Heating of interstellar gas by large molecules or small grains

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/166965· OSTI ID:6494177

Lepp, S; Dalgarno, A

The heating of the interstellar medium by photoelectric emission from large molecules or small grains is explored. Photodetachment of large negative ions may be a significant heat source in diffuse clouds. For an abundance of large molecules relative to hydrogen greater than 2 x 10 to the -7th, the heating rate from the photoelectrons produced in the photoionization of large molecules and the photodetachment of large molecular negative ions exceeds the standard grain-heating rate. Theoretical models have been used to infer the abundances of large molecules from the C(+)/C abundance ratios in the interstellar clouds toward Zeta Oph and Zeta Per. 33 references.

• Research Organization: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6494177
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 335; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
COSMIC DUST
COSMIC GASES
DUSTS
ELECTRON EMISSION
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
FLUIDS
GASES
HEATING
HYDROGEN
INTERSTELLAR GRAINS
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
IONIZATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOLECULES
NONMETALS
PARTICLES
PHOTOELECTRIC EMISSION
PHOTOIONIZATION
SPACE