Global Optimization and Broadband Analysis Software for Interstellar Chemistry (GOBASIC)^⋆

Emory University Department of Chemistry Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
e-mail: susanna.widicus.weaver@emory.edu

Received: 2 September 2013
Accepted: 12 October 2015

Abstract

Context. Broadband receivers that operate at millimeter and submillimeter frequencies necessitate the development of new tools for spectral analysis and interpretation. Simultaneous, global, multimolecule, multicomponent analysis is necessary to accurately determine the physical and chemical conditions from line-rich spectra that arise from sources like hot cores.

Aims. We aim to provide a robust and efficient automated analysis program to meet the challenges presented with the large spectral datasets produced by radio telescopes.

Methods. We have written a program in the MATLAB numerical computing environment for simultaneous global analysis of broadband line surveys. The Global Optimization and Broadband Analysis Software for Interstellar Chemistry (GOBASIC) program uses the simplifying assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) for spectral analysis to determine molecular column density, temperature, and velocity information.

Results. GOBASIC achieves simultaneous, multimolecule, multicomponent fitting for broadband spectra. The number of components that can be analyzed at once is only limited by the available computational resources. Analysis of subsequent sets of molecules or components is performed iteratively while taking the previous fits into account. All features of a given molecule across the entire window are fitted at once, which is preferable to the rotation diagram approach because global analysis is less sensitive to blended features and noise features in the spectra. In addition, the fitting method used in GOBASIC is insensitive to the initial conditions chosen, the fitting is automated, and fitting can be performed in a parallel computing environment. These features make GOBASIC a valuable improvement over previously available LTE analysis methods.