Publication Abstracts

Langer 1978

Langer, W.D., 1978: The formation of molecules in interstellar clouds from singly and multiply ionized atoms. Astrophys. J., 225, 860-868, doi:10.1086/156550.

Soft X-rays and cosmic rays produce multiply ionized atoms which may initiate molecule production in interstellar clouds. This molecule production can occur via ion-molecule reactions with H2,either directly from the multiply ionized atom (e.g., C++ + H2 → CH+ + H+), or indirectly from the singly ionized atoms (e.g., N+ + H2 → NH+ + H) that are formed from the recombination or charge transfer of the highly ionized atom (e.g., N++ + e → N+ + hν). We investigate the contribution of these reactions to the abundances of carbon-, nitrogen-, and oxygen-bearing molecules in isobaric models of diffuse clouds. In the presence of the average flux estimated for the diffuse soft X-ray background, multiply ionized atoms contribute only minimally (a few percent) to carbon-bearing molecules such as CH. In the neighborhood of diffuse structures or discrete sources, however, where the X-ray flux is enhanced, multiple ionization is considerably more important for molecule production. %DO http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/1978/1978_Langer.pdf

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BibTeX Citation

@article{la01300e,
  author={Langer, W. D.},
  title={The formation of molecules in interstellar clouds from singly and multiply ionized atoms},
  year={1978},
  journal={Astrophysical Journal},
  volume={225},
  pages={860--868},
  doi={10.1086/156550},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - la01300e
AU  - Langer, W. D.
PY  - 1978
TI  - The formation of molecules in interstellar clouds from singly and multiply ionized atoms
JA  - Astrophys. J.
JO  - Astrophysical Journal
VL  - 225
SP  - 860
EP  - 868
DO  - 10.1086/156550
ER  -

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