Laboratory Study of Reactive Molecules of Interest to Radio Astronomy: A Program of Research and Instrumental Development

哈佛大学的塔迪厄斯和戈特利布博士将继续一项对天体物理感兴趣的分子进行实验室研究的计划。在之前NSF的支持下，他们已经开发出设备来研究星际空间中可能存在的一些分子的发射特性。开发阶段基本上已经完成，这笔赠款的主要重点将是可应用于天文观测的测量。对可能存在于星际气体和星周壳层中的分子的实验室研究，在识别目前已知存在于太空中的相当大一部分外来分子方面发挥了至关重要的作用。由于新的毫米波和亚毫米波天文台刚刚开始运行，这一努力正在加快。撒迪厄斯博士和戈特利布博士将继续领导美国领先的实验室天体物理学研究工作之一。

Drs. Thaddeus and Gottlieb at Harvard University will continue a program of laboratory investigation of molecules which are of astrophysical interest. With prior NSF support they have developed equipment for studying the emission characteristics of a number of molecules which may be present in interstellar space. The development phase is essentially complete, and the major emphasis with this grant will be on measurements which can be applied to astronomical observations. Laboratory research on molecules which may be present in interstellar gas and in circumstellar shells has played a crucial role in the identification of a significant fraction of the exotic molecules which are now known to exist in space. This effort is quickening because of new millimeter-wave and submillimeter-wave observatories which are just beginning operation. Drs. Thaddeus and Gottlieb will continue to direct one of the leading laboratory astrophysics research efforts in the United States.