GBT21B-210
The GOTHAM Project - A New Window on Aromatic Chemistry
Abstract
The GOTHAM (GBT Observations of TMC-1: Hunting Aromatic Molecules) Large Project began observations in Fall 2018 with the goal of conduct a deep, broadband spectral line survey of the TMC-1 dark cloud in K-band. Since that time, the project has expanded to include coverage in S-, C-, X-, and Ka-bands. Based on the observations completed as of Summer 2020, ten high-profile results have been published, three are in various stages of review, and five further manuscripts are in preparation. These results include the detections of sixteen new interstellar molecules and numerous new isotopologues. The fully reduced X-band survey has been released to the public. Throughout the course of the project, we have repeatedly seen that our scientific output is dramatically enhanced with every addition of new data to the survey. Here, we are requesting to continue the success of the GOTHAM project by expanding our coverage to include the Ku-band, the remainder of K-band, and additional coverage in Ka-band. These additional settings will substantially improve our ability to study both large carbon species (PAHs in particular) as well as the lighter precursor species whose transitions currently fall too high for our coverage.
Investigators
| Name | Institution |
|---|---|
| Andrew Burkhardt | Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian; Wellesley College; Worcester State University |
| GBT Operator | Green Bank Observatory |
| Ilsa Cooke | British Columbia, University of; Rennes 1, Université de |
| CI XUE | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Steve Charnley | Goddard Space Flight Center |
| Martin Cordiner | National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| Eric Herbst | Virginia, University of |
| S. V. Kalensky | Lebedev Physical Institute |
| Tony Remijan | National Radio Astronomy Observatory |
| Kin Long Kelvin Lee | Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian |
| Bryan Changala | Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian |
| Madelyn Sita | Virginia, University of |
| Mark Siebert | Cornell University; Virginia, University of; Chalmers University Of Technology |
| Brett McGuire * | National Radio Astronomy Observatory; Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Ryan Loomis | National Radio Astronomy Observatory |
| Michael McCarthy | Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian |
| Christopher Shingledecker | Benedictine College |
* indicates the PI