Molecular Spectra of Missing Ions in the Laboratory and in Space

Ions play a key role in the chemical evolution of our universe. The process of star and planet formation istightly connected to the presence and abundance of these species. Their spectra turn into diagnostic tools forvarious astrophysical environments and their temporal evolution. However, laboratory spectra of most ionsrelevant to astrophysics are not available.

Moreover, predicted spectra from ab-initio theory are not nearlyaccurate enough to guide astrophysical searches. Therefore, corner stones for our understanding of chemistryin the interstellar medium are missing.

In sharp contrast, highly sensitive telescopes with large collectionareas are ready to find these species in space.In order to make this important next step in molecular astrophysics I propose to record high-resolutionspectra from the microwave to visible range using our unique and innovative light induced reactions (LIR)methods in ion traps.

It is molecule specific through mass selection, many orders of magnitude moresensitive and less complex due to buffer gas cooling as compared to conventional methods.High-resolution spectroscopy is the most accurate discipline in quantitative sciences and for molecules it islinked to highly accurate molecular structures, bond lengths and angles.

But this fundamental concept is putinto question for very floppy molecules, e.g. protonated methane, one of the key missing ions in space.Therefore, also new models describing the structure and internal dynamics of molecules shall be developedin this interdisciplinary project.Based on the laboratory spectroscopy in this project new molecules will be found in space.

We shall unravelthe role of the most important missing ions which will have great impact on the interpretation ofastrophysical observations.

At the same time understanding the spectra of the missing ions will challenge thecurrent concept of molecular structure and thus lead to an advancement of molecular physics as a whole.