First detection in space of the high-energy isomer of cyanomethanimine: H2CNCN

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Andrés, David San, Rivilla, Víctor M., Colzi, Laura, Jiménez-Serra, Izaskun, Martín-Pintado, Jesús, Megías, Andrés, López-Gallifa, Álvaro, Martínez-Henares, Antonio, Massalkhi, Sarah, Zeng, Shaoshan, Sanz-Novo, Miguel, Tercero, Belén, de Vicente, Pablo, Martín, Sergio, Requena-Torres, Miguel A., Molpeceres, Germán, de la Concepción, Juan García
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2024
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author Andrés, David San
Rivilla, Víctor M.
Colzi, Laura
Jiménez-Serra, Izaskun
Martín-Pintado, Jesús
Megías, Andrés
López-Gallifa, Álvaro
Martínez-Henares, Antonio
Massalkhi, Sarah
Zeng, Shaoshan
Sanz-Novo, Miguel
Tercero, Belén
de Vicente, Pablo
Martín, Sergio
Requena-Torres, Miguel A.
Molpeceres, Germán
de la Concepción, Juan García
author_facet Andrés, David San
Rivilla, Víctor M.
Colzi, Laura
Jiménez-Serra, Izaskun
Martín-Pintado, Jesús
Megías, Andrés
López-Gallifa, Álvaro
Martínez-Henares, Antonio
Massalkhi, Sarah
Zeng, Shaoshan
Sanz-Novo, Miguel
Tercero, Belén
de Vicente, Pablo
Martín, Sergio
Requena-Torres, Miguel A.
Molpeceres, Germán
de la Concepción, Juan García
contents We report the first detection in the interstellar medium of $N$-cyanomethanimine (H$_2$CNCN), the stable dimer of HCN of highest energy, and the most complex organic molecule identified in space containing the prebiotically relevant NCN backbone. We have identified a plethora of $a$-type rotational transitions with 3 $\leq J_\text{up} \leq$ 11 and $K_\text{a} \leq$ 2 that belong to this species towards the Galactic Center G+0.693-0.027 molecular cloud, the only interstellar source showing the three cyanomethanimine isomers (including the $Z$- and $E$- isomers of $C$-cyanomethanimine, HNCHCN). We have derived a total column density for H$_2$CNCN of (2.9$\, \pm \,$0.1)$\times$10$^{12}$ cm$^{-2}$, which translates into a total molecular abundance with respect to H$_2$ of (2.1$\, \pm \,$0.3)$\times$10$^{-11}$. We have also revisited the previous detection of $E$- and $Z$-HNCHCN, and found a total $C/N$-cyanomethanimine abundance ratio of 31.8$\, \pm \,$1.8 and a $Z/E$-HNCHCN ratio of 4.5$\, \pm \,$0.2. While the latter can be explained on the basis of thermodynamic equilibrium, chemical kinetics are more likely responsible for the observed $C/N$-cyanomethanimine abundance ratio, where the gas-phase reaction between methanimine (CH$_2$NH) and the cyanogen radical (CN) arises as the primary formation route.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2404_03334
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle First detection in space of the high-energy isomer of cyanomethanimine: H2CNCN
Andrés, David San
Rivilla, Víctor M.
Colzi, Laura
Jiménez-Serra, Izaskun
Martín-Pintado, Jesús
Megías, Andrés
López-Gallifa, Álvaro
Martínez-Henares, Antonio
Massalkhi, Sarah
Zeng, Shaoshan
Sanz-Novo, Miguel
Tercero, Belén
de Vicente, Pablo
Martín, Sergio
Requena-Torres, Miguel A.
Molpeceres, Germán
de la Concepción, Juan García
Astrophysics of Galaxies
We report the first detection in the interstellar medium of $N$-cyanomethanimine (H$_2$CNCN), the stable dimer of HCN of highest energy, and the most complex organic molecule identified in space containing the prebiotically relevant NCN backbone. We have identified a plethora of $a$-type rotational transitions with 3 $\leq J_\text{up} \leq$ 11 and $K_\text{a} \leq$ 2 that belong to this species towards the Galactic Center G+0.693-0.027 molecular cloud, the only interstellar source showing the three cyanomethanimine isomers (including the $Z$- and $E$- isomers of $C$-cyanomethanimine, HNCHCN). We have derived a total column density for H$_2$CNCN of (2.9$\, \pm \,$0.1)$\times$10$^{12}$ cm$^{-2}$, which translates into a total molecular abundance with respect to H$_2$ of (2.1$\, \pm \,$0.3)$\times$10$^{-11}$. We have also revisited the previous detection of $E$- and $Z$-HNCHCN, and found a total $C/N$-cyanomethanimine abundance ratio of 31.8$\, \pm \,$1.8 and a $Z/E$-HNCHCN ratio of 4.5$\, \pm \,$0.2. While the latter can be explained on the basis of thermodynamic equilibrium, chemical kinetics are more likely responsible for the observed $C/N$-cyanomethanimine abundance ratio, where the gas-phase reaction between methanimine (CH$_2$NH) and the cyanogen radical (CN) arises as the primary formation route.
title First detection in space of the high-energy isomer of cyanomethanimine: H2CNCN
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.03334