本帖最后由 gohomeman1 于 2010-3-10 18:48 编辑
http://www.pressoffice.uni-koeln.de/1651+M5590a29c8bd.html
Organic molecules in Orion
猎户座星云(M42)中的有机分子
By: Merle Hettesheimer
作者:Merle Hettesheimer
Herschel-HIFI unveils precursors of life-enabling molecules in Orion Nebula
在M42中,赫歇尔太空天文台的HIFI仪发现生命有机分子的前驱体(分子)
Press Release of the University of Cologne, Max Planck Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, and Max Planck Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Lindau:
新闻发布单位:科隆大学,马克斯——普朗克研究院位于波恩市的射电研究所、位于林道市的太阳系研究所
ESA’s Herschel Space Observatory has revealed the chemical fingerprints of potential life-enabling organic molecules in the Orion Nebula, a nearby stellar nursery in our Milky Way galaxy. This detailed spectrum, obtained with the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared (HIFI) - one of Herschel's three innovative instruments - demonstrates the gold mine of information that Herschel-HIFI will provide on how organic molecules form in space.
在猎户座大星云(M42)中,欧洲空间局(ESA)的赫歇尔太空天文台(HEXOS)已经发现了潜在的有机分子的特征光谱,M42是银河系中离我们最近的恒星孕育场所。安装在HEXOS上的三大创新仪器之一:远红外线外差摄谱仪(HIFI)获得的详细光谱,为我们揭示了原始有机分子如何在太空中形成的信息——这可是知识宝库中的金山啊!
Several German Institutes contributed essential parts to the HIFI instrument: the Universität zu Köln and two Max Planck Institutes: Radioastronomie (Bonn) and Sonnensystemforschung (Lindau).
HIFI仪的核心部件由德国以下几家单位提供:科隆大学,马克斯——普朗克研究院位于波恩市的射电研究所、位于林道市的太阳系研究所等。
Striking features in the HIFI spectrum include a rich, dense pattern of “spikes”, each representing the emission of light from a specific molecule in the Orion Nebula. This nebula is known to be one of the most prolific chemical factories in space, although the full extent of its chemistry and the pathways for molecule formation are not well understood. By sifting through the pattern of spikes in this spectrum, astronomers have identified a few common molecules that appear everywhere in the spectrum. The identification of the many other emission lines is currently ongoing.
本次获得的HIFI光谱的明显特征是:包含丰富而密集的尖峰,每一个都代表着M42中特定分子的光谱发射线。M42是已知的各种化学分子产量最高的宇宙工厂之一,虽然这些分子的类型、形成途径等完整信息还不是完全了解。通过筛选光谱的特征尖峰,天文学家已经辨识出几个在光谱中最常见的分子谱线。辨析更多谱线的工作正在进行中。
By clearly identifying the lines associated with the more common molecules, astronomers can then begin to tease out the signature of particularly interesting molecules that are the direct precursors to life-enabling molecules. A characteristic feature of the Orion spectrum is the spectral richness: among the molecules that can be identified in this spectrum are water, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, methanol, dimethyl ether, hydrogen cyanide, sulphur oxide, sulphur dioxide and their isotope analogues. It is expected that new organic molecules will also be identified.
通过与最常见分子特征谱线的清晰比对,天文学家进而能够梳理出我们最感兴趣的那些分子的特征谱线——它们是生命大分子的化学前驱体。M42光谱的一个特征就是极为丰富:我们从中可以辨析出水(H[sub]2[/sub]O)、一氧化碳(CO)、甲醛(HCHO)、甲醇(CH[sub]3[/sub]OH)、二甲醚(CH[sub]3[/sub]OCH[sub]3[/sub])、氰化氢(HCN)、一氧化硫(SO,这个在地球上显然不稳定)、二氧化硫(SO[sub]2[/sub]),以及它们的同位素化合物。预期我们还能辨析出更多新有机分子。
“This HIFI spectrum, and the many more to come, will provide a virtual treasure trove of information regarding the overall chemical inventory and on how organics form in a region of active star formation. It harbours the promise of a deep understanding of the chemistry of space once we have the full spectral surveys available,” said Edwin Bergin of the University of Michigan principal investigator of the HEXOS Key Programme on Herschel.
HEXOS重点项目首席调研员、美国密歇根大学的埃德温.伯金解释道:“本次获得的HIFI光谱以及未来更多的光谱,将提供巨大的虚拟信息宝库,告诉我们在活跃的恒星诞生区域中,有机分子的整体目录以及是如何形成的。当我们完成了整个光谱波段的研究后,我们有望更深入了解宇宙的化学进程。”
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