The ISM in nearby galaxies: NGC1365

We propose a sensitive spectral survey of the nuclear region of the nearby Luminous Infrared Galaxy NGC1365. These observations are to confirm a similar program carried out in 2007, which suffers from severe bandpass issues. The previous observations have resulted in 76+ tentative detections, including 27 emission lines that have not been observed in extra-galactic sources. These observations will provide an accurate template of all molecular transitions that are detectable in a starburst galaxy and serve as a reference for future projects.These observations will be interpreted using extensive physical and chemical modeling of the whole ensemble of lines, and using isotope ratios, in order to arrive at an accurate description of the integrated nuclear environment. The modeling can accurately determine the chemical (evolutionary) state, the type and strength of the radiation fields, and the mean density of the medium.