We present a comprehensive analysis of a broad band spectral line survey of the Orion Kleinmann-Low nebula (Orion KL), one of the most chemically rich regions in the Galaxy, using the HIFI instrument on board the Herschel Space Observatory. This survey spans a frequency range from 480 to 1907 GHz at a resolution of 1.1 MHz. These observations thus encompass the largest spectral coverage ever obtained toward this high-mass star-forming region in the sub-mm with high spectral resolution, and include frequencies > 1 THz where the Earth's atmosphere prevents observations from the ground. In all, we detect emission from 39 molecules (79 isotopologues). Combining this dataset with ground based mm spectroscopy obtained with the IRAM 30 m telescope, we model the molecular emission from the mm to the far-IR using the XCLASS program which assumes local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). Several molecules are also modeled with the MADEX non-LTE code. Because of the wide frequency coverage, our models are constrained by transitions over an unprecedented range

The rotational spectrum of the higher-energy trans conformational isomer of methyl formate has been assigned for the first time using several pulsed-jet Fourier transform microwave spectrometers in the 6-60 GHz frequency range. This species has also been sought toward the Sagittarius B2(N) molecular cloud using the publicly available PRIMOS survey from the Green Bank Telescope. We detect seven absorption features in the survey that coincide with laboratory transitions of trans-methyl formate, from which we derive a column density of 3.1 (+2.6, -1.2) × 10 13 cm -2 and a rotational temperature of 7.6 ± 1.5 K. This excitation temperature is significantly lower than that of the more stable cis conformer in the same source but is consistent with that of other complex molecular species recently detected in Sgr B2(N). The difference in the rotational temperatures of the two conformers suggests that they have different spatial distributions in this source. As the abundance of trans-methyl formate is far higher than would be expected if the cis and trans conformers are in thermodynamic equilibrium, processes that could preferentially form trans-methyl formate in this region are discussed. We also discuss measurements that could be performed to make this detection more certain. This manuscript demonstrates how publicly available broadband radio astronomical surveys of chemically rich molecular clouds can be used in conjunction with laboratory rotational spectroscopy to search for new molecules in the interstellar medium.

We have performed reaction product screening measurements using broadband rotational spectroscopy to identify rotational transition matches between laboratory spectra and the Green Bank Telescope PRIMOS radio astronomy survey spectra in Sagittarius B2 North (Sgr B2(N)).The broadband rotational spectrum of molecules created in an electrical discharge of CH 3 CN and H 2 S contained several frequency matches to unidentified features in the PRIMOS survey that did not have molecular assignments based on standard radio astronomy spectral catalogs. Several of these transitions are assigned to the E-and Z-isomers of ethanimine. Global fits of the rotational spectra of these isomers in the range of 8 to 130 GHz have been performed for both isomers using previously published mm-wave spectroscopy measurements and the microwave measurements of the current study. Possible interstellar chemistry formation routes for E-ethanimine and Z-ethanimine are discussed. The detection of ethanimine is significant because of its possible role in the formation of alanineone of the twenty amino acids in the genetic code.

The structures of the phenol dimer and phenol trimer complexes in the gas phase have been determined using chirped-pulse Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy in the 2-8 GHz band. All fourteen (13)C and (18)O phenol dimer isotopologues were assigned in natural abundance. A full heavy atom experimental substitution structure was determined, and a least-squares fit ground state r0 structure was determined by proper constraint of the M06-2X/6-311++g(d,p) ab initio structure. The structure of phenol dimer features a water dimer-like hydrogen bond, as well as a cooperative contribution from inter-ring dispersion. Comparisons between the experimental structure and previously determined experimental structures, as well as ab initio structures from various levels of theory, are discussed. For phenol trimer, a C3 symmetric barrel-like structure is found, and an experimental substitution structure was determined via measurement of the six unique (13)C isotopologues. The least-squares fit rm((1)) structure reveals a similar interplay between hydrogen bonding and dispersion in the trimer, with water trimer-like hydrogen bonding and C-H···π interactions.

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Chirped-pulse millimeter-wave (CPmmW) spectroscopy is the first broadband (multi-GHz in each shot) Fourier-transform technique for high-resolution survey spectroscopy in the millimeter-wave region. The design is based on chirped-pulse Fourier-transform microwave (CP-FTMW) spectroscopy [G. G. Brown, B. C. Dian, K. O. Douglass, S. M. Geyer, S. T. Shipman, and B. H. Pate, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 79, 053103 (2008)], which is described for frequencies up to 20 GHz. We have built an instrument that covers the 70-102 GHz frequency region and can acquire up to 12 GHz of spectrum in a single shot. Challenges to using chirped-pulse Fourier-transform spectroscopy in the millimeter-wave region include lower achievable sample polarization, shorter Doppler dephasing times, and problems with signal phase stability. However, these challenges have been partially overcome and preliminary tests indicate a significant advantage over existing millimeter-wave spectrometers in the time required to record survey spectra. Further improvement to the sensitivity is expected as more powerful broadband millimeter-wave amplifiers become affordable. The ability to acquire broadband Fourier-transform millimeter-wave spectra enables rapid measurement of survey spectra at sufficiently high resolution to measure diagnostically important electronic properties such as electric and magnetic dipole moments and hyperfine coupling constants. It should also yield accurate relative line strengths across a broadband region. Several example spectra are presented to demonstrate initial applications of the spectrometer.

We present a comprehensive study of the deuterated molecules detected in the fullband HIFI survey of the Orion KL region. Ammonia, formaldehyde, and methanol and their singly deuterated isotopologues are each detected through numerous transitions in this survey with a wide range in optical depths and excitation conditions. In conjunction with a recent study of the abundance of HDO and H 2 O in Orion KL, this study yields the best constraints on deuterium fractionation in an interstellar molecular cloud to date. As previous studies have found, both the Hot Core and Compact Ridge regions within Orion KL contain significant abundances of deuterated molecules, suggesting an origin in cold grain mantles. In the Hot Core, we find that ammonia is roughly a factor of 2 more fractionated than water. In the Compact Ridge, meanwhile, we find similar deuterium fractionation in water, formaldehyde, and methanol, with D/H ratios of (2-8) × 10 −3 . The [CH 2 DOH]/[CH 3 OD] ratio in the Compact Ridge is found to be 1.2 ± 0.3. The Hot Core generally has lower deuterium fractionation than the Compact Ridge, suggesting a slightly warmer origin, or a greater contribution from warm gas phase chemistry.