| Description |
We propose HIFI spectral line surveys of interstellar clouds to probe the influence of physical environment on molecular complexity. We will observe a statistically-significant sample of sources, cover a range of physical environments, and target selected frequency windows containing transitions from several known complex organic molecules. The goal of these observations is to correlate the relative abundances of organic molecules with the physical properties of the source (i.e. temperature, density, age, dynamics, etc.). Our broader research goal is to improve astrochemical models to the point where accurate predictions of complex molecular inventory can be made based on a given source.s physical and chemical environment. The information gained from our proposed Herschel observations will serve as a benchmark for these astrochemical models and holds the promise of significantly advancing our understanding of interstellar chemical processes. |
