Spectroscopy and astrochemistry with Herschel

Abstract

Herschel provided extraordinary spectroscopic opportunities in the 55-670 μm wavelength range. Unbiased spectral line surveys have been carried out, in a sample of representative sources, providing a complete mol. inventory of star-forming regions. Interstellar hydrides, the basic building blocks of astrochem., which have their fundamental rotational transitions in the submillimeter, have been studied in absorption against background dust continuum sources. I review Herschel astrochem. highlights, demonstrating the outstanding spectroscopic capabilities of this facility, which have led to detections of new mols. and have provided new constraints for astrophys. and astrochem. models. The talk covers a range of interstellar environments, from diffuse to dense clouds in the Milky Way, to the ISM of nearby galaxies. While many of these tracers are no longer accessible in the local Universe after the end of the Herschel mission, ALMA will be able to carry out similar studies in the high-red shift galaxies.