A search for pre-biotic molecules in hot cores*
1
Onsala Space Observatory, Chalmers University of Technology, 43992 Onsala, Sweden e-mail: eva@oso.chalmers.se
2
European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001 Santiago, Chile
3
Computer science and engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Gothenburg, Sweden
Received:
23
March
2007
Accepted:
11
May
2007
Aims.Our aim is to better understand the complex chemistry of organic molecules in the interstellar medium, leading to the formation of pre-biotic molecules such as amino acids.
Methods.We have performed a search for the pre-biotic molecules amino acetonitrile (H2N CH2 CN) and vinyl acetylene (C2H3 CCH) towards four northern hot core sources using the Onsala 20 m telescope.
Results.We have determined upper limits to the column density of amino
acetonitrile (1–
cm-2) and vinyl acetylene
(2–
cm-2) in the observed sources. In addition,
from the absence of other lines within the observed frequency
band, we have further constrained the column density of
oxiranecarbonitrile (c-C3H3 NO) and amino-ethanol
(NH2 CH2 CH2 OH) in these sources.
Key words: ISM: molecules / astrobiology / radio lines: ISM / astrochemistry
© ESO, 2007