Astronomers have made a major breakthrough in their understanding of the interstellar medium by detecting two radio recombination lines (RRLs) of the carbon-oxygen molecule, CO+, for the first time. The discovery of these lines could provide an invaluable tool for scientists to better study the interstellar medium and its role in the formation and evolution of galaxies.

Today, astronomers from the Institute of Astronomy of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have announced their discovery of the two radio recombination lines of the carbon-oxygen molecule, CO+. This is the first time these lines have been detected, and it could be an invaluable tool for scientists to better understand the interstellar medium and its role in the formation and evolution of galaxies. The detection of these lines will allow astronomers to better explore the distribution, temperature, and chemical composition of the interstellar medium.

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source: Phys.org