Complex molecules, grain chemistry, and the possible detection of interstellar glycine

Glycine ;Chapter 1 reviews the scientific significance of detecting interstellar glycine.;Chapter 2 investigates the possible formation mechanism for interstellar glycine. Like other complex molecules, glycine is expected to be produced on dust grains and then evaporated into the gas phase. Therefore, the young hot molecular cores in star-forming regions may not only somewhat resemble the presolar nebulae but also have a high concentration of large complex molecules including glycine.;Chapter 3 pioneers a new method in which an interferometric array is used for molecular identifications. The unique properties of arrays--large field of view, high angular resolution, and spatial filtering--make them the most powerful instruments for identifying new complex molecules.;Chapters 4 and 5 focuses on the work of discovering an outstanding young hot molecular core, Sagittarius B2(N). This source is rich in large complex molecules such as CH;Chapter 6 discusses the detection and confirmation of interstellar acetic acid (CH;Chapter 7 presents the most promising results ever found. Emission features were detected toward Sgr B2(N), which agree fairly well with the rest frequencies of the...