Molecules in the Universe


Molecules, ubiquitous in our atmosphere and in space, are providing powerful tools for probing the physics and chemistry of many different environments. They provide important clues for major scientific objectives such as climatology and planetology, star and planet formation and the question of the origin of life.


The analysis of molecular radiation under various extreme conditions requires nowadays, a high level of knowledge in molecular science which has to support a wealth of observational data arising from new generation of telescopes, satellites and probes. In addition, molecular processes are at the cornerstone in the evolution of matter in space.

The thematic pole “Molecules in the Universe” aims at pushing forward the current theoretical and experimental limits in molecular science in order :
(1) to obtain fundamental molecular parameters with high degree of accuracy that are essential for probing and modelling complex media and
(2) to understand and predict - at atomic and molecular levels - an increasing number of unknown molecular processes.

This pole brings together research groups leader in quantum physics/chemistry, low temperature physics, chemical physics as well as surface science researchers. It includes complementary theoretical and experimental teams based at Paris (Jussieu Campus), Meudon and Cergy-Pontoise.

The pole aims at playing a major role at the interface between molecular and astrophysics & atmospheric sciences while being fully invested in fundamental molecular and chemical physics science.

This reserach group has long standing experience in multi-disciplinary approaches and is a major actor of “Laboratory Astrophysics” , a new European Networks engaged in fundamental experimental, interpretative and computational research and modelling.
The pole contributes to the establishment and management of widely-used atomic and molecular databases and data centres (http://www.vamdc.eu/).

Sections

Theory and Simulations

Theory and Simulations of Molecular Processes

Molecular Spectroscopy Experiments

The experiments and instrumentation for high resolution spectroscopy

Experiments for Gas-Surface Interactions Studies

The Laboratory Astrophysics platforms for Gas and Surface Interactions