Online Archive of University of Virginia Scholarship
A computer program for producing synthetic non-LTE molecular spectra from astrochemical models623 views
Author
Epstein, Joseph, Astronomy, University of Virginia
Advisors
Herbst, Eric, Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia
Abstract
Context: Molecular transitions can be observed and used to probe the physical and chemical conditions of molecular clouds, which are the building blocks for astrophysical structures.
Aims: To provide a tool for analyzing the variation in molecular transition lines throughout a time-dependent chemical model, and for making comparisons between theoretical and observed molecular transitions in non-LTE astrochemical environments.
Methods: Data from a time-dependent astrochemical model and its subsequent species abundances, calculated with the NAUTILUS code, are used to obtain the necessary input information for the RADEX radiative transfer code. This input data is run through RADEX to predict the strength of the spectral lines and their frequencies, which are then plotted in the form of a line spectrum.
Results: The analysis of the tool is sufficient in comparing different transition intensities at the same time in the model, as well as how the intensity of particular transition lines change across all time steps in the model.
Epstein, Joseph. A computer program for producing synthetic non-LTE molecular spectra from astrochemical models. University of Virginia, Astronomy, BS (Bachelor of Science), 2018-05-17, https://doi.org/10.18130/V3KS6J43N.
