Stars R Us: the cosmic chemistry connection
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
We are all made of star stuff! The atoms inside us were forged in the nuclear furnaces of stars. In stellar atmospheres, some elements form star-dust, which is blown out into space. In interstellar regions, chemical reactions between gases and dust turn the elements into increasingly complex molecules; over 150 have already been identified in space to date. These molecular cauldrons subsequently form the stellar nurseries from which new stars and planets form. The importance of molecules as progenitors for star formation, and for life, is not lost on astronomers. Chemists and Astronomers are now working together to understand how these 'space' molecules are formed, and the key role that they play in star formation. But how can we probe chemical reactions occurring literally light years from Earth? Our exhibit highlights the role of spectroscopy in unravelling these astrochemical reactions, detecting 'space molecules', and observing star and planet formation. Through tactile, eye-catching demonstrations, intuitive posters and videos, we make this interdisciplinary science accessible to the public. We will show how Astrochemistry is combining clues gleaned from the newest telescopes with sophisticated laboratory experiments and computer modelling, to specifically seek out the molecular markers of life. Our exhibit combines the expertise of Astrochemists from Strathclyde, UCL, Nottingham and the Open University, with the 'PUS' expertise of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. The science described in the exhibit is based on the astrochemistry/astrophysics research currently underway in the research groups of Brown, Fraser, McCoustra and Mason and on the astronomy research underway in the research group of Viti. Much of this research is currently funded by the EPSRC. This area of science ideally lends itself to public understanding activities, as it is an unusual circumstance in any culture that a person has not looked at the night sky and wondered at their significance and where we come from. Perhaps this is why the public holds astronomy in such high-regard, and are knowledgeable enough to be open to advanced concepts related to our understanding of the universe. This interest is clearly confirmed by the popularity of Amateur Astronomy Clubs UK-wide, the popularity of Astronomy GCSE, A-Level and degree studies, and the high viewing figures for (any) space-based programming on the BBC and Discovery Channel. By combining it with chemistry, astronomy becomes even more exciting. Astrochemistry offers us a unique route to engaging adults, schoolchildren and students in the importance of cross-disciplinary work and the role of chemistry in the interstellar medium. It is clearly an inspirational subject / aspects of star and planet formation appear in Standard grade and Higher syllabi in Scotland and the equivalent school qualifications in England. We are confident, therefore, that the work this exhibit will describe will be accessible to all children and adults, widening general scientific literacy and supporting lifelong learning.
Publications
Noble J
(2010)
2D mapping of ice species in molecular cores
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Noble J
(2013)
A SURVEY OF H 2 O, CO 2 , AND CO ICE FEATURES TOWARD BACKGROUND STARS AND LOW-MASS YOUNG STELLAR OBJECTS USING AKARI
in The Astrophysical Journal
Salter DM
(2009)
A zero-gravity instrument to study low velocity collisions of fragile particles at low temperatures.
in The Review of scientific instruments
Aikawa Y
(2012)
AKARI observations of ice absorption bands towards edge-on young stellar objects
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aikawa Y
(2011)
AKARI observations of ice absorption bands towards edge-on YSOs
Pascual Natalia
(2015)
Amorphous Silica- and Carbon- rich nano-templated surfaces as model interstellar dust surfaces for laboratory astrochemistry
in IAU General Assembly
Hill Catherine Rachel
(2015)
Are interstellar ices porous, and how do the pores collapse?
in IAU General Assembly
Noble J
(2011)
CO 2 FORMATION IN QUIESCENT CLOUDS: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE CO + OH PATHWAY
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hill C
(2014)
Collisions of small ice particles under microgravity conditions
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Hill C
(2015)
Collisions of small ice particles under microgravity conditions II. Does the chemical composition of the ice change the collisional properties?
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Fraser Helen Jane
(2015)
Combining Laboratory and Observational Data to Elucidate the Pathway from Simple to Complex Chemistry
in IAU General Assembly
Fuchs GW
(2006)
Comparative studies of O2 and N2 in pure, mixed and layered CO ices.
in Faraday discussions
Acharyya K
(2007)
Desorption of CO and O 2 interstellar ice analogs
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bisschop S
(2006)
Desorption rates and sticking coefficients for CO and N 2 interstellar ices
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ackemann T
(2012)
Diamond heat sinking of terahertz antennas for continuous-wave photomixing
in Journal of Applied Physics
Mashonkina L
(2016)
DIVISION B COMMISSION 14: ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR DATA
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Mashonkina L
(2015)
DIVISION XII: COMMISSION 14: ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR DATA
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Öberg K
(2006)
Effects of CO 2 on H 2 O band profiles and band strengths in mixed H 2 O:CO 2 ices
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Hei
(2007)
Experimental Studies on the Aggregation Properties of Dust in Planet-Forming Regions
in European Planetary Science Congress 2007
Drabek-Maunder E
(2017)
Ground-based detection of a cloud of methanol from Enceladus: when is a biomarker not a biomarker?
in International Journal of Astrobiology
Fraser Helen Jane
(2015)
How does the Porosity of Interstellar Ice Affect Chemical Complexity and Deuteration Exchange?
in IAU General Assembly
Fraser Helen Jane
(2015)
Ice Mapping Observations in Galactic Star-Forming Regions: the AKARI Legacy
in IAU General Assembly
McClure Melissa
(2017)
IceAge: Chemical Evolution of Ices during Star Formation
in JWST Proposal ID 1309. Cycle 0 Early Release Science
Gaertner Sabrina
(2015)
Icy Collisions - Planet Building beyond the snowline
in AAS/Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting Abstracts #47
Van Broekhuizen F
(2006)
Infrared spectroscopy of solid CO-CO 2 mixtures and layers
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Fuchs G. W.
(2006)
Laboratory experiments on interstellar ice analogs: The sticking and desorption of small physisorbed molecules
in NASA LAW 2006
Fraser Helen Jane
(2015)
Laboratory Molecular Astrophysics as an Invaluable Tool in understanding Astronomical Observations.
in IAU General Assembly
Collings M. P.
(2011)
LASSIE: Laboratory Astrochemical Surface Science In Europe
in 2010 NASA Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop
Suutarinen Aleksi
(2013)
Mapping the Frozen Void
in Protostars and Planets VI Posters
Heißelmann D
(2010)
Microgravity experiments on the collisional behavior of saturnian ring particles
in Icarus
Gärtner S
(2017)
Micrometer-sized Water Ice Particles for Planetary Science Experiments: Influence of Surface Structure on Collisional Properties
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gaertner Sabrina
(2018)
Micrometer-sized Water Ice Particles for Planetary Science Experiments: Influence of Surface Structure on Collisional Properties
in American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #232
Hill CR
(2016)
Neutron Scattering Analysis of Water's Glass Transition and Micropore Collapse in Amorphous Solid Water.
in Physical review letters
Aikawa Y.
(2009)
Observations of Interstellar and Circumstellar Ice
in AKARI, a Light to Illuminate the Misty Universe
Campbell S
(2014)
On the thermal dependence of the generation of terahertz radiation by photomixing
in Semiconductor Science and Technology
Baruch J
(2017)
Outreach at the match: a cautionary tale
in Astronomy & Geophysics
Noble J. A.
(2009)
Probing the Chemistry of Molecular Cores: 2.5-5 µm AKARI Grism Spectroscopy of Young Stellar Objects in B35A
in AKARI, a Light to Illuminate the Misty Universe
Bergantini A
(2014)
Processing of analogues of plume fallout in cold regions of Enceladus by energetic electrons
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Perotti G.
(2020)
Same, but different: the link between methanol gas and ice
in American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #235
Eden D
(2019)
SCOPE: SCUBA-2 Continuum Observations of Pre-protostellar Evolution - survey description and compact source catalogue
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mitterdorfer C
(2014)
Small-angle neutron scattering study of micropore collapse in amorphous solid water.
in Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP
Thrower J
(2008)
Surface science investigations of photoprocesses in model interstellar ices
in Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films
Emile Auriacombe Olivier Bruno Jacques
(2016)
Terahertz Desorption Emission Spectroscopy (THz DES) - 'ALMA in the Lab'
in American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #228
Noble J
(2013)
The formation of carbon dioxide in molecular cores by a non-energetic route
in EAS Publications Series
McClure Melissa K.
(2018)
The IceAge ERS Program: Probing Building blocks of Life During the JWST Era
in American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #232
Swinyard B
(2008)
The space infrared telescope for cosmology and astrophysics: SPICA A joint mission between JAXA and ESA
in Experimental Astronomy
Pilling S
(2014)
The temperature effect on the glycine decomposition induced by 2 keV electron bombardment in space analog conditions
in The European Physical Journal D
Liu T
(2018)
The TOP-SCOPE Survey of Planck Galactic Cold Clumps: Survey Overview and Results of an Exemplar Source, PGCC G26.53+0.17
in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series