Interstellar Environment

Interstellar medium: physicochemical processes - phases - radio astronomy.

This UE allows to acquire notions on the physico-chemical processes important for the interstellar medium (dynamic, thermal and chemical processes) as well as on the associated observational diagnostics (molecular spectroscopy, radioastronomy). The main phases of the interstellar medium (ionized, atomic and molecular phases) are also presented.

Knowledge of important physico-chemical processes in very dilute media

Knowledge of the different phases of the interstellar medium

Introduction to radio astronomy

Atomic physics (Atoms, Molecules and Radiation)

Hydrodynamics

Recommended Prerequisites:

Astrophysics

Fluid dynamics in astrophysics and cosmology

Final written exam

Introduction: presentation of the general characteristics of the interstellar medium

Fundamental processes in atomic and molecular physics for astrophysics: Einstein coefficients - collisional excitation (inelastic collisions) - statistical equilibrium - rotation and vibration of molecules

Phases of the interstellar medium: H II region - cold atomic medium - molecular clouds

Interstellar chemistry: Astrochemistry: General - Introduction to reaction dynamics - Chemistry in the gas phase (neutral-neutral bimolecular reactions, ion-molecule,...) - Chemistry at the surface of solids (grains, ices) - Prebiotic chemistry  

Interstellar dust

Photodissociation regions: thermal and dynamic processes

Radio astronomy