ISO's View on the Interstellar Medium and Star Formation

Other

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Scientific paper

The Infrared Space Observatory (ISO), launched November 17 1995, provides the first opportunity for spectroscopic observations over the complete 2.4-200 mu m wavelength range above the atmosphere. Its scientific payload consists of 4 instruments: a short wavelength spectrometer (SWS), a long wavelength spectrometer (LWS), a camera (ISOCAM) and an imaging photopolarimeter (ISOPHOT). The two spectrometers provide resolving powers ranging from 200 to 30,000. The wavelength range covered by ISO is very rich in atomic and molecular lines, so that a wide variety of astrophysical objects (ionized and neutral interstellar clouds, star-forming regions, stars, galaxies, planetary atmospheres, comets) are being observed. In this talk, an overview will be presented of the most exciting new results on the interstellar medium and star formation obtained with the SWS and LWS. These include direct observations of the rotational transitions of the dominant interstellar molecule, H_2, which are readily detected in warm molecular gas found in photon-dominated regions, shocks, and the envelopes and circumstellar disks around young stellar objects. The data provide important constraints on the physical state of these regions, the heating and cooling mechanisms, and the fraction of warm gas at >=100 K. Other topics include the surprising detection of new solid--state features due to crystalline silicates and PAH's in the mid-infrared spectra of old and young stars and comets, the observation of high ionization lines in planetary nebulae, the identification of new molecules in interstellar ices, and the wealth of data on gas-phase H_2O in a variety of objects. The observations will be discussed in the context of the physical and chemical evolution of low- and high-mass young stellar objects.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

ISO's View on the Interstellar Medium and Star Formation does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with ISO's View on the Interstellar Medium and Star Formation, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and ISO's View on the Interstellar Medium and Star Formation will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-831922

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.