Speaker
Description
Over 300 molecules have been identified in the interstellar medium (ISM), including complex species considered precursors to prebiotic chemistry. A remarkable level of molecular diversity has been observed from the earliest stages of star formation, providing the initial chemical inventory inherited by planetary systems.
(Sub-)millimeter observations have revealed complex organic molecules of prebiotic relevance, such as formamide (NH₂CHO) and glycolaldehyde (CH₂OHCHO). However, (1) in dense protostellar and protoplanetary systems, dust opacity hampers the detection of molecular emission in the aforementioned spectral window. Additionally, (2) large molecules and heavy atoms, which have rotational transitions at lower frequencies, remain inaccessible in this range. Recent deep surveys in the centimeter range with the Yebes 40m and Green Bank 100m telescopes have unveiled previously overlooked chemistry, detecting long carbon chains, cyanopolyynes up to HC₁₁N, benzyne (o-C₆H₄), indene (C₉H₈), and glycolamide (NH₂C(O)CH₂OH). These species may play a crucial role in transferring organic material from early star-forming phases to planetary system bodies like asteroids and comets.
SKA-Mid, in its first-light AA* configuration, will provide an unprecedented combination of sensitivity and angular resolution at centimeter wavelengths, enabling deeper and more comprehensive searches for prebiotic molecules in star-forming regions. Deep surveys of high-mass clouds will allow the discovery of new prebiotic species including those containing rare elements (e.g., S and P), while observations of low-mass prestellar cores and protostellar envelopes will help clarify their formation mechanisms and the processes that pass chemical complexity to forming planets. Finally, we will discuss the potential of the final AA4 configuration to probe the innermost regions of protostellar systems, providing new insights into the chemical pathways that shape emerging planetary systems.
| Topics | Cradle of Life & Our Galaxy |
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