Coffee Chat

Brett and Sergio Ioppolo

The Grab & GO

1. Ice chemistry that can be unveiled with the JWST: SynthIceSpec, a synthetic spectrum generator to test spectral limits

Taillard et al. arXiv
https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.25619v1  

2. Perihelion observations of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS with the IRAM 30-m telescope

Biver et al. arXiv
https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.23240v1  

3. Isotopic Signature of Organic Molecules from Beyond the Solar System: An Enriched Methane D/H Ratio in the Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS

Roth et al. arXiv
https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.20445      

4. Coma Physics of an Interstellar Object: JWST Spatial-Spectral Mapping of 3I/ATLAS

Roth et al. arXiv
https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.20460         

5. High-resolution mid-IR spectroscopy of SVS 13-A with EXES/SOFIA: The surprisingly high CH3OH/H2O ratio in the planet-forming zone of a solar mass protostar

DeWitt et al. arXiv (ApJ)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.19992      

6. Atmospheric supply of HCN is not the rate limiting step for prebiotic chemistry across rocky exoplanets

Friss et al. arXiv
https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.18769           

7. JWST Edge-on Disk Ice (JEDIce): Program overview and ice survey results

Bergner et al. arXiv (ApJ)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.18163  
  

8. Can cyanide radicals drive molecular backbone growth on interstellar icy grains?

Molpeceres and Enrique-Romero arXiv (ApJ)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.15138           

9. Bottom-up Formation of Phenol (C6H5OH) in Interstellar Analog Ices of Acetylene and Water Exposed to Ionizing Radiation

Wang et al. ApJ
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ae48fa              

10. Isotopic Evidence for a Cold and Distant Origin of the Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS

Cordiner et al. arXiv
https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.06911v1          

Single-Origin Percolated Brew

Brett + Ryan Fortenberry

Chalkboard

• Upcoming Meetings

• • The April ACS Astrocheminar will be given by Miguel Sanz-Novo.  Watch out for specifics and a registration link on their website.  http://astro.phys-acs.org/
    
    

  • There will be a session at COSPAR 2026 entitled: “Interstellar Chemistry, Interstellar Origins: Observations, Experiments, Models and Theory of the Molecular Evolution of the Universe.”  COSPAR will be August 1-9 in Florence, Italy.
    
    

  • It looks like the 2026 European Conference on Laboratory Astrophysics will be held 21-25 September, 2026, in Heidelberg.
    
    

  • Save the date for “Cosmic rays 4: The salt of the star formation recipe” October 5-9 in Pisa, Italy.

• Job Opportunities
  
  

  • There is a PhD position in Astrochemistry and Star Formation available with Maria Drozdovskaya at Uni bern.  The first goal is to observationally study star-forming regions with ALMA, in order to identify chemically complex molecules, their isotopologs, and their abundances. The second goal is to model the physical processes of star and protoplanetary disk formation alongside chemical process that produce and destroy complex organic molecules. ALMA data and initial modelling framework are already available. By the end of the project, you are expected to defend your PhD thesis and emerge with dual expertise in, both, radio observations and physicochemical modelling. You will immediately become part of international consortia with ample opportunity to collaborate and build your network. This is a fixed-term, 4-year position funded by the European Research Council (ERC) 2025 Consolidator Grant (CoG).  Deadline for full consideration was March 31st, but Maria has indicated those interested should still apply ASAP.

https://eas.unige.ch/jobs.jsp?type=phd&id=2145 

• There are also two postdoc positions open with Maria, working with JWST observational data in support of astrochemistry.  Deadline for these was also March 31st, but Maria has indicated those interested should still apply ASAP.

https://eas.unige.ch/jobs.jsp?type=job&id=2146 

https://eas.unige.ch/jobs.jsp?type=job&id=2147 

• There is a PhD opportunity at the Open University on Simulating Interstellar Icy Grains in the Laboratory with Anita Dawes.  This project combines complementary experimental approaches to isolate and quantify the molecular‑level processes that shape interstellar ice spectra: Vapour‑deposited molecular ice films will be characterised using in situ IR spectroscopy and VUV spectroscopy to probe vibrational and electronic structure, mixture effects, and radiation‑driven chemistry under controlled conditions. Acoustically levitated icy aerosols will enable systematic variation of particle size and aggregation, allowing the separation of chemical signatures (bonding, composition, processing) from scattering‑driven distortions (Mie/Rayleigh regimes) that strongly influence astronomical band profiles.Together, these datasets will provide the first laboratory‑based benchmarks capable of distinguishing chemical properties from grain‑scale scattering distortions in JWST ice spectra,.