Analysis of the composition of minus 263°C ice in star-forming regions Using the Webb Space Telescope | sorae Portal site to space

[▲ The central region of the molecular cloud “Chameleon I” taken by the near-infrared camera (NIRCam) of the James Webb Space Telescope (Credit: Image: NASA, ESA, CSA; Science: Fengwu Sun (Steward Observatory) ), Zak Smith (The Open University), IceAge ERS Team; Image Processing: M. Zamani (ESA/Webb))]

This image captures the central region of the dark nebula “Chamaeleon I” located about 630 light-years from Earth. Chameleon I is one of the molecular clouds in the star-forming region “Chamaeleon complex”, and it is said that dozens of stars are forming. In the center left of the image is a young protostar “Ced 110 IRS 4” (orange), and the cold material (blue) that makes up the molecular cloud is illuminated by the infrared rays emitted by the protostar. .

This image was created from data acquired by the James Webb Space Telescope’s Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) using two types of infrared filters.（※）. A research team led by astronomer Melissa McClure of Leiden University used observation data from Chameleon I from the Webb Space Telescope to detect ice of various substances in the darkest regions of molecular clouds. The results of the research were announced as successful.

*…Because the Webb Space Telescope mainly observes in infrared wavelengths that cannot be seen by the human eye, the colors in the published images are those that are colored according to the filters used during acquisition. In this image, 1.5 µm is colored orange and 4.1 µm is colored blue.

In order to form habitable planets, it is believed that ice composed of various substances, including water molecules and CHONS, is essential. CHONS is a term that refers to carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur, and is an important element that constitutes not only the planet’s atmosphere but also sugars and simple amino acids related to life activities.

In order to investigate the composition of ice in the constellation Chameleon I, a research team analyzed observation data from the Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam, “Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRSpec)” and “Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI)”. In addition to relatively simple substances such as carbon, carbon monoxide, carbonyl sulfide, ammonia and methane, they were able to identify more complex substances such as methanol. The ice has a temperature of about 10 Kelvin (approximately minus 263 degrees Celsius), making it the coldest ice ever measured.

While they weren’t able to identify the substance, they also found evidence of a more complex molecule than methanol, according to the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), which operates the Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes. Did. This discovery is said to be the first proof that complex molecules are formed deep in molecular clouds, where ice exists, before the birth of stars.

[▲ Map showing the positions of “NIR 38” and “J110621” used to obtain the spectra (Credit: Image: NASA, ESA, CSA; Science: Fengwu Sun (Steward Observatory), Zak Smith (The Open University ), IceAge ERS Team; Image Processing: M. Zamani (ESA/Webb))]

The research team analyzed infrared rays from stars beyond Chameleon I (NIR 38 and J110621) to determine the composition of the ice hidden in the molecular cloud. Spectroscopic observation of the light that has passed through the molecular cloud (observation method to obtain the spectrum, which is the intensity of each wavelength of electromagnetic waves), shows dark lines “absorption lines” that occur when atoms and molecules absorb electromagnetic waves of specific wavelengths. appear in the spectrum. By reading the absorption lines, we can know what kind of substances exist in the molecular cloud.

Klaus Pontoppidan of STScI, who participated in the study, said the ice could only have been detected by the Webb Space Telescope. “Since such a dense region of cold material blocks most of the starlight from behind, the Web Space Telescope’s ability to detect starlight and discriminate ice in molecular clouds is not possible.” We needed good sensitivity,” said Pontoppidan.

[▲ Spectrum of Chameleon I obtained using NIR 38, one of the background stars (Credit: Illustration: NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph Olmsted (STScI); Science: Klaus Pontoppidan (STScI), Nicolas M Crouzet (LEI), Zak Smith (The Open University), Melissa McClure (Leiden Observatory))]

However, the amount of elements contained in the ice detected this time was less than the total amount expected for the entire molecular cloud, and in particular, sulfur contained only 1% of the expected amount, so McClure said that most of the sulfur was dust. It explains that it may be contained in places other than ice, such as (dust) and rocks. Researcher Danna Qasim of the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) said knowing where sulfur is is important to understanding how it is incorporated into potentially life-bearing planets. points out that.

Source

• Image Credit: Image: NASA, ESA, CSA; Science: Fengwu Sun (Steward Observatory), Zak Smith (The Open University), IceAge ERS Team; Image Processing: M. Zamani (ESA/Webb) / Illustration: NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph Olmsted (STScI); Science: Klaus Pontoppidan (STScI), Nicholas M. Crouzet (LEI), Zak Smith (The Open University), Melissa McClure (Leiden Observatory)
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