Carbon-Chain Chemistry in the Interstellar Medium

TL;DR

This review paper discusses the significance, recent discoveries, and ongoing research related to carbon-chain molecules in the interstellar medium, highlighting their role in understanding cosmic chemical processes and evolution.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of observational, theoretical, and experimental studies on interstellar carbon-chain molecules, including recent discoveries of new species.

Findings

Over 130 carbon-chain molecules identified in the ISM.

Recent surveys detected molecules with benzene rings.

Carbon-chain molecules are prevalent in various cosmic environments.

Abstract

The presence of carbon-chain molecules in the interstellar medium (ISM) has been known since the early 1970s and $>130$ such species have been identified to date, making up $\sim 43$% of the total of detected ISM molecules. They are prevalent not only in star-forming regions in our Galaxy but also in other galaxies. These molecules provide important information on physical conditions, gas dynamics, and evolutionary stages of star-forming regions. Larger species of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and fullerenes (C$_{60}$ and C$_{70}$), which may be related to the formation of the carbon-chain molecules, have been detected in circumstellar envelopes around carbon-rich Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars and planetary nebulae, while PAHs are also known to be a widespread component of the ISM in most galaxies. Recently, two line survey projects toward Taurus Molecular Cloud-1 with large single-dish telescopes have detected many new carbon-chain species, including molecules containing benzene rings. These new findings raise fresh questions about carbon-bearing species in the Universe. This article reviews various aspects of carbon-chain molecules, including observational studies, chemical simulations, quantum calculations, and laboratory experiments, and discusses open questions and how future facilities may answer them.