Astronomical radio-reception techniques for emission spectroscopy of molecular and short lived species in cold plasmas

Abstract

We present a proof of concept on the coupling of cold plasmas and radio astronomical receivers, and the performances of the resulting setup for spectroscopy and chemical simulations of interest in the study of interstellar molecular clouds, where stars and planets form. OCS, CS2 and O2 were used as plasma precursors. The experiments were performed in an inductively coupled RF plasma reactor placed in the beam path of the 40m Radio Telescope receivers of Yebes Observatory (Spain)[1].