Exploring molecular complexity in the interstellar medium with ALMA

Belloche, Arnaud

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/96801 Copy

Description

Title

Exploring molecular complexity in the interstellar medium with ALMA

Author(s)

Belloche, Arnaud

Issue Date

2017-06-19

Keyword(s)

Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA)'s molecular view

Abstract

"The search for complex organic molecules (COMs) in the interstellar medium _x000d_ (ISM) relies heavily on the progress made in the laboratory to record and _x000d_ characterize the rotational spectra of these molecules. Almost 200 different _x000d_ molecules have been identified in the ISM so far, in particular thanks to _x000d_ millimeter-wavelength observations of the star-forming molecular cloud core _x000d_ Sgr B2(N) in the Galactic Center region. The advent of the Atacama Large _x000d_ Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has recently opened a new door to _x000d_ explore the molecular complexity of the ISM. Thanks to its high angular _x000d_ resolution, the spectral confusion of star-forming cores can be reduced, and _x000d_ its tremendous sensitivity allows astronomers to detect molecules of low _x000d_ abundance that could not be probed by previous generations of telescopes. _x000d_ _x000d_ I will present results of the EMoCA survey conducted toward Sgr B2(N) with _x000d_ ALMA. The main goal of this spectral line survey is to decipher the molecular _x000d_ content of Sgr B2(N) in order to test the predictions of astrochemical _x000d_ numerical simulations and gain insight into the chemical processes at work in _x000d_ the ISM. I will in particular report on the tentative detection of _x000d_ N-methylformamide\footnote{A. Belloche, A.~A. Meshcheryakov, R.~T. Garrod et _x000d_ al. 2017, A\&A, in press, DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201629724}, on the deuterium _x000d_ fractionation of COMs\footnote{A. Belloche, H.~S.~P. M\""uller, R.~T. Garrod, _x000d_ and K.~M. Menten 2016, A\&A, 587, A91}, and on the detection of a branched _x000d_ alkyl molecule in the ISM\footnote{A. Belloche, R.~T. Garrod, H.~S.~P. _x000d_ M\""uller, and K.~M. Menten 2014, Science, 345, 1584}\footnote{R.~T. Garrod, _x000d_ A. Belloche, H.~S.~P. M\""uller, and K.~M. Menten 2017, A\&A, in press, DOI: _x000d_ 10.1051/0004-6361/201630254}. _x000d_ The latter detection has unveiled a new domain in the structures _x000d_ available to the chemistry of star-forming regions and established a further _x000d_ connection to the COMs found in meteorites. _x000d_"

Publisher

International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy

Type of Resource

text

Language

eng

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/96801

DOI

https://doi.org/10.15278/isms.2017.MF02

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2017 Arnaud Belloche

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