Detection of complex organic molecules in the low-metallicity Large Magellanic Cloud
Abstract
Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) 1.3 mm observations, we detected complex organic molecules (COMs) dimethyl ether (CH_3OCH_3) and methyl formate (HCOOCH_3), together with their likely parent species methanol (CH_3OH), in two locations identified as `hot cores' in the star-forming region N 113 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This was the first time interstellar COMs containing more than six atoms were detected in a low-metallicity environment, and the first detection of extragalactic CH_3OCH_3 and HCOOCH_3. The fractional abundances of COMs in N 113 scaled by a factor of 2.5 to account for the lower metallicity in the LMC are within the range observed in Galactic hot cores. Our discovery has important implications for astrobiology.
- Publication:
-
Memorie della Societa Astronomica Italiana
- Pub Date:
- 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019MmSAI..90..509S
- Keywords:
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- Magellanic Clouds;
- Galaxies: star formation;
- Stars: protostars