Lighting the Dark Molecular Gas and a Bok Globule

Lighting the Dark Molecular Gas and a Bok Globule
Author: Aditya G. Togi
Publisher:
Total Pages: 202
Release: 2016
Genre: Galaxies
ISBN:

Stars are the building blocks of galaxies. The gas present in galaxies is the primary fuel for star formation. Galaxy evolution depends on the amount of gas present in the interstellar medium (ISM). Stars are born mainly from molecular gas in the GMCs. Robust knowledge of the molecular hydrogen H2 gas distribution is necessary to understand star formation in galaxies. Since H2 is not readily observable in the cold interstellar medium (ISM), the molecular gas content has traditionally been inferred using indirect tracers like carbon-monoxide (CO), dust emission, gamma ray interactions, and star formation efficiency. Physical processes resulting in enhancement and reduction of these indirect tracers can result in misleading estimates of molecular gas masses. My dissertation work is based on devising a new temperature power law distribution model for H2, a direct tracer, to calculate the total molecular gas mass in galaxies. The model parameters are estimated using mid infrared (MIR) H2 rotational line fluxes obtained from IRS-Spitzer (Infrared Spectrograph- Spitzer) instrument and the model is extrapolated to a suitable lower temperature to recover the total molecular gas mass. The power law model is able to recover the dark molecular gas, undetected by CO, in galaxies at metallicity as low as one-tenth of our Milky Way value. I have applied the power law model in U/LIRGs and shocks of Stephan's Quintet to understand molecular gas properties, where shocks play an important role in exciting H2. Comparing the molecular gas content derived through our power law model can be useful in studying the application of our model in mergers. The parameters derived by our model is useful in understanding variation in molecular gas properties in shock regions of Stephan's Quintet. Low mass stars are formed in small isolated dense cores known as Bok globules. Multiple star formation events are seen in a Bok globule. In my thesis I also studied a Bok globule, B207, and determined the physical properties and future evolutionary stage of the cloud. My thesis spans studying ISM properties in galaxies from kpc to sub-pc scales. Using the power law model in the coming era of James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) with the high sensitivity MIR Instrument (MIRI) spectrograph we will be able to understand the properties of molecular gas at low and high redshifts.

The Cosmos

The Cosmos
Author: Jay M. Pasachoff
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 629
Release: 2013-08-12
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1107276950

An exciting introduction to astronomy, the fourth edition of this book uses recent discoveries and stunning photography to inspire non-science majors about the Universe. Written by two highly experienced and engaging instructors, each chapter has been fully updated, with more than 200 new images throughout, including recent images from space missions and the world's best observatories. The newly redesigned text is organized as a series of stories, each presenting the history of the field, the observations made and how they fit within the process of science, our current understanding and what future observations are planned. Math is provided in boxes and easily read around, making the book suitable for courses taking either mathematical or qualitative approaches. New discussion questions encourage students to think widely about astronomy and the role science plays in our everyday lives and podcasts for each chapter aid studying and comprehension.

Discovering the Essential Universe

Discovering the Essential Universe
Author: Neil F. Comins
Publisher: Macmillan
Total Pages: 582
Release: 2008-12-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9781429217972

Freeman’s briefest, least expensive introductory astronomy text. Discovering the Essential Universe, Fourth Edition (DEU 4e) is designed to help students overcome common misconceptions about astronomy. It provides up-to-date explanations of core concepts in a flexible and student-friendly text, supported by an impressive collection of multimedia resources developed by astronomy education researchers.

Universe

Universe
Author: DK
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 528
Release: 2020-09-08
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0744036534

Marvel at the wonders of the universe, from stars and planets to black holes and nebulae, in this exploration of our solar system and beyond. Universe opens with a look at astronomy and the history of the Universe, using 3D artworks to provide a comprehensive grounding in the fundamental concepts of astronomy, including the basic techniques of practical astronomy. The core of the book is a tour of the cosmos covering the Solar System, the Milky Way, and galaxies beyond our own. Explanatory pages introduce different celestial phenomena, such as galaxies, and are followed by catalogs that profile the most interesting and important examples. A comprehensive star atlas completes the picture, with entries on each of the 88 constellations and a monthly sky guide showing the night sky as it appears throughout the year as viewed from both the northern and southern hemispheres.

Discovering the Universe

Discovering the Universe
Author: William J. Kaufmann
Publisher: Macmillan
Total Pages: 628
Release: 2008-12-26
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9781429230421

Discovering the Universe: From the Stars to the Planets engages students with an inquiry-based exploration of the universe and the scientific process. Developed with a “big picture” approach, the text first explains how the stars, the galaxies, and the entire universe formed, and then discusses planets and other components of our solar system. Students follow this natural conceptual progression within a proven learning method designed to address misconceptions and build a deep understanding of science and the world around us.

Classifying the Cosmos

Classifying the Cosmos
Author: Steven J. Dick
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 494
Release: 2019-03-21
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030103803

Since the invention of the telescope 400 years ago, astronomers have rapidly discovered countless celestial objects. But how does one make sense of it all? Astronomer and former NASA Chief Historian Steven J. Dick brings order to this menagerie by defining 82 classes of astronomical objects, which he places in a beginner-friendly system known as "Astronomy’s Three Kingdoms.” Rather than concentrating on technicalities, this system focuses on the history of each object, the nature of its discovery, and our current knowledge about it. The ensuing book can therefore be read on at least two levels. On one level, it is an illustrated guide to various types of astronomical wonders. On another level, it is considerably more: the first comprehensive classification system to cover all celestial objects in a consistent manner. Accompanying each spread are spectacular historical and modern images. The result is a pedagogical tour-de-force, whereby readers can easily master astronomy’s three realms of planets, stars, and galaxies.

Introduction to Astrochemistry

Introduction to Astrochemistry
Author: Satoshi Yamamoto
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 293
Release: 2017-02-13
Genre: Science
ISBN: 4431541713

This important book describes the basic principles of astrochemistry—an interdisciplinary field combining astronomy, physics, and chemistry—with particular emphasis on its physical and chemical background. Chemical processes in diffuse clouds, dense quiescent molecular clouds, star-forming regions, and protoplanetary disks are discussed. A brief introduction to molecular spectroscopy and observational techniques is also presented. These contents provide astronomers with a comprehensive understanding of how interstellar matter is evolved and brought into stars and planets, which is ultimately related to the origin of the solar system. The subject matter will also be understandable and useful for physical chemists who are interested in exotic chemical processes occurring in extreme physical conditions. The book is a valuable resource for all researchers beginning at the graduate level.

Light on Dark Matter

Light on Dark Matter
Author: F.P. Israël
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 552
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9400946724

'Light on Dark Matter', held from 10-14 June 1985 in the Dutch seaside resort of Noordwijk, was the first international conference devoted to the results of the all-sky survey by the US-Dutch-UK Infra-Red Astronomical Satellite (IRAS). As such, it was a hommage to the scientists, engineers and technicians who conceived, built and operated this extremely successful satellite. That this was generally felt to be the case, was proven by the large number of participants (over 200 from seventeen different nations), the li vely discussions, and the great variety of topics presented during the meeting. All this not withstanding a typical Dutch summer: gale-force winds, heavy cloud cover, and meter-high surf crashing onto a beach on which only the hardy ventur. ed. Most participants contented themselves by watching the lonely seagulls patrolling the North Sea coastline through the panoramic windows of the conference center. Parallel to the IRAS Conference, a Workshop on Infrared Properties of Interstellar Grains was organized by J. M. Greenberg of the Leiden Laboratory Astrophysics Group: a busy shuttling of participants between the Workshop room and the Main Conference Hall showed that many found it hard to choose. A large number of people were invol ved in making the Conference a success: in the first place the scientific organizers with their valuable advice and the conference speakers, among which I would like to mention Dr. J. H.