Molecular Hydrogen in Space: (Cambridge Contemporary Astrophysics)

Molecular hydrogen is the most abundant molecule in the Universe. In recent years, advances in theory and laboratory experiments coupled with breakthrough observations with important new telescopes and satellites have revolutionized our understanding of molecular hydrogen in space. It is now possible to address the question of how molecular hydrogen formed in the early Universe and the role it played in the formation of primordial structures. This timely volume presents articles from a host of experts who reviewed this new understanding at an international conference in Paris. This book provides the first multi-disciplinary synthesis of our new understanding of molecular hydrogen. It covers the theory of the physical processes and laboratory experiments, as well as the latest observations. It will therefore be an invaluable reference for all students and researchers in astrophysics and cosmology.

Table of Contents:
Preface; Conference participants; Conference photograph/poster; Part I. Physics of H2 and HD: 1. Astrophysical importance of H2; 2. Radiative and electronic excitation of Lyman and Werner transitions in H2; 3. The cooling of astrophysical media by H2 and HD; 4. Highly excited singlet ungerade states of H2 and their theoretical description; 5. Laboratory studies of long-range excited states of H2; 6. A model of interstellar Dark Matter; 7. Mass of H2 dark matter in the galactic halo; Part II. Formation – Destruction: 8. Experiments with trapped ions and nanoparticles; 9. Laboratory studies of modular hydrogen formation on surfaces of astrophysical interest; 10. The formation of H2 and other simple molecules on interstellar grains; 11. The interaction of H atoms with interstellar dust particles: models; 12. The energetics and efficiency of H2 formation on the surface of simulated interstellar grains; 13. Probing the connection between PAHs and Hydrogen (H, H2) in the laboratory and in the interstellar medium; Part III. Observations and Models: 14. Non stationary C-shocks: H2 emission in molecular outflows; 15. The Ortho/Para ratio in C and J-type shocks; 16. Theoretical models of photodissociation fronts; 17. ISO spectroscopy of H2 in star forming regions; 18. Observations of the H2 Ortho-Para ratio in photodissociation regions;19. H2 emission from CRL618; 20. Hydrogen in photodissociation regions: NGC2023 and NGC7023; 21. A pre-FUSE view of H2; 22. H2 absorption line measurements with ORFEUS; 23. Ultraviolet observations of molecular hydrogen in interstellar space; 24. FUSE and deuterated molecular hydrogen; 25. ISO-SWS observations of H2 in galactic sources; 26. H2 in molecular supernova remnants; 27. 3D integral field H2 spectroscopy in outflows; 28. Near-infrared imaging and [OI] spectroscopy of IC443 using 2MASS and ISO; 29. ISOCAM spectro-imaging of the supernova remnant IC443; 30. Spatial structure of a photo-dissociation region in ophiucus; 31. Tracing H2 via infrared dust extinction; 32. The small scale structure of H2 clouds; 33. Hot chemistry in the cold diffuse medium: spectral signature in the H2 rotational lines; 34. H2 observations of the OMC-1 outflow with the ISO-SWS; Part IV. Extragalactic and Cosmology: 35. The role of H2 molecules in cosmological structure formation; 36. The role of H2 molecules in primordial star formation; 37. Evolution of primordial H2 for different cosmological models; 38. Dynamics of H2 cool fronts in the primordial gas; 39. Is reionization regulated by H2 in the early universe?; 41. Transformation of galaxies within the Hubble sequence; 42. Extragalactic H2 and its variable relation to CO; 43. The galactic dark matter halo: It is H2?; 44. Observations of H2 in quasar absorbers; 45. H2 emission as a diagnostic of physical processes in starforming galaxies; Part V. Outlook: 46. H2 in the universe: perspectives; Author index.

Review :
'… an invaluable reference for all students and researchers in astrophysics and cosmology.' Europe & Astronomy 'This book covers what seems like a very narrow subject - a conference on the behaviour of one molecule in the interstellar medium. But what a molecule! This conference proceedings, like all others, is a mixed bag of excellent reviews, reports of important and novel work, and of course more ephemeral recent results. its particular virtue is that the conference was set at an important time with results from ISO and now FUSE available, with major new calculations being completed, and with exciting new laboratory experiments being done … a pleasure to hold, and not wildly expensive.' Peter W. J. L. Brand, The Observatory