Cm-wavelength Studies of Prebiotic and High-density Tracer Molecules in Starburst/Megamaser/Ultra-luminous IR Galaxies

该计划旨在使用厘米波长技术在极端恒星爆发星系的环境中发现和研究中性氢和生命前(和其他)分子。通过探测较冷、密度较低的气体，在此波长范围内的观测是对毫米波长光谱线测量的补充。Arp 220星系中OH-卫星线和甲基胺的详细高分辨率地图将提供对这个星暴环境的物理性质的限制，在这个环境中，星系合并的动力学主导着演化过程。高密度分子气体也将通过HCO+和HCN的线发射来研究。最后，对发光红外星系的完整样本的研究将允许检验纯恒星暴发为主的星系和那些包含隐藏的活动星系核的星系之间的差异。该计划的更广泛影响包括支持一名研究生的研究活动，以及为一名波多黎各少数族裔教学机构的教授提供暑期支持。

This program aims to discover and study neutral hydrogen and prebiotic (and other) molecules in the environments of extreme starburst galaxies using centimeter-wavelength techniques. Observations in this wavelength range are complementary to mm-wavelength spectral-line surveys by probing colder, lower-density gas. Detailed high-resolution maps of OH-satellite lines and methanimine in the galaxy Arp 220 will provide constraints on the physical properties of this starburst environment where the dynamics of galaxy mergers dominate evolutionary processes. High density molecular gas will also be studied via the line emission from HCO+ and HCN. Lastly, a study of a complete sample of luminous infrared galaxies will allow the examination of differences between pure-starburst dominated galaxies and those containing a hidden active galactic nucleus.The broader impacts of this program include support of a graduate student for research activities, and summer support for a consultant who is a professor at a minority teaching institution in Puerto Rico.