Coffee Chat

Brett and Patrick Sheehan

The Grab & GO

1. Molecular Mobility of Extraterrestrial Ices: Surface Diffusion in Astrochemistry and Planetary Science

Ligterink et al. arXiv (PCCP)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.01018

2. A quest for sulfur-bearing refractory species. Identification of CaS in the interstellar medium

Tasa-Chaveli et al. arXiv (ApJL)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.02937   

3. Extended and Compact Ortho-H2D+ Structures Close to the Moment of Star Formation: Evidence from ALMA-ACA Observations in Taurus

Tokuda et al. ApJ
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ae0460  

4. Methanol emission tracing ice chemistry and dust evolution in the TW Hya protoplanetary disk

Ilee et al. arXiv (AJ)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.04106       

5. Observation of CH317OH and CH318OH in Orion KL: A New Tool to Study Star-Formation History

Watanabe et al. arXiv (A&A)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.08041       

6. Vibrational Spectroscopy of C60+ and C70+  in the Mid-infrared: A Comparison with Astronomical Observations

Douglas-Walker et al. ApJ
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/adf6de      

7. Mapping CO Ice in a Star-Forming Filament in the 3 kpc Arm with JWST

Gramze et al. arXiv (Open Journal of Astrophysics)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.21763

The Colors of Ices: Measuring ice column density through photometry

Ginsburg et al. arXiv (Open Journal of Astrophysics)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.00292       

8. The survival of aromatic molecules in protoplanetary disks

Piacentino et al. arXiv
https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.09797        

9. Glycolaldehyde and ethanol toward the L1157 outflow: resolved images and constraints on glycolaldehyde formation

Robuschi et al. arXiv (A&A)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.15657         

10. Chemical modeling of aminoketene, ethanolamine, and glycine production in interstellar ices

Willis et al. arXiv (A&A)
https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.20912     

Single-Origin Brew

Brett and Jane Huang

Percolator

• The discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background!  Check out some of the relevant news articles below!

Chalkboard

• Upcoming Meetings

• • There is a session "The Icy Universe Revealed by JWST" sponsored by the American Chemical Society Astrochemistry subdivision at the spring meeting in Atlanta, GA March 22-26, 2026.  Abstract submission has already passed, but registration is open for some time, yet.
    
    

  • There is a conference, Exploring the Aromatic Universe in the JWST Era, to be held July 6-10 in London, Ontario. This symposium will bring together experts from observational astronomy, laboratory astrophysics, theoretical modeling, and quantum chemistry to explore the latest discoveries and future frontiers in PAH and fullerene research. With a special emphasis on extragalactic PAH studies, participants will discuss how new observational capabilities (e.g., JWST, SPHEREx) and cutting-edge theoretical and experimental approaches can expand our understanding of these key interstellar species.  https://www.aromaticuniverse.space/
    
    

  • There will be many astrochemistry sessions at the International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy June 22-26 in Champaign-Urbana, IL.  Abstract submission will open in February with a deadline at the beginning of March.
    
    

  • 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 an opening for a PhD student at the University of Valladolid (Spain) to work with Amanda Steber on rotational spectroscopy for astrochemical applications as well as combustion chemistry applications. The deadline to apply is Nov 21st, 2025.
    
    In the course of the PhD work, the candidate will use microwave spectroscopy and electrical discharge sources to investigate the chemical reactions that produce astrochemically relevant molecules. The results will be used to look for new and novel species in the interstellar medium through collaborations with astronomers, while at the same time, being used to improve astrochemical models. The individual will also have a chance to investigate combustion reactions and be involved in instrument development.
    
    Contact Amanda directly: amanda.steber@uva.es

• Icarus Special Issue

  •  There’s a special issue in the journal Icarus on “Carbon in Planetary Environments: Sources and Evolution.”  The description reads:

Carbon is one of the most abundant elements, and its chemical form and evolution play a significant role in shaping planetary environments. For example, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are a significant interstellar carbon reservoir, and work to characterize the chemistry and life-cycle of such material is ongoing. The interplay between carbon and oxygen in accretionary environments controls redox state and has implications for the composition of condensates. Carbon is the basis for organic chemistry that is critical for life as we know it, and may also provide valuable biosignatures for detection (remote and in situ) of extraterrestrial life. In planetary bodies, the exchange of carbon between atmospheres and interiors controls planetary climate, whereas atmospheric gases such as CO2 and CO are important for planetary habitability and CH4 is a potential biosignature gas. The linkages between inherited and evolved forms of carbon in planetary systems are coming in to sharper focus as ALMA and JWST expand our view of the cosmos, and sample return missions such as OSIRIS-REx, Hayabusa2, and Martian Moons Explorer (MMX) enable groundbreaking laboratory analysis of carbonaceous materials. At the same time, space exploration missions such as Europa Clipper, JUICE, and Dragonfly are rapidly expanding the boundaries of our knowledge, as preparations for future missions such as the Habitable Worlds Observatory continue. This Special Issue presents new research from laboratory experiments, modeling work, data analysis, and other scientific techniques on carbon in planetary systems and beyond, including astronomical sources.

Submissions will be due by Nov 30, 2025.