Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Para/ortho abundance ratio of molecular hydrogen in NGC 2023

Journal Article · · Astrophys. J.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/184942· OSTI ID:6174108
Recent infrared emission-line observations by Hasegawa et al. (1987) clearly indicate that the para/ortho abundance ratio of H2 in the reflection nebula NGC 2023 is quite different from 1:3. A simplified steady-state problem is solved to determine the vibrational-rotational level population. In addition to radiative processes, the H2 formation on grains and the gas-phase para/ortho conversion processes are taken into account. A good fit to the observed line intensity ratio can be obtained if the rotational Boltzmann distribution with temperature Tf = 60-70 K is assumed for H2 formed on grain surface. 28 references.
Research Organization:
Tokyo Univ., Japan
OSTI ID:
6174108
Journal Information:
Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 318; ISSN ASJOA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English