Prebiotic molecules in interstellar space: Rotational spectroscopy of cyanomethanimine and ethanimine

Puzzarini, Cristina

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/100698 Copy

Description

Title

Prebiotic molecules in interstellar space: Rotational spectroscopy of cyanomethanimine and ethanimine

Author(s)

Puzzarini, Cristina

Contributor(s)

• Barone, Vincenzo
• Dore, Luca
• Melosso, Mattia
• Spada, Lorenzo

Issue Date

2018-06-19

Keyword(s)

Astronomy

Abstract

Ethanimine and cyanomethanimine are possible precursors of amino acids, and thus they are considered important prebiotic molecules that may play an important roles in the formation of biological building blocks in the interstellar medium. In addition, their identification in Titan's atmosphere would be important for understanding the abiotic synthesis of organic species. For both molecules, an accurate computational characterization of the molecular structure, energetics, and spectroscopic properties of the E and Z isomers has been carried out by means of a composite scheme based on coupled-cluster techniques. By combining the computational results with new millimeter-wave measurements, up to 300 GHz for ethanimine and to 420 GHz for cyanomethanimine, the rotational spectra of both isomers can be accurately predicted up to 500 GHz for ethanimine and 700 GHz for cyanomenthanimine. For the latter, spectral features have been searched in the mm-wave range using the high-sensitivity and unbiased spectral surveys obtained with the IRAM 30-m antenna in the ASAI context, thus sampling the earliest stages of star formation from starless to evolved Class I objects.

Publisher

International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy

Type of Resource

text

Language

eng

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/100698

DOI

10.15278/isms.2018.TL03

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2018 Cristina Puzzarini

Owning Collections