81180B and M8190 Wideband Arbitrary Waveform Generator
Publication Number: 5991-3201EN
Publication Date: 2014.08.03
Language: English
Application Notes

81180B and M8190 Wideband Arbitrary Waveform Generator

Show Description

In popular perception, the vastness of space is an empty vacuum dotted with stars, planets, black holes and other celestial formations. In reality, astrophysicists have shown that space contains low-density matter - gas clouds, dust grains, and more - existing in ionic, atomic or molecular phases.

Here on Earth, astrophysicists use techniques such as microwave spectroscopy to investigate the chemical composition of the matter that exists within this so called interstellar medium (ISM). Similar to the spectrum analyzers used to characterize the content of wireless communication signals, a spectrometer connected to a radio telescope displays the unique spectra emitted by the atoms and molecules present in the ISM. In this case, the goal is to precisely determine the structure of gas-phase molecules