Effects of shocks on the molecular composition of a dense interstellar cloud

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (88) References (38) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Effects of shocks on the molecular composition of a dense interstellar cloud. Mitchell, G. F. Abstract Abundances of 113 species have been followed for 100,000 yr after passage of a shock through an interstellar cloud of initial density 10,000/cu cm. Calculations were performed for shock speeds from 5 to 20 km/s. It is found that the shock becomes dissociative for a speed of about 17 km/s, and that molecules of CO, N2, and CO2 are little affected by shocks ranging from 5 to 15 km/s. For shocks of 7-16 km/s, much of the available atomic C, N, and O is incorporated into molecules as a result of post-shock chemical processing. The molecules H2O, H2CO, CH2, CH3, CH4, NH3, and HCN attain very high postshock abundances over most of the range of shock speeds 5-15 km/s. Other molecules attain high postshock abundances for at least part of this range. Shock synthesis of hydrocarbon molecules with more than three carbon atoms is less effective in a dense than in a diffuse cloud. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series Pub Date: January 1984 DOI: 10.1086/190919 Bibcode: 1984ApJS...54...81M Keywords: Abundance; Interstellar Chemistry; Molecular Clouds; Shock Waves; Chemical Composition; Chemical Reactions; Dissociation; Hydrocarbons; Tables (Data); Astrophysics full text sources ADS |