RUI: Low Temperature Collisional Studies of Interstellar Species

RUI的这个研究项目重点研究三种具有天体物理学意义的分子的低温碰撞和能量转移：氨（NH3）、甲醇（CH 3OH）和硫化羰（OCS）。这些研究将调查氨的低位旋转反转水平之间的能量转移，并将使用He和H2（正常和帕拉）作为碰撞伙伴进行。CH 3OH和OCS的低温（5-40 K）压力展宽研究也计划进行。这些研究的结果应该提供一个有用的测试最近计算的OCS-He和OCS-H2电位。研究的更广泛的影响将涉及本科生谁将通过夏季职位和高级项目参与培训。 测量结果对于了解冷星际分子云和行星大气中氨碰撞的动力学也很重要。

This RUI research project focuses on the investigation of low temperature collisions and energy transfer of three molecules of astrophysical interest: ammonia (NH3), methanol (CH3OH), and carbonyl sulfide (OCS). The studies will investigate energy transfer among low-lying rotation-inversion levels of ammonia and will be performed using He and H2 (normal and para) as collision partners. Low temperature (5-40 K) pressure broadening studies of CH3OH and OCS are also planned. The results of these studies should provide a useful test of recently calculated OCS-He and OCS-H2 potentials. The broader impact of the research will involve the training of undergraduate students who will participate through summer positions and Senior Projects. Results of the measurements will also be important to the understanding of the dynamics of ammonia collisions in cold interstellar molecular clouds and planetary atmospheres.