INTERSTELLAR CHEMISTRYTHE CHEMISTRY OF UNIVERSE

CONTENTS• Introduction• Interstellar Medium (ISM)• Chemistry of Super Hot & Super Cooled Atmosphere• Chemical Reactions In ISM & Quantum Tunnelling• Applications• Conclusion

INTRODUCTIONWe can not apply the laws of Chemistry that we are using in our planet to describe various chemical phenomena in Space. As all chemical processes depend upon physical conditions, which is completely different in every point of Universe.So when we move towards interstellar medium, chemistry is different for us due to variation in physical environment. The three main physical conditions that bring change in chemical processes in ISM are1. Very low pressure2. Extreme temperature difference (from very low to very high)3. High energetic radiations like gamma rays, x-rays & cosmic rays.All these phenomena do not allow any type of chemical reactions in ISM still those happen.

ISM

Super Hot Moderate Super cooled[near stars] [Cosmic dusts] [boomerang nebula (2K) ]

(Depending only upon the temperature deference, since pressure is very low it has no role & it is consider to be constant everywhere in space.)

Scientists have been identified almost all these elements of periodic table in ISM in various states (solid, gas, liquid, plasma) depending upon their environment.Apart from this a large number of molecules, both organic & inorganic, even some polymers are also detected there.Mainly ISM is filled with Hydrogen & Helium in grater proportion as these are the simplest elements that till we know.Cosmic dusts are found everywhere in space which plays a very important role in various chemical processes.Various cosmic rays & electromagnetic radiations like gamma ray, x-ray, are also found there, due to which chemical processes are affected.

COSMIC DUST1. Cosmic dusts are found almost everywhere

in space , believed to be originated from Stars, when they collapsed or created.

2. So analysing the chemistry of these dusts we could have some idea about the chemistry of stars.

3. Cosmic dusts also provide sites for a chemical reaction. (adsorption)

4. The central part is made up of graphite, silicate and iron with a little bit oxygen surrounded by mantle of water ice and CO along with poly cyclic aromatic hydrocarbon chain & poly formaldehyde.

5. But the structure may vary due to the variation in type of production of interstellar dusts.

Super Hot Atmosphere• This type of environment only found near stars like our Sun.• Generally stars composed of hydrogen and helium(fuel of stars) with a

few other heavier elements like oxygen, carbon, neon, nitrogen, magnesium, iron and silicon closer to the core.• Due to fusion reaction enormous amount of energy(heat & light)

released & comes out which turns its outer most atmosphere ionic & plasma.• Various electromagnetic radiations like gamma ray, x ray, are

originated from this effect which also alter the chemical environment.

Chemistry Of The Neutron Star “Rise of the black hole”

(GRAVITATIONAL PULL IS BALANCED BY 1. FUEL FINISHED & GRAVITY INCREASED 1.UNCONTROLLED GRAVITY DESTROYS

FUSION REACTION THAT TAKES PLACE 2. HERE IT IS BALANCED BY THE EDP & NDP EDP & NDP.

AT THE CORE) 2. PROTON+ELECTRON NEUTRON+NEUTRINO+ENERGY (SN)

• Stars generally balance their gravitational pull by throwing the energy, released by fusion of H2 & He at its core.• But when fuel finishes & gravity is increased by the deposition of

mass(mainly iron) at the core (fusion products), here the super gravity tries to squeeze every atoms & molecules present in it.• Now electron degeneracy pressure and neutron degeneracy pressure

set up (by Pauling Exclusion Principle) against the gravitational pull.• But further deposition of mass defeats the EDP & NDP as a result of

which star collapsed with the emission of vast amount of energy called super nova. The remaining part is called a Neutron star containing only neutrons. This may later converted into a Black hole.• These are the smallest stars possessing highest density, they are

chemically inert & also make their environment inert.

Cosmic Rays ChemistryAfter the discovery of radioactivity scientists able to know a little bit about gamma rays from various radioactive metals. But finding of such types of electromagnetic radiations in higher altitude surprised them, from which a new term arose.These are the highly energised (3×1022 ev) charged particles, moving at a velocity of light, imagine to be produced from outer side of our solar system due to various astro physical processes like Supernova.When they collide with molecules like Oxygen & nitrogen in their way of travelling, they produce various electro magnetic radiations like gamma ray and X- ray. So they induces radioactivity thus plays a very important role in astro chemical reactions.

1% heavier nuclei

Cosmic Ray

8% α nuclei 1% β particle

99% atomic nuclei90% protons

1%

Chemical Process In ISM (Ultra Cool region)

This is a giant cloud of alcohol found by scientists, 26000 light years away from earth & 1000 times larger than the diameter of our solar system. It contains enough ethyl alcohol that could fill 400 trillion trillion tanks.

• Recently Scientists have found a dense cloud of alcohol in ISM. But they were unable to explain the formation of such molecules in ISM where the temperature is below 2K.

• A team at university of LEEDS, UK recently found a theoretical mechanism which could solve the way of formation of organic molecules in space even in drastic conditions.

• A phenomenon called Quantum Tunnelling is able to explain the chemical reactions occurring in ISM.

• Scientists by creating an artificial system (very low temperature system) able to form methoxy radical from methanol without using any activation energy concept.

Quantum Tunnelling

• Chemical reactions get slower as temperature decreases, as there is less energy to get over the ‘reaction barrier.’ But quantum mechanics tells us that it is possible to cheat and dig through this barrier instead of going over it. This is called ‘quantum tunnelling.• When Schrodinger wave equation was solved, taking an electron in

between two wall having infinite potential , then it was found that there is a small probability of finding the electron out side the wall mathematically.• How ever it was believed that electron without crossing the wall,

makes a tunnel through it as a result of which it makes itself available outside the wall. This is called quantum tunnelling.

• In a artificial medium, where the temperature is very low, scientists by using quantum tunnelling concept, able to describe the formation of methoxy radical from methanol.• Here hydroxy radical (OH.) makes a tunnel through the activation

energy barrier to extract the hydrogen radical (H.) from methanol.

Applications• Identification of New elements.• Understanding the origin & construction of Universe.• Protection of earth from various cosmic effect.• Identification of presence of Black holes by analysing various

radiations by black hole environment.• Discovery of various states of matter.• Discovery of life in other planet by various organic analysis.

CONCLUSION

• IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING….

•THANK YOU