Cosmic thriller solved with discovery of sulfur by University of Mississippi scientist

Astrochemists have lengthy been grappling with a cosmic conundrum. Sulfur, an important constructing block for all times, seems to be within the incorrect place in area. But now, a brand new examine suggests we would know the place it’s hiding. 

Considered an important chemical ingredient for planets, stars, and life, the dearth of molecular sulfur has been a thriller for years.

An worldwide analysis group, together with University of Mississippi astrochemist Ryan Fortenberry, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa chemistry professor Ralf Kaiser, and computational chemist Samer Gozem from Georgia State University, not too long ago discovered that the lacking ingredient might be locked away in icy mud grains all through the coldest elements of the universe.

The group found that in freezing situations, sulfur atoms can bond into octasulfur crowns (rings of eight atoms) or polysulfanes (chains with hydrogen), making them more durable to detect with telescopes. 

“Our study shows sulfur might be there — we’ve just been looking for the wrong forms,” Fortenberry stated. “The findings give astronomers a roadmap for using tools like the James Webb Space Telescope to spot these molecules when they warm and turn to gas near new stars.”

Part of the problem is sulfur’s fixed shape-shifting, switching from rings to chains and again once more.

“It never maintains the same shape,” Fortenberry stated. “It’s kind of like a virus — it changes as it moves.”

For Fortenberry, the invention highlights the inventive problem-solving on the coronary heart of astrochemistry: “Asking hard questions and finding answers can lead to big, unexpected breakthroughs.”