Laboratory Simulation of the Molecular Evolution on Interstellar Dusts(Current Topics)

Abstract

The evolution of CO molecules on the interstellar dusts was investigated expenmentally. The CO molecule was found to likely evolve into H₂CO and subsequently into CH₃OH by successive hydrogenation on the dusts even below 20K. In the center of dense molecular clouds, the hydrogenation would proceed via tunneling reactions and be more efficient than other processes such as photolysis and charged-particle bombardments.