Search for complex organic molecules in space

Masatoshi Ohishi

National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

It was 1969 when the first organic molecule in space, H2CO, was discovered. Since then many organic molecules were discovered by using the Kitt Peak 11m (upgraded later to12m), Nobeyama 45m, IRAM 30m, and other highly sensitive radio telescopes. It is noteworthy that many famous organic molecules such as CH3OH, C2H5OH, (CH3)2O and CH3NH2 were detected by 1975. In the early days these organic molecules were detected towards only Orion KL and Sgr B2. Later organic molecules were found in so-called hot cores where molecules were thought to form on cold dust surface and then to evaporate by the UV photons emitted from the central star. These days organic molecules are known to exist not only in hot cores but in hot corinos and even protoplanetary disks. As was described above, major organic molecules were known since 1970s. It was very natural that astronomers considered a relationship between organic molecules in space and the origin of life. Several astronomers challenged to detect glycine, prymidine and other prebiotic molecules without success. ALMA is expected to detect such important materials to further consider the "exogenous delivery" hypothesis. In my talk I will summarize the history in searching for organic molecules including difficulties in observing very weak signals from larger species, and a possible scenario that the Universe may be related with origin of life.

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