Researchers from the Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid and the Instituto de Física Fundamental, both part of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), have made a significant discovery in the field of astrochemistry. Their findings, published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, shed light on the presence of complex organic molecules in interstellar space, which could have implications for our understanding of the energy industry.
The team, led by Rafael Fuentetaja and José Cernicharo, detected a new polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) called 1H-cyclopent[cd]indene (c-C11H8) in the Taurus Molecular Cloud 1 (TMC-1). PAHs are molecules composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms arranged in multiple ring structures. They are of interest to the energy industry due to their potential role in the formation of fossil fuels and their relevance to combustion processes.
The researchers identified 22 independent spectral lines corresponding to 88 rotational transitions of the PAH. They confirmed the identification through a comparison of the observed rotational parameters with those predicted by quantum chemical calculations. The abundance of 1H-cyclopent[cd]indene in TMC-1 is high but lower than that of other PAHs detected in the same region. Its abundance is 2.66 times less than that of indene and 4.66 times less than that of phenalene.
The discovery of this new PAH contributes to our understanding of how five- and six-membered rings grow in dark clouds. However, the chemical models explaining their formation through the bottom-up model are still incomplete. The researchers suggest that the most likely formation reactions for 1H-cyclopent[cd]indene involve the interaction of small rings with small hydrocarbons, such as indene reacting with C2H, C2H3, or their cation.
For the energy industry, this research highlights the complexity of PAH formation in space and the potential for these molecules to contribute to the carbon cycle. Understanding the formation and behavior of PAHs can provide insights into the processes that lead to the formation of fossil fuels and the development of more efficient and cleaner combustion technologies. Additionally, the study of PAHs in space can help us better understand the environmental impact of these molecules and develop strategies to mitigate their effects.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.