The Prebiotic Molecular Inventory of Serpens SMM1: II. The Building Blocks of Peptide Chains
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This work aims to constrain the abundances of interstellar amides, by searching for this group of prebiotic molecules in the intermediate-mass protostar Serpens SMM1-a. ALMA observations are conducted toward Serpens SMM1. A spectrum is extracted toward the SMM1-a position and analyzed with the CASSIS line analysis software for the presence of characteristic rotational lines of a number of amides and other molecules. NH2CHO, NH2CHO nu(12) = 1, (NH2CHO)-C-13, CH3C(O)-NH2 nu = 0, 1, CH2DOH, CH3CHO, and CH3C(O)CH3 are securely detected, while trans-NHDCHO, NH2CDO, CH3NHCHO nu = 0, 1, CH3COOH, and HOCH2CHO are tentatively identified. The results of this work are compared with detections presented in the literature. A uniform CH3C(O)NH2/NH2CHO ratio is found for a group of interstellar sources with vast physical differences. A similar ratio is seen for CH3NHCHO, based on a smaller data sample. The D/H ratio of NH2CHO is about 1-3% and is close to values found in the low-mass source IRAS 16293-2422B. The formation of CH3C(O)NH2 and NH2CHO is likely linked. Formation of these molecules on grain surfaces during the dark cloud stage is a likely scenario. The high D/H ratio of NH2CHO is also seen as an indication that these molecules are formed on icy dust grains. As a direct consequence, amides are expected to be present in the most pristine material from which planetary systems form, thus providing a reservoir of prebiotic material.
Original language | English |
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Journal | ACS Earth and Space Chemistry |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 3 |
Pages (from-to) | 455-467 |
Number of pages | 13 |
ISSN | 2472-3452 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 17 Mar 2022 |
- COMPLEX ORGANIC-MOLECULES, ACETAMIDE CH3CONH2, SURFACE-CHEMISTRY, COLOGNE DATABASE, GALACTIC-CENTER, ICE ANALOGS, INTERSTELLAR, PHOTOLYSIS, OLIGOPEPTIDES, SPECTROSCOPY
Research areas
Links
- https://arxiv.org/pdf/2012.15672.pdf
Submitted manuscript
ID: 303447314