Chemical Simulations of Cyanomethanimine in Interstellar Medium
Presenter Hometown
Prestonsburg, KY
Major
Chemistry
Department
Chemistry
Degree
Undergraduate
Mentor
Donghui Quan
Mentor Department
Chemistry
Recommended Citation
Webb, Matthew T., "Chemical Simulations of Cyanomethanimine in Interstellar Medium" (2017). University Presentation Showcase Event. 16.
https://encompass.eku.edu/swps/2017/undergraduate/16
Abstract
Simulating chemical reactions that involve the creation and destruction of cyanomethanimine is critical in the understanding of chemistry in interstellar medium. Cyanomethanimine is a prebiotic molecule because it has the potential to form an amino acid under acidic (high hydrogen) concentrations. Determining the abundances of prebiotic molecules in interstellar space leads scientists one step closer to discovering how primordial life may have formed. Modelling cyanomethanimine abundances begins with adding relevant reactions to a well-established chemical reaction network which has been used to model interstellar medium. The network, as well as designated physical conditions are input into a computer program capable of calculating rates of formation and destruction over millions of years. The results will be used to calculate the relative abundances of cyanomethanimine over the range of hundreds of millions of years. The major formation and destruction reactions of cyanomethanimine with related chemical species will be identified. In addition, isomers of cyanomethanimine will also be included in the study. All these will enrich our understanding of prebiotic molecules found in the interstellar medium and may answer one ultimate question of human beings: the origin of life.
Presentation format
Poster
Poster Number
051
Chemical Simulations of Cyanomethanimine in Interstellar Medium
Simulating chemical reactions that involve the creation and destruction of cyanomethanimine is critical in the understanding of chemistry in interstellar medium. Cyanomethanimine is a prebiotic molecule because it has the potential to form an amino acid under acidic (high hydrogen) concentrations. Determining the abundances of prebiotic molecules in interstellar space leads scientists one step closer to discovering how primordial life may have formed. Modelling cyanomethanimine abundances begins with adding relevant reactions to a well-established chemical reaction network which has been used to model interstellar medium. The network, as well as designated physical conditions are input into a computer program capable of calculating rates of formation and destruction over millions of years. The results will be used to calculate the relative abundances of cyanomethanimine over the range of hundreds of millions of years. The major formation and destruction reactions of cyanomethanimine with related chemical species will be identified. In addition, isomers of cyanomethanimine will also be included in the study. All these will enrich our understanding of prebiotic molecules found in the interstellar medium and may answer one ultimate question of human beings: the origin of life.
