The submillimeter spectrum of glycolaldehyde

Glycolaldehyde is suspected to form from photodissociation-driven ice chemistry, and therefore can be used to trace complex organic chemistry in interstellar environments. The relative abundance of glycolaldehyde to its structural isomers, methyl formate (HCOOCH_3_) and acetic acid (CH_3_COOH), can be used to constrain astrochemical models.

Given its central role in the complex chemistry of the interstellar medium, glycolaldehyde has been suggested as a prime molecular target for upcoming high-frequency molecular line searches using new far-infrared observatories. In particular, glycolaldehyde is a target for the Herschel Space Observatory HEXOS Key Program, which is conducting spectral line surveys of the Sgr B2(N) and Orion KL star-forming regions across the entire HIFI band.