Rotationally resolved spectroscopy for interstellar chemistry and precise molecular structure determination

Abstract

Much of the direct knowledge of interstellar chemistry arises from the powerful combination of radio and mmwave telescopes, rotational resolved spectroscopy and computational and theoretical modelling. Precise molecular structures can also be calculated through the combination of rotational spectroscopy and computational chemistry. Over the last 50 years developments in each of these scientific disciplines has resulted in the identification of around 200 molecules in the interstellar medium or circumstellar shells, and a convergence in the values of the molecular structural parameters derived by experiment and theory. A number of example chemical systems from cm-wave, mm-wave and Far-IR spectroscopy will be explored to outline these developments and the current state of the art in the area.