Laboratory Astrophysics

Astronomy Resources

The program of the laboratory astrophysics group was devoted to laser high resolution spectroscopy (>0.01 cm^-1) of astrophysically interesting molecules in particular in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectral regime. Our VUV laser sources made use of efficient four wave sum frequency mixing in metal vapor inert gas mixtures (concentric heat pipe ovens). With these sources and/or multistep excitation we investigated, for example, diatomic molecules such as carbon monoxide (CO), polyatomic molecules like ammonia (NH₃), and its isotopic species. We simulated the parameters of the interstellar medium with pulsed nozzle beams. We extended our investigations to cold molecular ions which are important for ion-molecule reactions in the interstellar medium. Our research was supported by a theoretical analysis of heavily perturbed molecular systems which suffer severe avoided curve crossings.

We have started experiments on ion-molecule reactions and developed a new focusing time of flight mass spectrometer which is able to collect all generated ions. We tried to extend these measurements to the detection of neutral fragments by ionizing them directly in front of the mass spectrometer.

Refereed Publications and Reviews

Current group members:

Carl Rudolf Vidal

Bernd Steffes

Former group members:

Axel Mellinger

Erich G. Rohwer

Useful links:

Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik: weekly Laser Seminar

ESO-Seminars in Garching