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The Molecular Universe

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Astrochemistry and Astrobiology

Part of the book series: Physical Chemistry in Action ((PCIA))

Abstract

This chapter presents a description of the interstellar medium. It starts with a summary of the interstellar medium structure and how the various phases are related to each other. The emphasis is put on molecular clouds, and on their densest regions, the dense cores, which are the birth place of stars. The evolution of matter during the star formation process and its observable consequences, especially in term of chemical composition is presented. The next section is dedicated to the constituents of the interstellar medium, with separate presentations of the gas species and the dust grains. Methods used by astronomers to derive useful information on the structure, temperature, ionization rate of interstellar environments as well as magnetic fields are briefly described. The last part of the chapter presents the telescopes and their instruments used for studying the interstellar medium across the electromagnetic spectrum.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    It is customary to quote interstellar pressures as the product of the temperature and particle density, since the equation of state of ideal gas applies to these very dilute media (PV = nRT).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LERMA (Observatoire de Paris, CNRS and ENS), Paris Cedex 05, FR 75321, France

    Maryvonne Gerin

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  1. Maryvonne Gerin
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Correspondence to Maryvonne Gerin .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , The University Chemical Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, United Kingdom

    Ian W. M. Smith

  2. , School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, James Clerk Maxwell Building, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, United Kingdom

    Charles S. Cockell

  3. , Laboratoire d'Etude du Rayonnement, Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, en astrophysique (LERMA), places Jules Janssen 5, Meudon, 92195, France

    Sydney Leach

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Gerin, M. (2013). The Molecular Universe. In: Smith, I., Cockell, C., Leach, S. (eds) Astrochemistry and Astrobiology. Physical Chemistry in Action. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-31730-9_2

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