RUI: Pruning Interstellar Weeds with Room Temperature Chirped-Pulse Fourier Transform Microwave (CP-FTMW) Spectroscopy

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Professor Steven T. Shipman of New College of Florida is supported by the Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI) Program in the Division of Chemistry (with co-funding from the Division of Astronomical Sciences) to study the spectroscopy of "interstellar weeds" - molecules (such as methyl formate or dimethyl ether) that are relatively abundant in the interstellar medium (ISM). The dense and unpredictable spectra of these "weeds" generally frustrate attempts to identify new molecules in the ISM. The objective of this research is to obtain high-quality rotational spectra of these compounds at room temperature. These results will lead to better predictions of weed transition frequencies, significantly aiding astrochemists in the search for new complex molecules in the ISM.Undergraduate students involved in this project will be directly participating in research addressing fundamental questions about the origins of complex molecules in the universe. As part of this work, they will gain experience in molecular spectroscopy, computational chemistry, and the construction of scientific instrumentation in a tight-knit academic environment that fosters close interactions between students and faculty mentors. Students will acquire experience crafting scientific arguments and communicating the results of their research to the broader scientific community. Educational impact will be enhanced by making the equipment available via cyber-access.