Laboratory Spectroscopy of Glycolaldehyde for Interstellar Applications

Kiely, Alex; Decesare, Mara

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Laboratory Spectroscopy of Glycolaldehyde for Interstellar Applications

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Interstellar complex organic molecules (COMs) and water are important clues in the search for the origins of life. Distributed throughout the universe in areas with ideal life-forming conditions, like planetary collisions with comets and molecular clouds, these molecules enable and partake in reactions that form major building blocks of life, like RNA. The importance of these molecules makes them ideal subjects to study. However, the vastness of space and the inability to reproduce interstellar conditions in laboratory settings proposes significant challenges in the collection and analysis of these samples. The development of high-resolution spectrometers mitigates many of these problems, as they collect the desired data through the analysis of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is easily measured from Earth. These devices operate in various parts of the spectrum, including the terahertz region, and allow for the study of molecules’ quantum transitions and the extrapolation of relevant information on their structure, composition, and more. This paper presents the data collection and analysis of the rotational spectra lines of water and glycolaldehyde using Doppler-limited spectroscopy with lock-in detection techniques. These techniques increased the signal-to-noise ratio and amplified the collected signal. This data was collected to enable future spectroscopy studies by providing reference information on the rotational transitions of the molecules.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

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