Dimethyl ether laboratory spectra up to 2.1THz

As an asymmetric top molecule with two methyl groups which undergo large amplitude motions and a dipole moment of mu_b_=1.3D it conveys a dense spectrum throughout the terahertz region and contributes to the spectral line confusion in astronomical observations at these frequencies. Rotational spectra of dimethyl ether in its ground vibrational states are presented in this paper, which have been measured in the laboratory and analyzed covering frequencies up to 2.1THz.

The analysis is based on an effective Hamiltonian for a symmetric two-top rotor and includes experimental data published so far. Frequency predictions are presented up to 2.5THz for astronomical applications with accuracies better than 1MHz.