Formation of the methyl cation by photochemistry in a protoplanetary disk

Olivier Berné (), Marie-Aline Martin-Drumel, Ilane Schroetter, Javier R. Goicoechea, Ugo Jacovella, Bérenger Gans, Emmanuel Dartois, Laurent H. Coudert, Edwin Bergin, Felipe Alarcon, Jan Cami, Evelyne Roueff, John H. Black, Oskar Asvany, Emilie Habart, Els Peeters, Amelie Canin, Boris Trahin, Christine Joblin, Stephan Schlemmer, Sven Thorwirth, Jose Cernicharo, Maryvonne Gerin, Alexander Tielens, Marion Zannese, Alain Abergel, Jeronimo Bernard-Salas, Christiaan Boersma, Emeric Bron, Ryan Chown, Sara Cuadrado, Daniel Dicken, Meriem Elyajouri, Asunción Fuente, Karl D. Gordon, Lina Issa, Olga Kannavou, Baria Khan, Ozan Lacinbala, David Languignon, Romane Gal, Alexandros Maragkoudakis, Raphael Meshaka, Yoko Okada, Takashi Onaka, Sofia Pasquini, Marc W. Pound, Massimo Robberto, Markus Röllig, Bethany Schefter, Thiébaut Schirmer, Ameek Sidhu, Benoit Tabone, Dries Putte, Sílvia Vicente and Mark G. Wolfire
Additional contact information
Olivier Berné: Université de Toulouse, CNRS, CNES, UPS
Marie-Aline Martin-Drumel: Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS
Ilane Schroetter: Université de Toulouse, CNRS, CNES, UPS
Javier R. Goicoechea: Instituto de Física Fundamental (CSIC)
Ugo Jacovella: Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS
Bérenger Gans: Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS
Emmanuel Dartois: Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS
Laurent H. Coudert: Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS
Edwin Bergin: University of Michigan
Felipe Alarcon: University of Michigan
Jan Cami: The University of Western Ontario
Evelyne Roueff: PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS
John H. Black: Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala Space Observatory
Oskar Asvany: Universität zu Köln
Emilie Habart: Université Paris-Saclay CNRS
Els Peeters: The University of Western Ontario
Amelie Canin: Université de Toulouse, CNRS, CNES, UPS
Boris Trahin: Université Paris-Saclay CNRS
Christine Joblin: Université de Toulouse, CNRS, CNES, UPS
Stephan Schlemmer: Universität zu Köln
Sven Thorwirth: Universität zu Köln
Jose Cernicharo: Instituto de Física Fundamental (CSIC)
Maryvonne Gerin: PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS
Alexander Tielens: Leiden University
Marion Zannese: Université Paris-Saclay CNRS
Alain Abergel: Université Paris-Saclay CNRS
Jeronimo Bernard-Salas: ACRI-ST, Centre dEtudes et de Recherche de Grasse (CERGA)
Christiaan Boersma: NASA Ames Research Center
Emeric Bron: PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS
Ryan Chown: The University of Western Ontario
Sara Cuadrado: Instituto de Física Fundamental (CSIC)
Daniel Dicken: Université Paris-Saclay CNRS
Meriem Elyajouri: Université Paris-Saclay CNRS
Asunción Fuente: Observatorio Astronómico Nacional (OAN,IGN)
Karl D. Gordon: Space Telescope Science Institute
Lina Issa: Université de Toulouse, CNRS, CNES, UPS
Olga Kannavou: Université Paris-Saclay CNRS
Baria Khan: The University of Western Ontario
Ozan Lacinbala: KU Leuven Quantum Solid State Physics (QSP)
David Languignon: PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS
Romane Gal: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS
Alexandros Maragkoudakis: NASA Ames Research Center
Raphael Meshaka: PSL University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS
Yoko Okada: Universität zu Köln
Takashi Onaka: Meisei University
Sofia Pasquini: The University of Western Ontario
Marc W. Pound: University of Maryland
Massimo Robberto: Space Telescope Science Institute
Markus Röllig: Physikalischer Verein-Gesellschaft für Bildung und Wissenschaft
Bethany Schefter: The University of Western Ontario
Thiébaut Schirmer: Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala Space Observatory
Ameek Sidhu: The University of Western Ontario
Benoit Tabone: Université Paris-Saclay CNRS
Dries Putte: Space Telescope Science Institute
Sílvia Vicente: Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço
Mark G. Wolfire: University of Maryland

Nature, 2023, vol. 621, issue 7977, 56-59

Abstract: Abstract Forty years ago, it was proposed that gas-phase organic chemistry in the interstellar medium can be initiated by the methyl cation CH3+ (refs. 1–3), but so far it has not been observed outside the Solar System4,5. Alternative routes involving processes on grain surfaces have been invoked6,7. Here we report James Webb Space Telescope observations of CH3+ in a protoplanetary disk in the Orion star-forming region. We find that gas-phase organic chemistry is activated by ultraviolet irradiation.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06307-x

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