Twenty papers from a Fall 2000 workshop describe work in radio astronomy, atmospheric science, and spectroscopy carried out by scientists from 18 countries. Some areas reviewed are the millimeter, submillimeter, and far-infrared spectrum of interstellar and circumstellar clouds, laboratory submillimeter-wave spectroscopy, assignment and analysis of complex rotational spectra, and determination of molecular parameters from experimental spectra. Infrared emission spectroscopy, spectroscopic databases for atmospheric applications, simulation of air pollution in a wind tunnel, optically active hydrogen bonded complexes in the atmosphere, and high resolution infrared laboratory spectroscopy of atmospheric constituents are some of the other topics explored. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Many satellites have recently been launched or are in preparation, which operate in the microwave to IR ranges, the main objective being to observe the earth's atmosphere or interstellar clouds. Analysis of the data they supply requires extensive laboratory work because we still only have sufficiently accurate data (line positions, intensities, and profiles) for only a few species. Furthermore, the observer community is making increasing calls for laboratory data, as new development open up new observational possibilities (such as submillimeter observation). Research on these subjects involves many different areas of specialisation in fields of research that generate a wealth of data.
In Spectroscopy from Space the people responsible for field observations explain which results they are expecting from their measurements and how laboratory people can help them to analyse their satellite data. Laboratory spectroscopists explain why what they can do now, and what kinds of experiment and theoretical development that might undertake to meet the needs of the remote sensing community. The problems of distributing reliable laboratory data in a timely way are also addressed.
