A cm-Wavelength Search for Pre-Biotic Molecules in Starburst Galaxies.
Abstract
Interstellar organic species mostly form on the surface of dust grains and are then released into the gas phase by heating events. Organic species known as pre-biotic molecules may combine to form amino acids; one example is the combination of methanimine (CH2NH) and HCN on the path to glycine. Both methanimine and HCN can be detected at cm-wavelengths, as we have demonstrated in Arp 220. Following this discovery, we have initiated a program to observe 40 Arp 220-like galaxies with Arecibo and the GBT. Observations in C-band with a frequency range of 4.4 - 5.2 GHz cover both the methanimine line and the HCN v2=1, J=4 transition. Observations and analysis are ongoing at both telescopes. In the data reduced so far, both methanimine and HCN have been found in a number of sources, as well as other molecules such as excited OH and Formaldehyde (H2CO), and hydrogen recombination lines,
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #213
- Pub Date:
- January 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AAS...21344502M