Lyα Processing of Solid-state Ethanolamine: Potential Precursors to Sugar and Peptide Derivatives
Ethanolamine (EA), a key component of phospholipids, has recently been detected in the interstellar medium within molecular clouds. To understand this observation, laboratory studies of its formation and destruction are essential and should be complemented by astrochemical models. This study investi...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb486 |
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| Summary: | Ethanolamine (EA), a key component of phospholipids, has recently been detected in the interstellar medium within molecular clouds. To understand this observation, laboratory studies of its formation and destruction are essential and should be complemented by astrochemical models. This study investigates the photostability of EA ice under Ly α (10.2 eV) irradiation at 10 K, and explores its potential role in the formation of simple and complex organic molecules (COMs) in molecular clouds. The UV-destruction cross section of EA was estimated to be (4.7 ± 0.3) × 10 ^−18 cm ^2 , providing insight into its half-life of 6.5 × 10 ^7 yr in dense interstellar clouds. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and quadrupole mass spectrometry were used to identify various photoproducts, with their formation pathways discussed. Ethylene glycol and serine were tentatively detected during the warming-up process following irradiation, suggesting that EA could contribute to the formation of prebiotic molecules such as sugars, peptides, and their derivatives. High-mass signals detected in the mass spectrometer suggest the presence of several COMs, and further analysis of residues at room temperature is planned for future work. The results suggest that EA could contribute to the formation of prebiotic molecules in space, with implications for the origin of life. |
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| ISSN: | 1538-4357 |