Laboratory astrochemistry at infrared wavelengths and molecular structure

• Applicant: Dr. Sven Thorwirth
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2009 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 88839181

Carbonaceous molecules are of importance in diverse scientific areas such as astrochemistry, material science, structural chemistry and theoretical chemistry. With this renewal proposal, I suggest to continue my successful studies of fundamental, prototypical carbonaceous systems harboring heteroelements (selected second-row and third-row elements, transition metals) in the gas-phase at high spectral resolution using the newly upgraded Cologne Carbon Cluster Experiment in which optical parametric oscillators are now used as major radiation sources. The spectrometer covers the range from 1850 to 4000 cm-1 almost continuously, hence offering the possibility of studying systematically transient chain-molecules with superb spectral coverage and high sensitivity. The experiments are aimed at the first characterization of selected carbonaceous clusters in the gas phase and will support future astronomical searches for new molecules in space. Our studies will be complemented and guided by high-level state-of-the-art quantum-chemical calculations and will permit the derivation of (empirical) equilibrium molecular structures of selected clusters, hence also dovetailing the fields of structural and theoretical chemistry.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants