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Graduate student Zachary T.P. Fried, spearheading the research, collaborated with international teams from France, Florida, Virginia, and Copenhagen to piece together the complex puzzle that led to this discovery.
"Our main goal is to identify the molecules in space regions poised for star and solar system formation," Fried shared. "By studying the rotational spectra of these molecules, we can understand how interstellar chemistry evolves with star and planet formation. Identifying a molecule involves predicting its presence, recording its spectral signature on Earth, and then spotting this signature in the cosmos through telescopes."
The research group has recently adopted machine learning techniques to pinpoint molecules for investigation. In 2023, one such model suggested targeting 2-methoxyethanol, potentially the most complex 'methoxy' molecule observed in space so far.
"To detect 2-methoxyethanol, we measured its rotational spectrum through a collaborative effort with the University of Lille, New College of Florida, and the McGuire lab at MIT," Fried explained. The team then used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to observe star-forming regions NGC 6334I and IRAS 16293-2422B, comparing the findings with existing data.
"Confirming the presence of 25 rotational lines matching the expected molecular signal in NGC 6334I has allowed us to securely detect 2-methoxyethanol in this region," Fried noted. "This discovery helps us understand the molecule's abundance and excitation temperature and explore its chemical formation pathways."
This discovery advances our understanding of molecular complexity in space and the formation of large molecules under various interstellar conditions, with implications for understanding the chemistry of different stellar environments.
Research Report:"Rotational Spectrum and First Interstellar Detection of 2-methoxyethanol Using ALMA Observations of NGC 6334I"
Related Links
Department of Chemistry
Stellar Chemistry, The Universe And All Within It
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