Diatomic carbon is the first step of carbon atoms diffusing on interstellar ice grains, which could add more atoms steadily to make larger molecules.
The origin of carbon atoms came to be due to nuclear fusion in stars. When these stars die, the explosion of the supernovae disperses the carbon atoms into interstellar space. To make organic molecules, however, these carbon atoms need to come together and make chemical bonds between them.
Previous research suggests that this process happens on the ice grains in interstellar space that offer extremely low temperatures for the reaction to take place. Moreover, these ice grains are present in abundance in interstellar space and make it possible. What the researchers had not known was how the reaction occurred, and through experiments in the lab, the Japanese researchers attempted to solve this puzzle. They found that at extremely low temperatures, carbon atoms diffused and reacted to form diatomic carbon molecules.The researchers found that diffusion occurred at temperatures of 30 Kelvin in the laboratory, while in space, the same reaction could happen at just 22 Kelvin .Masashi Tsuge, et al. Nature Astronomy.
Such addition of carbon atoms could likely take place in the protoplanetary disks around stars, which is also the place where planets are formed. Alternatively, these conditions could be the result of translucent clouds, which later evolved into a star-forming region. These are likely explanations of how the many chemicals occurred on Earth and perhaps seeded life.
Just like how these molecules possibly led to the origin of life, it is also possible that the continuous formation of new molecules might lead to a change in the future.
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