Cosmic-ray-induced photodissociation and photoionization rates of interstellar molecules

Abstract

In the Prasad-Tarafdar mechanism, ultraviolet photons are created in the interior of dense interstellar clouds by the impact excitation of molecular hydrogen by secondary electrons generated by cosmic-ray ionization. Detailed calculations of the emission spectrum are described, and the resulting photodissociation and photoionization rates of a wide range of interstellar molecules are calculated.