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The role of supernova remnants for the emergence of pre-biotic chemistry in molecular clouds

Giuliana Cosentino, Izaskun Jiménez-Serra, Laura Colzi, Víctor Rivilla, Francisco Montenegro-Montes, Miguel Sanz-Novo, Marta Rey-Montejo, Andrés Megías, David San Andrés, Sergio Martín, Shaoshan Zeng, Amelie Godard, Miguel Requena-Torres, Juris Kalvāns

TL;DR

The paper addresses whether supernova remnants influence the emergence of prebiotic chemistry in molecular clouds, including a scenario where the Sun formed in a SNR-impacted nebula, supported by signatures of $^{26}$Al and $^{60}$Fe in primitive meteorites. It argues that SNR-driven compression fosters dense, chemically active gas and enables formation of prebiotic molecules, linking the physics of shocks to astrochemical complexity. A key contribution is articulating the observational requirements—ultrasensitive, wide-field spectroscopy across ~30–950 GHz—to detect sub-thermally excited complex molecules over large SNRs. The authors propose AtLAST, a 50 m-class submillimeter telescope with a 2° FoV and multi-instrument, renewable-energy operation, as the facility capable of delivering these measurements and advancing our understanding of star formation and the origin of life.

Abstract

There is growing evidence that the Sun might have formed within a nebula impacted by at least one SNR. In this scenario, ejecta and shocks from SNRs may have provided the elements on which life as we know it is based. Investigating the chemical complexity of molecular clouds impacted by SNRs is therefore essential to unveil the star formation process and how life appeared on Earth. In this paper, we exploit this scientific questions and describe which technical specifications will drive in future generation telescopes.

The role of supernova remnants for the emergence of pre-biotic chemistry in molecular clouds

TL;DR

The paper addresses whether supernova remnants influence the emergence of prebiotic chemistry in molecular clouds, including a scenario where the Sun formed in a SNR-impacted nebula, supported by signatures of Al and Fe in primitive meteorites. It argues that SNR-driven compression fosters dense, chemically active gas and enables formation of prebiotic molecules, linking the physics of shocks to astrochemical complexity. A key contribution is articulating the observational requirements—ultrasensitive, wide-field spectroscopy across ~30–950 GHz—to detect sub-thermally excited complex molecules over large SNRs. The authors propose AtLAST, a 50 m-class submillimeter telescope with a 2° FoV and multi-instrument, renewable-energy operation, as the facility capable of delivering these measurements and advancing our understanding of star formation and the origin of life.

Abstract

There is growing evidence that the Sun might have formed within a nebula impacted by at least one SNR. In this scenario, ejecta and shocks from SNRs may have provided the elements on which life as we know it is based. Investigating the chemical complexity of molecular clouds impacted by SNRs is therefore essential to unveil the star formation process and how life appeared on Earth. In this paper, we exploit this scientific questions and describe which technical specifications will drive in future generation telescopes.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 3 sections, 2 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Scientific context and motivation
  2. Science case
  3. Technical requirements

Figures (2)

  • Figure 1:
  • Figure 1: Top Left: Three colour image of G34.77-00.55. Red is 24 $\mu$m emission from the MIPSGAL survey (Carey et al. 2009), green is 8 $\mu$m emission from the GLIMPSE survey (Churchwell et al. 2009) and blue is 1 GHz continuum emission from the THOR survey (Beuther et al. 2016). Top Right: Mass surface density map (Kainulainen & Tan 2013) with indicated the location of the triggered star formation (cores; Cosentino et al. 2023a). Bottom: Rotational transitions of COMs identified toward a region of triggered star formation (Cosentino et al. 2025d sub.)