A major asymmetric ice trap in a planet-forming disk: III. First
  detection of dimethyl ether
  The complex organic molecules (COMs) detected in star-forming regions are the
precursors of the prebiotic molecules that can lead to the emergence of life.
By studying COMs in more evolved protoplanetary disks we can gain a better
understanding of how they are incorporated into planets. This paper presents
ALMA band 7 observations of the dust and ice trap in the protoplanetary disk
around Oph IRS 48. We report the first detection of dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3) in
a planet-forming disk and a tentative detection of methyl formate (CH3OCHO). We
determined column densities for the detected molecules and upper limits on
non-detected species using the CASSIS spectral analysis tool. The inferred
column densities of CH3OCH3 and CH3OCHO with respect to methanol (CH3OH) are of
order unity, indicating unusually high abundances of these species compared to
other environments. Alternatively, the 12CH3OH emission is optically thick and
beam diluted, implying a higher CH3OH column density and a smaller emitting
area than originally thought. The presence of these complex molecules can be
explained by thermal ice sublimation, where the dust cavity edge is heated by
irradiation and the full volatile ice content is observable in the gas phase.
This work confirms the presence of oxygen-bearing molecules more complex than
CH3OH in protoplanetary disks for the first time. It also shows that it is
indeed possible to trace the full interstellar journey of COMs across the
different evolutionary stages of star, disk, and planet formation.
