Photodissociation and Excitation of Interstellar Molecules. Calculations and Astrophysical Applications

摘要

Apart from a rather long introduction containing some elementary astrophysics, quantum chemistry and spectroscopy and an incomplete, historical review of molecular observations, this thesis is divided into three sections. In part A, a rigorous quantum chemical and dynamical study is made of the photodissociation processes in the OH and HCl molecules. In part B, the cross sections obtained in part A are used in various astrophysical problems such as the study of the abundances of the OH and HCl molecules in interstellar clouds, the use of the OH abundance as a measure of the cosmic ray ionization rate, the lifetime of the OH radical in comets and the abundance of OH in the solar photosphere. Part C discusses the excitation of the C sub 2 molecule under interstellar conditions, its use as a diagnostic probe of the temperature, density and strength of the radiation field in interstellar clouds. Quadrupole moments and oscillator strengths are analyzed. (Atomindex citation 15:069141)