Organic matter in space - An overview

Abstract

Abstract. Organic compounds are ubiquitous in space: they are found in diffuse clouds, in the envelopes of evolved stars, in dense star-forming regions, in protoplanetary disks, in comets, on the surfaces of minor planets, and in meteorites and interplanetary dust particles. This brief overview summarizes the observational evidence for the types of organics found in these regions, with emphasis on recent developments. The Stardust sample-return mission provides the first opportunity to study primitive cometary material with sophisticated equipment on Earth. Similarities and differences between the types of compounds in different regions are discussed in the context of the processes that can modify them. The importance of laboratory astrophysics is emphasized.

Complex Organic Materials in the HR 4796A Disk?

“…These ices are exposed to the stellar UV flux and may ultimately produce tholin-like organic residues. 7 A porosity in the range of is expected for dust aggregates 0.80 Շ P Շ 0.97 formed through coagulation as shown both theoretically (Cameron & Schneck 1965;Wada et al 2008) and experimentally (Blum et al 2006). tron microscope imaging.…”

Sticky or not sticky? Measurements of the tensile strength of microgranular organic materials

“…On Earth, organic materials are carbon-based compounds that have come from the remains of organisms and their waste products. In space, organic compounds are ubiquitous, as they are found in diffuse clouds, in the envelopes of evolved stars, in dense starforming regions, in protoplanetary discs, in comets, on the surfaces of minor planets, in meteorites and in interplanetary dust particles (van Dishoeck 2008). Stars at different evolutionary phases are able to produce complex organic compounds and eject them into space, filling the regions between the stars.…”

“…Studying carbonaceous chondrites, the most primitive and least processed meteorites, may provide the closest picture of the chemical composition of non-volatile, organic cometary matter. Most of the organics found in carbonaceous chondrites are in an insoluble macro-molecular form, often described as kerogen-like (van Dishoeck 2008). The remaining part consists of soluble organics, such as corboxylic acids, PAHs, fullerenes, purines, amides and other prebiotic molecules (Botta & Bada 2002).…”