Rotational Structure in Molecular Infrared Spectra

Carlo di Lauro obtained, with honor, the title of Doctor in Industrial Chemistry in 1963 and soon started his research activity. In 1965, he won an OCSE fellowship where he worked at the University of Reading, U.K., focusing on his interests in the theory and interpretation of vibration-rotation spectra of light molecules, working with Prof. I. M. Mills. He has been teaching since then, and has been at the University of Napoli, Federico II since 1984. In 1991 he was awarded the knighthood “Chevalier des Palmes Académiques” by the Ministère de l’Education Nationale of France.

His research activity, in the field of the Molecular Spectroscopy of gases, has always covered both the theoretical aspects and the application to the interpretation of actual spectra. He is the author or co-author of more than 90 scientific articles in relevant international journals. Presently, Dr. di Lauro’s research activity is devoted to vibration-torsion interaction mechanisms in molecules with internal rotation, especially those like ethane.

His achievements in the fields of Interactions of Molecular Vibrations and Rotation, Electron Spin Structure in Ro-vibronic Spectra of Molecules in Multiple States, Phases in the Wavefunctions in Molecular Spectroscopy, and Internal Rotation in Floppy Molecules are widely known in the scientific community. In particular, he has shown that torsional Coriolis interactions (coupling of vibrational modes with the internal rotation or large amplitude torsion) can have drastic predictable effects on the magnitude of torsional line splitting. He is consultant of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of Pasadena, California, since 2007, on a Nasa project for the study of the atmosphere of Titan. He is still working in the detailed interpretation of high resolution infrared spectra of ethane, and this activity has earned for him an international reputation in the community of planetary astronomers.

Beyond his scientific activity, Dr. di Lauro is passionate about classical and opera music and is an amateur flute player.