Abstract
Radio recombination lines turned out to be a powerful tool for astrophysical research. They are unique both in the number of transitions that can be detected and in the wavelength range over which they are observed. They occupy about 5 orders of magnitude of the wavelength scale of electromagnetic waves1, which is why they can be used for the study of astronomical objects that significantly differ in their physical parameters. The physical characteristics of “radio” also play a significant role here. Unlike the electromagnetic waves of the ultraviolet, optical, or infrared ranges, huge wavelength ranges of radio waves are almost unabsorbed by the interstellar medium (ISM) and therefore can be detected from very large distances.
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© 2002 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Gordon, M.A., Sorochenko, R.L. (2002). RRLs — Tools for Astronomers. In: Radio Recombination Lines. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 282. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0261-5_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0261-5_3
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-3956-7
Online ISBN: 978-94-010-0261-5
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