…and for the volatile lovers: also 2025 (vol. 221):
Dickers, M. D. Mifsud, D. V. Mason, N. J. Multiscale Perspectives on Solid-Phase Astrochemistry: Laboratory, Computation, and Open Questions art. 106 s11214-025-01228-9
We see gas and dust in space. The gas and dust condense onto each other, forming icy dust… and in turn dust agglomerates… and in turn planetesimals (early, large asteroids)… and in turn stars and planets. We see gas and dust directly, in our spectroscopes. More recently, we see the disks around new-forming stars. And we see large asteroids, comets, and planets directly; we also have samples in hand, in the form of meteorites. What of the steps in between?
Dickers et al. cover the formation of complex grains and molecules, from simple precursors in space. These complex grains and molecules have been studied (but only partially returned!) by missions to comets. Indirectly, grains including condensed volatiles and organics formed the asteroids (more so the carbonaceous ones), leading to organic contents and aqueous processes. The ice-rich asteroids even retain some of these primordial volatiles. In vitro and in silicio, the authors try to summarize (hence, “Space Science Reviews”) what we know (or don’t) of these complex, multi-component grains.