Lucy M. Ziurys
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ
“Our Increasingly Molecular Universe as Revealed by Radio Astronomy with Laboratory Spectroscopy”
Radio astronomy over the past 40 years has revealed regions of interstellar space that are, quite surprisingly, rich in molecular material. Over 160 different chemical compounds have now been identified in interstellar gas, most of which contain carbon. While most of these molecules contain less than 15 atoms, recent discoveries of the fullerenes C60 and C60+ have challenged our notion of the degree of chemical complexity that exists in interstellar space. If C60 is present, what about other carbon clusters, nanostructures, or even biological molecules? Furthermore, molecular material is now appearing in some of the most extreme interstellar environments, such as near dying white dwarf stars or at the edges of our Galaxy. A picture is now emerging of a truly molecular universe. The extent of what can be learned, however, is limited by laboratory spectroscopy, which produces the crucial “fingerprint” for astronomical observations. Such experimental work involves very high sensitivity millimeter/sub-mm and THz spectroscopic techniques, coupled with unusual gas-phase synthetic methods with lasers, electrical discharges, and supersonic expansions. This talk will give an overview of our current understanding of the unexpected molecular universe, as learned from radio astronomy, and the challenges of laboratory work in helping to unravel its secrets.