Mentor: Stephen Alexander, Ph.D.

This study bridges laboratory spectroscopy and astrophysical modeling by providing molecular potential energy curves that improve predictions of molecular spectra in astronomical environments. Molecular potential curves derived from spectroscopic constants provide the fundamental input for astrophysical models which is used to identify molecular species and probe temperature, composition, and dynamics in stellar and interstellar environments. The interstellar medium contains everything from simple diatomic molecules to complex organic molecules, and their spectra are essential for understanding the chemistry and physics of the universe.

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