Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
Invitrogen

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 14 March 2008:
Vol. 319. no. 5869, pp. 1504 - 1506
DOI: 10.1126/science.1153807
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Organic Molecules and Water in the Planet Formation Region of Young Circumstellar Disks

John S. Carr1 and Joan R. Najita2

The chemical composition of protoplanetary disks is expected to hold clues to the physical and chemical processes that influence the formation of planetary systems. However, characterizing the gas composition in the planet formation region of disks has been a challenge to date. We report here that the protoplanetary disk within 3 astronomical units of AA Tauri possesses a rich molecular emission spectrum in the mid-infrared, indicating a high abundance of simple organic molecules (HCN, C2H2, and CO2), water vapor, and OH. These results suggest that water is abundant throughout the inner disk and that the disk supports an active organic chemistry.

1 Remote Sensing Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7210, Washington, DC 20375, USA.
2 National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, AZ85719, USA.

Read the Full Text

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)