Herschel Space Observatory - Theoretical Research Proposal #1001

Herschel Science: A New Approach for the Identification and Elimination of Astrophysical Weeds

Principal Investigator: Frank De Lucia 
           Institution: Ohio State University

Dollars Approved: 510528

Abstract:
Due to the rapidly increasing power of systems such as Herschel, the problem of
U-lines in submillimeter spectra has grown rapidly.  In fact, it would appear that
the U-line problem is running away from laboratory spectroscopy’s capacity to keep
pace.  This is in no small part due to the fundamental problem that the complexity
of the traditional bootstrap quantum mechanical assignment increases rapidly for the
states that are now becoming astrophysically observable.  In response, a series of
meetings (including the recent Pasadena Workshop which gave rise to this call for
proposals) has been held.  At these meetings, we proposed a new approach based on
numerical analyses of complete laboratory spectra taken at different temperatures. 
This approach was cited as a solution to the U-line problem and referred to as
‘prong 2’ in the Pasadena Workshop report.  Our method circumvents the time
consuming spectral assignments of the usual bootstrap quantum mechanical approach. 
This proposal puts forth a plan to implement this new approach and provide to the
Herschel community important data that otherwise would be unavailable on the
required time scale.