Abstract:
A great deal is known about the chemical make up of the interstellar medium when it concerns molecular species with a strong dipole and hence strong sub-mm/radio wavelength emissions. However, little is known about the species, presumed to be molecular, which host the strong mid-IR PAH emission features or which cause the ubiquitous Diffuse Interstellar Bands (DIBs) seen in absorption in the spectra of reddened stars. The problems are numerous and often subtle, but have broad implications across many fields of astronomy. Working with the Physical Chemistry group at the University of Sydney, we are undertaking a series laboratory based laser absorption experiments to determine the identities of the species responsible for these unidentified species.