UPDATED MAY 2009 - SUMMARY OF SPECTRAL DATA FOR RADIOASTRONOMY

CLICK HERE TO GET THE TABLE - UPDATED May 2009 (PDF)

Latest update May 2009 New update by Adam WALTERS. See notes below.

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What this table should contain: All species known in the ISM/CSM and all isotopomers and excited states (vibrations, torsions) found in CDMS/JPL regardless of whether detected or not. Recommended database. Some information on identified species not contained in JPL/CDMS.

What this table doesn't contain: Databases other than JPL/CDMS. Interesting candidate species not yet identified.

Please note that information has often been obtained from the CDMS/JPL webpages. It is planned progressively to reduce any text copied from CDMS/JPL to a minimum (keywords) and to give a link. In this case the table should be seen as a summary indicating points that if interesting to the user should be consulted in more detail on the websites themselves.

This is still a working version and not guaranteed error free. Any feedback is most welcomed.

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KNOWN DATABASE ISSUES (not to date -ignore -new udpdate to follow)

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Summary of previous updates and more basic ideas:

Adam WALTERS - Valerio LATTANZI

Update Spring 2008 New update by Adam WALTERS takes into account all changes in databases up to early 2008 including new measurements and new species recently discovered in the interstellar medium. For some species the recommended database has changed since the last version. A new template for CASSIS has NOT YET been produced from this table. Inclusion of identified species not yet in the databases. Effort has been made to improve information on astrophysical detection. Species which we are sure have been detected in the ISM are now indicated in bold. Work is ongoing, hence a minor species (e.g. isotopologue or vibrational state) not indicated in bold may have nevertheless been identified. Changes are indicated in red.

Update 30 Jul 2007 New update by Audrey COUTENS (summer student) takes into account all changes in databases up to July 2007 including new measurements and new species recently discovered in the interstellar medium. For some species the recommended database has changed since the last version. A new template for CASSIS has been produced from this table. Changes are indicated in red.

Update 22 Nov 2006. Continuing to check and update all entries - included latest detections. Starting to add chemical names where chemical formula may be ambigous. Added entries concerning astrophysical detection. Started to add objects in which the molecule has been detected. Starting to indicate source of information (HM) - H.S.P Muller Cologne (copied and shortened from CDMS website); (AW) Adam Walters. If no source is indicated information is most likely from website of appropriate database - see also comments below.

Major update Oct 2006. Important changes (end of 2005 - October 2006) are indicated by the tag in bold type. Specific changes are also in bold. For some species changes are minor. For others new data and/or analysis is available and the recommended database has changed since the last version.

SPECTROSCOPISTS - you should be able to see which species have not been measured or have only been partially measured - FEEDBACK - please let us know of data not included in the databases that we may have missed.

ASTROPHYSICISTS - you have here the recommended database for each species, you can also get a good idea for each species when the frequency can be used with confidence. You should be especially careful when prediction have been extapolated far (in quantum number and/or in frequency) from the zone of the measurements. - FEEDBACK - please let us know which are the priority species for you - we will then make a special effort to search all available litterature.

The table should contain all identified ISM/CSM molecules and their isotopomers and vibrational states when available (even if they have not been observed in space).

We have added a new entry giving the energy of the lowest vibrational state (if not measured, or the energy of each vibrational state measured). This entry is not yet complete.

We have started to add comments on each species concerning the precision etc. In many cases these comments include shortened copies of the information available on the CDMS and JPL websites so as to give a rapid synthetic overview. Credit should hence be given to the database managers - please see the more detailed information on their sites if you are interested in a particular species. This work is still in progress and entries are incomplete.

Our major contribution has been to summarise the minimum and maximum MEASURED frequencies and quantum numbers, as far as we know not available easily elsewhere. Also new references to astrophysical objects and publications.

Although this is mostly a compilataion of exisitng information it does take time and effort to complete. To encourage us to spend more time on this project please send feedback : let us know if the table has been useful to you, also let us know where there are errors or you think that it can be improved.

FOR FEEDBACK : adam.walters@cesr.fr

SPECTRAL DATA WORKING GROUP ( PCMI ) - (the working group no longer exists)

The primary objective of this working group is to define the needs in spectroscopic data for the future far-infrared space observatory Herschel. The conclusions will also help to prepare the project ALMA. The proposed working plan is:

• 1)      Define a list of molecules whose spectral lines need to be well determined for Herschel.
• 2)       State for each molecule in the list:

  i. The energy threshold up to which transitions have to be considered.

ii. The required precision of the predicted or measured frequencies in the Herschel frequency range. A good general target would be 1 MHz. Accurate frequencies are necessary not only for identification but also to get good information on relative velocities.

iii. The required precision of calculated transition intensities. A good general target would be 3%.

• 3)       Check that the appropriate data is to be found in existing databases. This data should include the partition function for the molecule at low temperatures. Define the database to be used.
• 4)      Where necessary encourage further experimental or theoretical work. In particular for important species or those difficult to model spectroscopically

The group also has a role to play in facilitating the contact and the exchange of information between the astrophysics and spectroscopic communities.

FOR DETAILS OF THE ASTROSPEC WORKING GROUP

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SPECTRAL DATA WORKING REPORT (no longer updated)

This report was written in the context of ongoing work in France and collaborations with French laboratories. The French National program PCMI has provided a convenient structure to reunite scientists of different specialities. The spectroscopic preparation of Herschel requires a wide international collaboration and various groups are working on this problem. We hope that our work can contribute to the international effort. The subjects treated in the report are based on those discussed at the first astrospec meeting at Paris on the 29^th November 2002. The laboratories and researchers referred too represent only a part of the large international community working on the problems discussed.

TO GET A COPY OF THE ASTROSPEC WOKING DOCUMENT

If you have any suggestions please send them to adam.walters@cesr.fr

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