ASTROCHEMISTRY

Thirty-five years ago, a group of entrepreneurs and scientists founded the SETI Institute – the first scientific institute dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial life in the universe. We’re excited to commemorate this anniversary. We invited SETI Institute co-founder Jill Tarter and 2018 Drake Award Recipient Vikki Meadows to discuss the challenges and possible future strategies for the detection of life. Initiated by Jill Tarter in 1990s, Project Phoenix marked the first systematic search for technosignatures. Today, the Allen Telescope Array and Laser SETI are driving our technosignature search. The discovery that exoplanets are common has radically changed our view of the universe. The likelihood that there are habitable worlds elsewhere in the universe seems more plausible than ever before. Astronomers, including Vikki Meadows, are developing new instruments to help search for life on other planets. By analyzing data from exoplanets and identifying biosignatures, we will be able to search for habitable planets and the presence of life. Which approach will discover the first evidence of extraterrestrial life? Will technosignatures or biosignatures confirm our hypothesis that life exists outside our watery, shimmering planet and that, indeed, we are not alone? Molly Bentley, the co-host and producer of the radio program and podcast, Big Picture Science, will be the moderator.

An exploration of the discovery of strange oxygen levels on Mars that may hint that there is microbial life active on that planet. Event Horizon: https://www.youtube.com/eventhorizonshow My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnmichaelgodier Papers: "Seasonal variations in atmospheric composition as measured in Gale Crater, Mars", Trainer et al., 2019 https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2019JE006175 Music: Cylinder Eight by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/cylinders/ Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/

1080P - 60 Host: Mercedes Lopez-Morales Speaker: David Sing (STScI) Abstract: To date, Hubble has played the definitive role in the characterization of exoplanet atmospheres. From the first planets available, we have learned that their atmospheres are incredibly diverse. With HST, JWST, and TESS a new era of atmospheric studies is opening up, where wide scale comparative planetology is now possible. Such studies can provide insight into the underlying physical process through comparative studies. Hubble’s full spectroscopic capabilities are now being used to produce the first large-scale, simultaneous UVOIR comparative study of 20 exoplanets ranging from super-Earth to Neptune and Jupiter sizes. With full UV to infrared wavelength coverage, an entire planet’s atmosphere can be probed simultaneously and with sufficient numbers of planets, it will be possible to statistically compare their features with physical parameters. The panchromatic treasury program aims at build a lasting HST legacy, providing the UV and blue-optical exoplanet spectra which will be unavailable to JWST, providing key insights into clouds and mass loss. I will review the highlights of the program to date, which include atmospheric water resolved in emission and new absorption features seen in transmission such as escaping ionized metals. I will also present the latest findings from the ongoing Hubble Treasury program and discuss synergies with JWST.

This video have been updated. A new version can be found here: https://youtu.be/A_-zI-Lwno8

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has several powerful scientific instruments, called spectrographs, on board. With these, scientists can look at newly forming planetary systems and identify the unique signatures of molecules in space. Credit: Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute’s Office of Public Outreach. • Narration: Nicole Fonarow • Writing: Joel Green and Vonessa Schulze • Design: Leah Hustak All images, illustrations, and videos courtesy of NASA and STScI except: • Webb telescope animation courtesy of NASA, SkyWorks Digital, Northrop Grumman, STScI • Music courtesy of Associated Production Music (www.apm.com) • Sound effects courtesy of FreeSound.org and SoundBible.com The science operations for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, developed in partnership with the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency, are conducted by AURA’s Space Telescope Science Institute. Many thanks to Greg Bacon, John Godfrey, Hussein Jirdeh, Jason Kalirai, Brandon Lawton, Alexandra Lockwood, Marc Lussier, Charlie McWade, Bonnie Meinke, Joseph Olmsted, Roy Renza, Denise Smith, and Frank Summers.

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes 2019 - Astrochemistry Students were asked to create a five-page research paper on a subject related to Astrochemistry of their choosing. I created this video as a visual representation of my research paper, in which I explore the possibility of life on Proxima B. Thanks for watching! Zoe Rosenberg

Ponente: Paola Caselli, directora del Max-Planck-Institute for extraterrestrial Physics Molecules are unique tracers of the dynamical and chemical evolution of star and planet forming regions. Thus, astrochemistry is crucial to test theories and shed light on our origins. In this talk I shall review the chemical and physical structure of interstellar clouds, where stars and planets are formed, as well as theoretical work on protoplanetary disk formation and early evolution. Links to our Solar System will be made.

| SEMINARIO 14-6-2019 | Ponente: Bjorn Emonts (National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, EEUU). La evolución de las galaxias está estrechamente ligada a los procesos que ocurren en el medio circumgaláctico (CGM). Desafortunadamente, la mayoría de los bariones en el CGM son demasiado débiles para ser fácilmente detectados. En el alto z, vemos destellos de halos barínicos oscuros a través de líneas de absorción de cuásar, o radiación de enfriamiento emitida como ly-Alpha. Sin embargo, una conexión directa con el crecimiento estelar de galaxias masivas ha permanecido desaparecida durante mucho tiempo, porque todavía teníamos que identificar el último depósito de gas halo que puede alimentar la formación de estrellas y galaxias, a saber, el gas molecular frío (~ 10-100 K). En esta charla, se presentarán observaciones de CO y [CI] sensibles de bajo brillo superficial de gas molecular generalizado a través de los halos gigantes de ly-Alpha a grandes cambios de rojo. Estos resultados implican que las galaxias masivas que se forman dentro de estos halos crecen a partir de gas acreado y reciclado en el CGM. Se explicarán los desafíos técnicos involucrados en la iluminación de estos reservorios de gas molecular frío hasta ahora escondidos. Esto lleva a la cuestión de la cantidad de gas molecular en el universo que todavía estamos perdiendo... Se moastrará cómo las observaciones de bajo brillo superficial con futuros interferómetros de radio, con especial énfasis en la matriz muy grande de próxima generación, prometen revolucionar nuestra visión del universo molecular. _______________ The evolution of galaxies is tightly linked to processes that occur in the circum-galactic medium (CGM). Unfortunately, most of the baryons in the CGM are too faint to be easily detected. At high-z, we view glimpses of dark baryonic halos through quasar absorption lines, or cooling-radiation emitted as Ly-alpha. However, a direct connection with the stellar growth of massive galaxies has long remained missing, because we had yet to identify the ultimate reservoir of halo gas that can fuel the formation of stars and galaxies, namely the cold molecular gas (~10-100 K). I will present sensitive low-surface-brightness CO and [CI] observations of widespread molecular gas across giant Ly-alpha halos at high redshifts. These results implicate that massive galaxies forming within these halos grow from accreted and recycled gas in the CGM. I will explain the technical challenges involved in lighting up these hitherto hidden reservoirs of cold molecular gas. This leads to the question of how much molecular gas in the Universe we are still missing… I will show how low-surface-brightness observations with future radio interferometers, with particular emphasis on the Next-Generation Very Large Array, promise to revolutionize our view of the molecular Universe. #SeminarioCAB #astrobiología #astrobiology #Galaxies #astrofísica

Dr. Paola Caselli, from the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, visited ICCUB on March 21st 2019. Molecules are unique tracers of the dynamical and chemical evolution of star and planet forming regions. Thus, astrochemistry is crucial to test model predictions and to shed light on our origins. Stars and planetary systems in our Galaxy form within dense (n(H2) ~ 100,000 cm-3) and cold (T ~ 10 K) fragments of interstellar molecular clouds, called pre-stellar cores. Important chemical processes take place at this early stage, such as isotope fractionation, production of complex organic molecules and growth of thick icy mantles onto sub-micrometer sized dust grains, where water and organics are stored, and which boost dust coagulation. These processes can affect later phases of star and planet formation, which can now be traced with powerful interferometers such as ALMA and NOEMA. The chemical and physical structure of pre-stellar and protostellar cores will also be review, as well as a glance to theoretical work on prototostellar disk formation and early evolution.

RED 19 - Valentine Wakelam - Laboratoire d'astrophysique de Bordeaux

RED 19 - Matthew W. Powner - University College London

Former NASA Deputy Chief Technologist Jim Adams joins us for story time. We talk about the planetary status of Pluto, the Kármán line, how moist the solar system seems to be, microbial life on Mars and so much more! Launch Minute Everything scrubbed this week... But get ready for next week with SIX scheduled launches! Yikes! Space News: Welcome to Space, Spaceship 2 Cosmonauts perform Soyuz Surgery Voyager 2 is interstellar If you would like to continue the conversation we have a few great ways to do that: - Comment right here on YouTube. We'll comment back or even feature it in the show - Create a new post on our community forum at https://community.tmro.tv - Head over to our real-time Discord channel here: https://discord.gg/9NkkFWD

NRAO astronomer Anthony Remijan describes a new technique for finding the "fingerprints" of molecules in Orion's gigantic star-forming region using ALMA and the GBT radio telescopes. Credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF, Fortman, et al., NASA/ESA.

Harvard University Professor of astrochemistry Karen Oberg tells us how planets are formed! For a more in-depth look into this process watch #LivingUniverse 2018! TICKETS To watch #LivingUniverse get your tickets here! www.livinguniverse.com.au/tickets SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livinguniver... Twitter: https://twitter.com/livingunivers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingunive...

The process of star formation, from giant molecular clouds to protostars.

The discovery of thousands of planets around stars other than our Sun has revived age-old questions on how these exo-planets form and which chemical ingredients are available to build them. Chemistry starts in the cold and tenuous clouds between the stars. In spite of the extremely low temperatures and densities, these clouds contain a surprisingly rich and interesting chemistry, as evidenced by the detection of nearly 200 different molecules. Examples of recent developments in astrochemistry will be presented, with special emphasis on topics that Alex Dalgarno has opened up (i.e., most of astrochemistry!). New facilities such as ALMA and soon JWST will allow us to zoom in on dense cloud cores and planetary system construction sites with unprecedented sharpness and sensitivity. Spectral scans of young disks contain tens of thousands of rotational lines, revealing water and a surprisingly rich variety of organic materials, including simple sugars and high abundances of deuterated species. How are these prebiotic molecules formed and can they end up on new planets? A comparison with recent results from the Rosetta mission to comet 67 P/C-G in our own Solar System provides part of the clue. These recent results leave no doubt on the answer to the famous question asked by Dalgarno in 1986 `Is astrochemistry useful?'.

University of Massachusetts Amherst graduate student Brandt Gaches talks about how complex life-bringing molecules are found in space. From Astronomy on Tap ATX #42, held at The North Door in Austin, Texas on March 20th, 2018.

With the selection of Ariel by ESA, exoplanetary scientists are now looking forward to a data-rich decade with numerous space telescopes coming our way soon. In this video we break down the different missions coming up and some of the differences between them. ::More about this Video:: ► TESS website: https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov ► CHEOPS website: http://cheops.unibe.ch ► JWST website: https://www.jwst.nasa.gov ► WFIRST website: https://wfirst.gsfc.nasa.gov ► PLATO website: http://sci.esa.int/plato/ ► ARIEL website: https://ariel-spacemission.eu ► Mars detection telegrams: http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=11448 and http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=11449 ► Yi, Chen & Kipping (2018): "Forecasting the detectability of known radial velocity planets with the upcoming CHEOPS mission": https://arxiv.org/abs/1801.05595 ► Columbia University Department of Astronomy: http://www.astro.columbia.edu ► Cool Worlds Lab website: http://coolworlds.astro.columbia.edu ► Outro music by 8-bit Universe "Harder Better Faster Stronger [8 Bit Cover Tribute to Daft Punk]": https://8bituniverse.bandcamp.com/track/harder-better-faster-stronger-8-bit-tribute-to-daft-punk ::Playlists For Channel:: Latest Cool Worlds Videos ► http://bit.ly/NewCoolWorlds Cool Worlds Research ► http://bit.ly/CoolWorldsResearch Guest Videos ► http://bit.ly/CoolWorldsGuests Q&A Videos ► http://bit.ly/CoolWorldsQA Tabby's Star ► http://bit.ly/TabbysStar Science of TV/Film ► http://bit.ly/ScienceMovies ::Follow us:: SUBSCRIBE to the channel http://bit.ly/CoolWorldsSubscribe Cool Worlds Lab http://coolworlds.astro.columbia.edu Twitter https://twitter.com/david_kipping Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cool.worlds THANKS FOR WATCHING!!

Astrobiology 2017 - Training School - Sun Kwok

Dr. Trainer is on the Curiosity Rover "Sample Analysis at Mars" team experiment and studies planetary atmospheres.

Meredith Staub presents her findings about CH5+, a particularly energetic molecule that is a key link in the chain that creates many common chemicals. She presents a method for computer simulation of CH5+ which will hopefully present clearer picture of the elusive molecule, so that it will be easier to identify.

Robert Simcoe (MIT)

The building blocks of life may not have been created here on Earth but instead inside the icy core of comets. Twitter: @TheSTEMReport Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-04-astrochemistry-life-begun-space.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu

Exploring the First Billion Years with Hubble and Spitzer and the Implications for JWST Garth Illingworth U.C. Santa Cruz

Host: Gary Melnick Speaker: David Neufeld (Johns Hopkins University) Observations at far- and mid-infrared wavelengths provide a wealth of information about the molecular inventory of interstellar gas clouds. Because of the different chemical pathways responsible for their formation and destruction, different molecules probe specific aspects of the interstellar environment. Carefully interpreted, they provide unique information about the molecular fraction, the UV radiation field, the dissipation of energy within the turbulent ISM, and the cosmic-ray density in the Galaxy. This talk will include a general overview of astrochemical probes of the interstellar medium, along with new estimates of a key parameter in astrochemical models: the cosmic-ray ionization rate. Observations at far- and mid-infrared wavelengths provide a wealth of information about the molecular inventory of interstellar gas clouds. Because of the different chemical pathways responsible for their formation and destruction, different molecules probe specific aspects of the interstellar environment. Carefully interpreted, they provide unique information about the molecular fraction, the UV radiation field, the dissipation of energy within the turbulent ISM, and the cosmic-ray density in the Galaxy. This talk will include a general overview of astrochemical probes of the interstellar medium, along with new estimates of a key parameter in astrochemical models: the cosmic-ray ionization rate. Observations at far- and mid-infrared wavelengths provide a wealth of information about the molecular inventory of interstellar gas clouds. Because of the different chemical pathways responsible for their formation and destruction, different molecules probe specific aspects of the interstellar environment. Carefully interpreted, they provide unique information about the molecular fraction, the UV radiation field, the dissipation of energy within the turbulent ISM, and the cosmic-ray density in the Galaxy. This talk will include a general overview of astrochemical probes of the interstellar medium, along with new estimates of a key parameter in astrochemical models: the cosmic-ray ionization rate.

NIKOS PRANTZOS - INSTITUT ASTROPHYSIQUE DE PARIS - FRANCE - SEARCH FOR LIFE: FROM EARLY EARTH TO EXOPLANETS - XII TH RENCONTRES DU VIETNAM - QUY NHON - DECEMBER 2016

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Helen Fraser, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-helen-fraser/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Helen Fraser, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-helen-fraser/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Helen Fraser, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-helen-fraser/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Helen Fraser, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-helen-fraser/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Helen Fraser, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-helen-fraser/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Helen Fraser, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-helen-fraser/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Helen Fraser, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-helen-fraser/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Anita Dawes, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-anita-dawes/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Anita Dawes, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-anita-dawes/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Anita Dawes, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-anita-dawes/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Anita Dawes, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-anita-dawes/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Anita Dawes, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-anita-dawes/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Anita Dawes, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-anita-dawes/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Anita Dawes, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-anita-dawes/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Anita Dawes, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-anita-dawes/

Interview for the EU Space Awareness Career Hub with Anita Dawes, Astrochemist. Link to the interview profile: http://www.space-awareness.org/en/careers/interview/dr-anita-dawes/

Karl Menten (Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie)

Chris Carilli (NRAO) James Moran (CFA)

Stars and stellar systems in our Galaxy form within dense (~100,000 H2 molecules per cc) and cold (~10 K) fragments of interstellar molecular clouds, called pre-stellar cores. Important chemical processes take place at this early stage, such as isotope fractionation, production of complex organic molecules and growth of thick icy mantles onto dust grains, where water and organics are stored. These processes can affect later phases of star and planet formation. Molecules are unique tracers of the dynamical and chemical evolution of star and planet forming regions. Thus, astrochemistry is crucial to test theories and shed light on our origins. In this talk I shall review the chemical and physical structure of pre-stellar and protostellar cores, as well as recent work on protoplanetary disks in their earliest phases of evolution. Links to our Solar System will be made. Speaker: Paola Caselli Host: Eric Keto

Joint IAS/PU Astrophysics Colloquium Date: November 1 Speaker: Karin Öberg (Harvard) Title: Chemistry of protoplanetary disks and nascent planets Abstract: Exo-planets are common, and they span a large range of compositions. The origins of this compositional diversity are largely unconstrained. Among planets that are Earth-like, a second question is how often such planets form hospitable to life. A fraction of exo-planets are observed to be ‘physically habitable’, i.e. of the right temperature and bulk composition to sustain a water-based prebiotic chemistry. This does not automatically imply, however, that they are rich in the building blocks of life, in organic molecules of different sizes and kinds, i.e. that they are chemically habitable. In this talk I will argue that characterizing the chemistry of protoplanetary disks, the formation sites of planets, is key to address both the origins of planetary bulk compositions and the likelihood of finding organic matter on planets. The most direct path to constrain the chemistry in disks is to directly observe it. In the age of ALMA it is for the first time possible to image the chemistry of planet formation, to determine locations of disk snowlines, and to map the distributions of different organic molecules. Recent ALMA highlights include constraints on CO snowline locations, the discovery of spectacular chemical ring systems, and first detections of more complex organic molecules. Observations can only provide chemical snapshots, however, and even ALMA is blind to the majority of the chemistry that shapes planet formation. To interpret observations and address the full chemical complexity in disks requires models, both toy models and astrochemical simulations. These models in turn must be informed by laboratory experiments, some of which will be shown in this talk. It is thus only when we combine observational, theoretical and experimental constraints that we can hope to characterize the chemistry of disks, and further, the chemical compositions of nascent. More videos on http://video.ias.edu

The understanding of the early stages of planet formation from a disk of orbiting particles is an ongoing challenge for astrophysics and planetary science. Dr. Marcus will address the importance of instabilities in the particle disk as a link in the planetary formation chain. Without instabilities, gas around a forming protostar remains in orbit, and the final star cannot form; dust grains cannot accumulate to form planets; and the compositions of meteorites cannot be explained. Unfortunately, the Keplerian motion within a disk is assumed by most astrophysicists to be stable by Rayleigh’s theorem because the angular momentum of the disk increases with increasing radius.

Filmed April 2015 Once only accessible to professional observatories and universities, advances in amateur equipment has made the science of spectroscopy available to anyone with an interest and desire. Ben explains the science of spectroscopy and where and how it is used and what we can learn about stars and deep space objects by studying their spectra. Ben will also touch on some of the amateur level equipment that is available to do such kinds of research and observations. Who is Ben Jenkins? BENJAMIN JENKINS is the senior lab coordinator and Associate Director of the observatory for the Department of Physics at the University of West Georgia. He holds a physics degree from University of West Georgia and a Master’s Degree in Physics and Astronomy from Georgia State University. He has been involved with the Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project for several years providing hands on solar and spectroscopic outreach. NEAF Talks brings you the best from the annual NEAF Astronomy & Space conference which is held just outside of New York City at the RCC campus of the State University of New York. The Northeast Astronomy Forum is in its 25th year and is a world renowned symposium which annually searches the globe for the most relevant personalities who are making space, science and astronomy history today. Now through NEAF Talks online, these outstanding lectures are available to classrooms, universities, professionals and the world- free of charge. Visit RocklandAstronomy.com\NEAF for more information or to learn how to see NEAF live. NEAF Talks- supporting science and astronomy education for a quarter century, now free to the world via the web. Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Northeast-Astronomy-Forum-Space-Expo-504029046447061/

Use a Star Analyser grating and the RSpec spectroscopy software to capture star spectra with a DSLR or telescope.

Talk given during Rencontres Exobiologiques pour Doctorants in February 2016 at the Teich. By Hervé Cottin, astrochemist at the Interuniversitary Laboratory of Atmospheric Systems (LISA), Université Paris-Est Créteil. Production : Laurence Honnorat, Innovaxiom (http://www.innovaxiom.com/)