds of molecules,” said research team leader Will Rocha of Leiden University in the Netherlands in a press statement.

Several complex organic molecules were earlier detected in the warm gas phase, but it is now believed that may happened because of the sublimation of ice. Sublimation refers to when a solid directly changes to a gas without becoming a liquid. Detecting these molecules in ices makes astronomers hopeful about developing an improved understanding of the origins of other more complex molecules in space.

The researchers also want to explore to what extent these molecules are transported to planets at much later stages in the evolution of the protostar. These molecules in ices are transported more efficiently into planet-forming discs than gas from clouds. They can then be part of comets and asteroids which can collide with planets in formation. This can deliver them to thee planets, potentially providing the ingredients neded for life to happen.

Agencies

Agencies