Collisional excitation of nitrile molecules in the interstellar medium KU Leuven
Molecules are ubiquitous in the universe and can be used to gain insights into the composition and evolution of stars and galaxies. Among these, about one third are composed of six atoms or more and are termed “organic” as they contain at least one carbon atom. The presence of these molecules in space demonstrates that a complex chemistry occurs even at low temperatures and densities, and their study can inform us about the conditions that ...