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

Steven T.佛罗里达新学院的Shipman由化学系的化学测量和成像（CMI）计划（与天文科学系共同资助）支持，研究“星际杂草”的光谱学-星际介质（ISM）中相对丰富的分子（如甲酸甲酯或二甲醚）。 这些“杂草”的密集和不可预测的光谱通常会阻碍在ISM中识别新分子的尝试。 本研究的目的是在室温下获得这些化合物的高质量转动光谱。 这些结果将有助于更好地预测杂草的跃迁频率，大大帮助天体化学家在ISM中寻找新的复杂分子。参与该项目的本科生将直接参与解决宇宙中复杂分子起源的基本问题的研究。 作为这项工作的一部分，他们将获得分子光谱学，计算化学和科学仪器的建设在一个紧密的学术环境，促进学生和教师导师之间的密切互动的经验。 学生将获得经验，制作科学论据，并将他们的研究成果传达给更广泛的科学界。 通过网络提供设备，将加强教育影响。

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.