Scientists have developed a new method for searching for carbon compounds in space, similar to searching for oil in space.
Previously, scientists created laboratory analoguescarbonaceous interstellar dust, simulating the conditions of the space environment in a laboratory at the University of New South Wales in Australia. They then measured the absorption coefficient of the aliphatic hydrocarbons in them and combined it with observational data from the UKIRT telescope in Hawaii. Ultimately, the researchers discovered large quantities of aliphatic hydrocarbon material trapped in the dust of interstellar space.
Now scientists have introduced a new observation method,to map the amount of aliphatic hydrocarbons across dusty sightlines into the center of the Milky Way, and then applied the method to another field in the galactic disk. As a result, the maps showed the distribution of hydrocarbons in the interstellar medium. It turned out that at least 20% of cosmic carbon is hidden in the oily component of interstellar dust. This makes it an important reservoir of organic material in the galactic disk. The method can be improved with the help of the Webb Space Telescope.
Between the stars there is a huge amountinterstellar gas and dust, which may contain carbon compounds. Scientists call this material carbonaceous interstellar dust and it is an important reservoir of organic material in space. The continuous circulation of matter between stars and gas in the interstellar medium of the Galaxy “delivers” organic molecules to newly forming planetary systems.
It is believed that a special subclass of organicmolecules known as prebiotic molecules play an important role in the formation of life on Earth. They were most likely preserved in carbonaceous interstellar dust collected together in planetesimals during the early stages of planet formation. The chemical composition shows how suitable the planet's environment is for the formation of life. Therefore, it is important to understand the life cycle of carbonaceous interstellar dust to further explore this possibility.
To do this, scientists use moleculeshydrocarbons are a subgroup of organic molecules. Aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons—molecules containing chains and/or rings of carbon atoms—make up an important part of Earth's crude oil, which formed beneath the Earth's crust from the remains of living organisms.
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