Research

2011 ASTROMOL SCIENTIFIC FOLLOW-UP REPORT

The following items give a summary of the science addressed by the team in 2011 (see also 2011 ASTROMOL Publications):

  • ALMA Early Science Cycle 0 proposals: 3 proposals led by ASTROMOL researchers have been selected as high priority projects for “ALMA Early Science Cycle 0” in September 2011. The proposals are related to the following milestones: Chemistry in Star-Forming Regions, Molecules as probing tools and Study of Astrophysical Ices in the Laboratory. The teams leading these activities are AM-CSIC and MIC-OAN.
  • Herschel Lifetime (includes Gathering, interpreting and publishing Herschel results) and other facilities (IRAM, ESO …): Water vapour in Space, Molecular Complexity in Space and Chemistry in Star-Forming Regions: Scientific exploitation of Herschel data within the Herschel Key Programs WISH, CHESS, MESS, HEXOS, PRISMAS and HIFISTARS. The teams involved in these activities are AM-CSIC and MIC-OAN.
  • Chemical model developments: AM-CSIC have calculated ortho/para-H2O with para/ortho-H2 rate coefficients. The results have been published in Astronomy and Astrophysics (see Publication number [57] in 2011 ASTROMOL publications). These theoretical findings must be validated by the ongoing experiments at the GFM-CSIC group.
  • Radiative Transfer Codes developments: New techniques developed: radiative transfer and scattering polarization in 2D and 3D. These techniques will be used to analyse the molecular data of evolved stars and the polarimetry data of the Sun (RT-IAC group). Development of the GRANADA non-LTE atmosphere model — see Publication number [39] in 2012 ASTROMOL publications (GAPT-IAA group)
  • Planetary atmospheres: Possible explanation for the “anomalous” emission in Titan’s atmosphere. In search for likely candidates (GAPT-IAA)
  • Development of experimental techniques (see ASTROMOL technical developments).
  • Development of theoretical methodologies and numerical codes:
    • Time-dependent wave packets study of Li+HF, N+OH, O+HF and Li+H2+ reactions (ABIDIN-CSIC and DINQUIM-UCM groups)
    • Extensive study of the H+ + H2 reaction and isotopic variants; Inelastic collisions: CN– + H2, OH(A)+H2, Rg+ NO(X,A); Cl + O3 reaction dynamics (DINQUIM-UCM and GFM-CSIC groups)
  • Measurement and theoretical calculation of molecular species:
    • Calculation of the Potential Energy Surface of H5+ (ABIDIN-CSIC group)
    • Theoretical characterisation of the rovibrational spectrum of linear triatomic molecules of astrophysical interest: N2O, CO2, FCN and HCN (LEMQC-UMU group)

2010 ASTROMOL SCIENTIFIC FOLLOW-UP REPORT

The following items give a summary of the science addressed by the team in 2010 (see also 2010 ASTROMOL Publications):

  • Herschel Lifetime (includes Gathering, interpreting and publishing Herschel results): Water vapour in Space, Molecular Complexity in Space, Chemistry in Star-Forming Regions: Scientific exploitation of Herschel data within the Herschel Key Programs WISH, CHESS, MESS, HEXOS, PRISMAS and HIFISTARS. The teams involved in these activities are AM-CSIC and MIC-OAN.
  • Other facilities (IRAM, ESO, SMA, …, includes gathering data): Water vapour in Space, Chemistry in Star-Forming Regions: Chemical complexity of external galaxies, evolved stars, protostellar objects and protoplanetary disks. The teams involved in these activities are AM-CSIC and MIC-OAN. AM-CSIC has published a paper in Nature related to Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities in the interstellar medium (see Publication number [9] in 2010 ASTROMOL publications).
  • Chemical model developments: AM-CSIC has modelled the chemistry of Carbon-rich evolved stars showing that O-bearing species, in particular water vapour, can be easily formed in these objects due to the clumpy structure of the envelope which allows the penetration of UV photons from the galactic field. The results have been published in Nature and in the Astrophysical Journal (see Publications number [1] and [2] in 2010 ASTROMOL publications).
  • Radiative Transfer Codes developments: Development and publication of novel radiative transfer methods for the numerical solution of non-LTE radiative transfer problems (RT-IAC). Development of 2-D radiative transfer codes for water in protoplanetary disks.
  • Planetary atmospheres: Analysis of measurements from space of the IR emissions of terrestrial planetary atmospheres of Venus, Earth, Mars and Titan (GAPT-IAA).
  • Development of experimental techniques:
    • Implementation of a high-resolution molecular-beam Fourier-transform microwave spectrometer (MB-FTMW) (GEM-UVA)
    • Acquisition of a tunable laser to perform UV-VIS anion spectroscopy (LHM-UCM)
    • Acquisition of a Nebulizer Ion Source (IONTRAP-UPO/DINQUIM-UCM)
    • Redesign of the high-resolution infrared spectrometer and laser frequency stabilization system (GFM-CSIC)
    • Acquisition of pumping system. Construction in progress of an ultra-vacuum chamber with a “Laval nozzle” valve to force expansion (QYCA-UCLM)
  • Development of theoretical methodologies and numerical codes:
    • Study of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons as precursors of hydrocarbon radicals (IONTRAP-UPO)
    • Study of cold plasmas at 300 K (GFM-CSIC) and rate coefficients of hydrocarbons with oxygen (QYCA-UCLM)
  • Measurement and theoretical calculation of molecular species:
    • Ab-initio calculations of cations and diatomic molecules (ABIDIN-CSIC and LEMQC-UMU)