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The Composition of Interstellar Molecular Clouds

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Composition and Origin of Cometary Materials

Part of the book series: Space Science Series of ISSI ((SSSI,volume 8))

Abstract

We consider four aspects of interstellar chemistry for comparison with comets: molecular abundances in general, relative abundances of isomers (specifically, HCN and HNC), ortho/para ratios for molecules, and isotopic fractionation, particularly for the ratio hydrogen/deuterium. Since the environment in which the solar system formed is not well constrained, we consider both isolated dark clouds where low mass stars may form and the “hot cores” that are the sites of high mass star formation. Attention is concentrated on the gas phase, since the grains are considered elsewhere in this volume.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003-4517, USA

    William M. Irvine

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  1. William M. Irvine
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Bern, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland

    K. Altwegg

  2. Leiden Observatory, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands

    P. Ehrenfreund

  3. International Space Science Institute, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland

    J. Geiss

  4. Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, 78228-0510, USA

    W. F. Huebner

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Irvine, W.M. (1999). The Composition of Interstellar Molecular Clouds. In: Altwegg, K., Ehrenfreund, P., Geiss, J., Huebner, W.F. (eds) Composition and Origin of Cometary Materials. Space Science Series of ISSI, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4211-3_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4211-3_19

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