Astrochemistry VII (IAU S332)

Reviews how observations of organic molecules in space, numerical models and laboratory studies are used to study the Universe's evolution.

Since the discovery of ammonia in the interstellar medium of the Milky Way in 1968, we have identified around 160 complex organic molecules, which help us understand how stars and planets form. IAU S332 describes how such observations, combined with numerical modelling and laboratory astrochemistry, are used to study how the Universe has evolved.The study of astrochemistry has become an important branch of modern astronomy and astrophysics. Molecules are key tools in exploring topics such as star and planet formation, the origin and evolution of interstellar dust grains, the structure of the interstellar medium in galaxies, and the origin of protogalaxies in the early Universe. This volume contains review papers alongside the latest results in the fast-growing discipline of astrochemistry, bringing together contributions from observers, modellers and laboratory astrochemists. It reports results from new observational facilities, such as the Herschel Space Observatory, ALMA, NOEMA, Rosetta and SOFIA, which are leading to new research areas such as the habitability of exoplanets, the origin of prebiotic chemistry and astrobiology. Interleaved with these observation results is the recent, ground-breaking work of physical chemists and numerical modellers, which provides the fundamental theoretical descriptions required to explain the molecular Universe.