1. Formation of the methyl cation by photochemistry in a protoplanetary disk.
- Author
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Berné O, Martin-Drumel MA, Schroetter I, Goicoechea JR, Jacovella U, Gans B, Dartois E, Coudert LH, Bergin E, Alarcon F, Cami J, Roueff E, Black JH, Asvany O, Habart E, Peeters E, Canin A, Trahin B, Joblin C, Schlemmer S, Thorwirth S, Cernicharo J, Gerin M, Tielens A, Zannese M, Abergel A, Bernard-Salas J, Boersma C, Bron E, Chown R, Cuadrado S, Dicken D, Elyajouri M, Fuente A, Gordon KD, Issa L, Kannavou O, Khan B, Lacinbala O, Languignon D, Le Gal R, Maragkoudakis A, Meshaka R, Okada Y, Onaka T, Pasquini S, Pound MW, Robberto M, Röllig M, Schefter B, Schirmer T, Sidhu A, Tabone B, Van De Putte D, Vicente S, and Wolfire MG
- Abstract
Forty years ago, it was proposed that gas-phase organic chemistry in the interstellar medium can be initiated by the methyl cation CH
3 + (refs.1-3 ), but so far it has not been observed outside the Solar System4,5 . Alternative routes involving processes on grain surfaces have been invoked6,7 . Here we report James Webb Space Telescope observations of CH3 + in a protoplanetary disk in the Orion star-forming region. We find that gas-phase organic chemistry is activated by ultraviolet irradiation., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)- Published
- 2023
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