(Press-News.org) Combining the cutting-edge capabilities of the ALMA telescope with newly-developed laboratory techniques, scientists are opening a completely new era for deciphering the chemistry of the Universe. A research team demonstrated their breakthrough using ALMA data from observations of the gas in a star-forming region in the constellation Orion.
Using new technology both at the telescope and in the laboratory, the scientists were able to greatly improve and speed the process of identifying the "fingerprints" of chemicals in the cosmos, enabling studies that until now would have been either impossible or prohibitively time-consuming.
"We've shown that, with ALMA, we're going to be able to do real chemical analysis of the gaseous 'nurseries' where new stars and planets are forming, unrestricted by many of the limitations we've had in the past," said Anthony Remijan of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Charlottesville, VA.
ALMA, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, is under construction on the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, at an elevation of 16,500 feet. When completed in 2013, its 66 high-precision antennas and advanced electronics will provide scientists with unprecedented capabilities to explore the Universe as seen at wavelengths between longer-wavelength radio and infrared.
Those wavelengths are particularly rich in clues about the presence of specific molecules in the cosmos. More than 170 molecules, including organic molecules such as sugars and alcohols, have been discovered in space. Such chemicals are common in the giant clouds of gas and dust in which new stars and planets are forming. "We know that many of the chemical precursors to life exist in these stellar nurseries even before the planets form," said Thomas Wilson of the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C.
Molecules in space rotate and vibrate, and each molecule has a particular set of rotational and vibrational conditions that are possible for it. Each time a molecule changes from one such condition to another, a specific amount of energy is either absorbed or emitted, often as radio waves at very specific wavelengths. Each molecule has a unique pattern of wavelengths that it emits or absorbs, and that pattern serves as a telltale "fingerprint" identifying the molecule.
Scientists call the individual wavelengths in such a pattern spectral lines, because of their appearance in plots. A specific chemical can produce numerous spectral lines. The exact wavelength of each line can be measured, but that process is quite laborious and challenging. However, without such measurements, it has been difficult to identify many lines seen in astronomical observations. Adding to the difficulty is the fact that the pattern of lines for a particular molecule changes with its temperature.
The breakthrough comes because of new technology that allows scientists to gather and analyze a broad swath of wavelengths at once, both with ALMA and in the laboratory.
"We now can take a sample of a chemical, test it in the laboratory, and get a plot of all its characteristic lines over a large range of wavelengths. We get the whole picture at once," said Frank DeLucia of the Ohio State University (OSU). "We can then model the characteristics of all the lines of a chemical at different temperatures," he added.
Armed with new OSU laboratory data for a few suspected molecules, the scientists then compared the patterns with those produced by observing the star-forming region with ALMA.
"The matchup was amazing," said Sarah Fortman, also from OSU. "Spectral lines that had been unidentified for years suddenly matched our laboratory data, verified the existence of specific molecules, and gave us a new tool to attack the complex spectra from regions in our Galaxy," she added. The first tests were done with ethyl cyanide (CH3CH2CN) because its existence in space was already well established and thus it provided a perfect test for this new method of analysis.
"In the past, there were so many unidentified lines that we called them 'weeds,' and they only confused our analysis. Now those 'weeds' are valuable clues that can tell us not only what chemicals are present in these cosmic gas clouds, but also can give important information about the conditions in those clouds," DeLucia said.
"This is a new era in astrochemistry," said Suzanna Randall of ESO Headquarters in Garching, Germany. "These new techniques are going to revolutionize our understanding of the fascinating nurseries where new stars and planets are being born."
The new techniques, Remijan pointed out, also can be adapted to other telescopes, including the National Science Foundation's giant Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, and laboratory facilities such as those at the University of Virginia. "This is going to change the way astrochemists do business," Remijan said.
###
Randall, Remijan, Fortman, Wilson, and DeLucia worked with James McMillan and Christopher Neese of the Ohio State University. The scientists are publishing their research results in the Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy.
ALMA, an international astronomy facility, is a partnership of Europe, North America and East Asia in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. ALMA construction and operations are led on behalf of Europe by ESO, on behalf of North America by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), and on behalf of East Asia by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). The Joint ALMA Observatory (JAO) provides the unified leadership and management of the construction, commissioning and operation of ALMA.
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
Astrochemistry enters a bold new era with ALMA
New techniques revolutionizing study of the chemistry of the Universe
2012-09-20
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Abnormal carotid arteries found in children with kidney disease
2012-09-20
A federally funded study led by researchers at Johns Hopkins Children's Center has found that children with mild to moderate kidney disease have abnormally thick neck arteries, a condition known as carotid atherosclerosis, usually seen in older adults with a long history of elevated cholesterol and untreated hypertension.
The findings — published online ahead of print on Sept. 13 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology — are particularly striking, the researchers say, because they point to serious blood vessel damage much earlier in the disease ...
In obesity, a micro-RNA causes metabolic problems
2012-09-20
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Scientists have identified a key molecular player in a chain of events in the body that can lead to fatty liver disease, Type II diabetes and other metabolic abnormalities associated with obesity. By blocking this molecule, the researchers were able to reverse some of the pathology it caused in obese mice.
Their ...
Gamers confront copyright law, says Rutgers law scholar
2012-09-20
CAMDEN — These days, gamers aren't just saving the virtual world, they're creating it.
Video games have evolved into a fully immersive, customizable experience in which gamers not only play, but also create new content. Players are encouraged to contribute their creativity by designing their own maps, customizing characters, and adding new material to games.
But user-generated content has the potential to infringe upon copyright law, which is casting a shadow on the legality of gamer authorship.
Rutgers–Camden law professor Greg Lastowka is mapping the intersection ...
DNA analysis aids in classifying single-celled algae
2012-09-20
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- For nearly 260 years -- since Carl Linnaeus developed his system of naming plants and animals -- researchers classified species based on visual attributes like color, shape and size. In the past few decades, researchers found that sequencing DNA can more accurately identify species. A group of single-celled algae -- Symbiodinum -- that live inside corals and are critical to their survival -- are only now being separated into species using DNA analysis, according to biologists.
"Unfortunately with Symbiodinium, scientists have been hindered by a ...
Survival of safety-net hospitals at risk
2012-09-20
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Many public safety-net hospitals are likely to face increasing financial and competitive pressures stemming in part from the recent Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act, according to researchers at Penn State and the Harvard School of Public Health.
"The issue for these hospitals going forward is that the Affordable Care Act promises to change how care for low-income and uninsured populations is funded, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape," said Jonathan Clark, assistant professor of health policy and administration, Penn ...
Virtual reality simulator helps teach surgery for brain cancer, reports Neurosurgery
2012-09-20
Philadelphia, Pa. (September 20, 2012) – A new virtual reality simulator—including sophisticated 3-D graphics and tactile feedback—provides neurosurgery trainees with valuable opportunities to practice essential skills and techniques for brain cancer surgery, according to a paper in the September issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part ofWolters Kluwer Health.
The prototype system, called "NeuroTouch," uses 3-D graphics and haptic (sense of touch) technology to ...
No 'July phenomenon' for neurosurgery patients, reports Neurosurgery
2012-09-20
Philadelphia, Pa. (September 20, 2012) – For patients undergoing neurosurgery at teaching hospitals, there's no "July phenomenon" of increased death and complication rates when new residents start their training, reports a study in the September issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.
The risk of adverse outcomes after common brain and spinal procedures are no different in July compared to any other month, according to the research by Dr. ...
Playground peers can predict adult personalities
2012-09-20
Montreal, September 20, 2012 – Even on the playground, our friends know us better than we know ourselves. New research has revealed that your childhood peers from grade school may be able to best predict your success as an adult.
Lisa Serbin of the Department of Psychology at Concordia University and Alexa Martin-Storey, a recent Concordia graduate and a current post-doctoral student at the University of Texas – both members of the Concordia-based Centre for Research in Human Development – recently published a study online, which reveals that childhood peer evaluation ...
Scientists uncover mechanism by which plants inherit epigenetic modifications
2012-09-20
Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. – During embryonic development in humans and other mammals, sperm and egg cells are essentially wiped clean of chemical modifications to DNA called epigenetic marks. They are then held in reserve to await fertilization.
In flowering plants the scenario is dramatically different. Germ cells don't even appear until the post-embryonic period – sometimes not until many years later. When they do appear, only some epigenetic marks are wiped away; some remain, carried over from prior generations – although until now little was known about how or to what ...
Nutrient in eggs and meat may influence gene expression from infancy to adulthood
2012-09-20
Just as women are advised to get plenty of folic acid around the time of conception and throughout early pregnancy, new research suggests another very similar nutrient may one day deserve a spot on the obstetrician's list of recommendations.
Consuming greater amounts of choline – a nutrient found in eggs and meat – during pregnancy may lower an infant's vulnerability to stress-related illnesses, such as mental health disturbances, and chronic conditions, like hypertension, later in life.
In an early study in The FASEB Journal, nutrition scientists and obstetricians ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Adults 65 years and older not immune to the opioid epidemic, new study finds
Artificial intelligence emerging as powerful patient safety tool in pediatric anesthesia
Mother’s ZIP code, lack of access to prenatal care can negatively impact baby’s health at birth, new studies show
American Society of Anesthesiologists honors John M. Zerwas, M.D., FASA, with Distinguished Service Award
A centimeter-scale quadruped piezoelectric robot with high integration and strong robustness
Study confirms that people with ADHD can be more creative. The reason may be that they let their mind wander
Research gives insight into effect of neurodegenerative diseases on speech rhythm
Biochar and plants join forces to clean up polluted soils and boost ecosystem recovery
Salk scientist Joseph Ecker awarded McClintock Prize for Plant Genetics and Genome Studies
ADHD: Women are diagnosed five years later than men, despite symptoms appearing at the same age.
Power plants may emit more pollution during government shutdowns
Increasing pressures for conformity de-skilling and demotivating teachers, study warns
Researchers develop smarter menstrual product with potential for wearable health monitoring
Microwaves for energy-efficient chemical reactions
MXene current collectors could reduce size, improve recyclability of Li-ion batteries
Living near toxic sites linked to aggressive breast cancer
New discovery could open door to male birth control
Wirth elected Fellow of American Physical Society
The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: October 10, 2025
Destined to melt
Attitudes, not income, drive energy savings at home
The playbook for perfect polaritons
‘Disease in a dish’ study of progressive MS finds critical role for unusual type of brain cell
Solar-powered method lights the way to a ‘de-fossilized’ chemical industry
Screen time linked to lower academic achievement among Ontario elementary students
One-year outcomes after traumatic brain injury and early extracranial surgery in the TRACK-TBI Study
Enduring outcomes of COVID-19 work absences on the US labor market
Affirmative action repeal and racial and ethnic diversity in us medical school admissions
Cancer progression illuminated by new multi-omics tool
Screen time and standardized academic achievement tests in elementary school
[Press-News.org] Astrochemistry enters a bold new era with ALMANew techniques revolutionizing study of the chemistry of the Universe