Herschel Space Observatory - Theoretical Research Proposal #1016

Asymmetric Internal Rotation

Principal Investigator: John Pearson   
           Institution: JPL

Dollars Approved: 100400 

Abstract:
Asymmetric internal rotation of a CH2D, unlike a symmetric CH3 group, remains an
unsolved problem in molecular spectroscopy with growing consequences for
observational astronomy.  Methanol has recently been proven to be formed on dust
grains.  As a result the enrichment of CH2DOH relative to normal methanol is a very
sensitive test dust chemistry and of the evolutionary state of star forming regions.
 Since CH2DOH has its strongest lines in the submillimeter and far-infrared and is
the most abundant deuterated methanol, it is an ideal target for Herschel studies of
star formation.   This effort will provide the line frequencies and line intensities
as well as a methodology for solving other CH2D internal rotation problems likely to
be important in molecular astrophysics.