O The James Webb Space Telescope was used by an international team of researchers in a study of ice in interstellar clouds. The equipment provided new information about the chemical processes in these areas.
The study in one of the coldest and darkest areas of the universe was published this week in revista Nature Astronomy and discovered that these ices form billions of years ago, from the earliest moments of the universe as we know it.
Os left contain biogenic elements that are important for life. With its 6.5-meter-wide mirror optimized for infrared light, Webb was able to capture the densest, darkest clouds in the universe for the first time.
In this way, the researchers were able to study the ices that exist on dust grains within these clouds, which are shielded from the harsh radiation of nearby stars and therefore remain untouched.
According to the research authors, this discovery has far-reaching implications, as it may help explain where sulfur is stored in our Solar System and how it is incorporated into planets that could host life.
Most interstellar ice contains very small amounts of elements such as oxygen and sulfur. The discovery could also help in understanding the molecular origins of protoplanetary disks, planetary atmospheres and other objects in the Solar System.