| Back | Up | Map | Glossary | Information |
Each gas, be it atomic hydrogen or carbon monoxide, emits its own distinct set of spectral lines. These characteristic spectra enable astronomers to identify the different gases and to measure their temperatures, densities, and motions. Using this information, researchers can infer what takes place in the depths of space.
The molecular gas which resides in giant molecular clouds is relatively "cold" compared to surrounding gases. Designed to analyze the emissions of this cooler gas, the BIMA array's spectrometer is highly flexible. It can isolate simulataneously the spectral lines of many different gas molecules, at both high and low spectroscopic resolution. Since astronomers can obtain all this data during a single run, they need fewer, shorter observing sessions.
Return to Planning for the Future: A Quest..
Up to the BIMA Array: Today and Beyond