학술논문

Formation of the Methyl Cation by Photochemistry in a Protoplanetary Disk
Document Type
Working Paper
Source
Nature 621, 56-59 (2023)
Subject
Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
Physics - Chemical Physics
Language
Abstract
Forty years ago it was proposed that gas phase organic chemistry in the interstellar medium was initiated by the methyl cation CH3+, but hitherto it has not been observed outside the Solar System. Alternative routes involving processes on grain surfaces have been invoked. Here we report JWST observations of CH3+ in a protoplanetary disk in the Orion star forming region. We find that gas-phase organic chemistry is activated by UV irradiation.
Comment: Published in Nature