We present large area, fully-sampled maps of the Carina molecular cloud complex in the CO (J = 4 → 3) and neutral carbon [C I] P1 → 3 P0 transitions. These data were obtained using the 1.7 meter diameter Antarctic Submillimeter Telescope and Remote Observatory (AST/RO). The maps cover an area of approximately 3 square degrees with a uniform 1 spatial sampling. Analysis of these data, in conjunc...

This paper reviews the theoretical approaches and existing models of the solar wind interaction with the Local Interstellar Cloud (LIC). Models discussed take into account the multi-component nature of the solar wind and local interstellar medium. Basic results of the modeling and their possible applications to interpretation of space experiments are summarized. Open questions of global modelin...

Massive OB stars play an important role in the evolution of molecular clouds and star forming regions. The OB stars both photo–ionize molecular gas as well as sweep up and compress interstellar gas through winds, ionization fronts, and supernovae. In this contribution, we examine the effect massive stars have on the formation of young stellar clusters. We first discuss the processes by which OB...

We present the first Chandra results of the giant molecular cloud Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2), located about 100 pc away from the Galactic center. Diffuse X-rays are clearly separated from one-and-a-half dozen resolved point sources. The X-ray spectrum exhibits pronounced iron Kshell transition lines at 6.40 keV (Kα) and 7.06 keV (Kβ), deep iron K-edge at 7.11 keV and large photo-electric absorptio...

The cumulene carbenes are important components of hydrocarbon chemistry in low-mass star-forming cores. Here we report the first astronomical detection of the long-chain cumulene carbene H2C6 in the interstellar cloud TMC-1, from observations of two of its rotational transitions: J(K,K') = 7(1,7) --> 6(1,6) at 18.8 GHz and 8(1,8) --> 7(1,7) at 21.5 GHz, using NASA's Deep Space Network 70 m ante...

We present a clear detection of CH 2 in absorption towards the molecular cloud complexes Sagittarius B2 and W49 N using the ISO Long Wavelength Spectrometer. These observations represent the first detection of its low excitation rotational lines in the interstellar medium. Towards Sagittarius B2, we detect both ortho and para transitions allowing a determination of the total CH 2 column density...

We explore the energetics of the titular reaction, which current astrochemical databases consider to be open at typical dense molecular (i.e., dark) cloud conditions. As is common for reactions involving the transfer of light particles, we assume that there are no intersystem crossings of the potential energy surfaces involved. In the absence of any such crossings, we find that this reaction is...

In this series of papers we study the structure of the atomic to molecular transition in the giant atomic-molecular complexes that are the repositories of most molecular gas in galaxies, with the ultimate goal of attaining a better understanding of what determines galaxies’ molecular content. Here we derive an approximate analytic solution for the structure of a photodissociation region (PDR) i...

In cold molecular clouds submillimetre emission lines are excited by the ambient radiation field. The pumping is dominated by the cosmic microwave background (CMB). It is usual in molecular line radiative transfer modelling to simply assume that this is the only incident radiation field. In this paper, a molecular line transport code and a dust radiative transfer code are used to explore the ef...

Combined heliosphere-astronomical data and models enrich our understanding both of effects the solar galactic environment might have on the inner heliosphere, and of interstellar clouds. Present data suggest that N(Fe+)/N(Do) increases toward the upwind direction of the cluster of interstellar clouds (CLIC) flowing past the Sun. Cloud kinematics and abundances suggest an origin related to a sup...