Molecules In Interstellar Space Research Articles

On Para-and Orthohydrogen Molecules in Interstellar Space.

view Abstract Citations (27) References (15) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS On Para-and Orthohydrogen Molecules in Interstellar Space. Osterbrock, D. E. Abstract The relative amounts of para- and orthohydrogen in interstellar space are estimated. These depend on transition probabilities between successive rotational levels in the ground electronic and vibrational state of the H1 molecule The probability of the radiative transition 2 H 1 is so much larger than the probability of the quadrupole transition 2 H 0 that nearly every molecule that is excited to the level J = 2 goes down to J = 0 via J = 1 The rates of conversion between para- and orthohydrogen (and vice versa) by this process are estimated, and it is shown that, though the equilibrium amount of orthohydrogen is small, its presence could in principle be detected observationally by its far-infrared line emission. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: September 1962 DOI: 10.1086/147388 Bibcode: 1962ApJ...136..359O full text sources ADS |

The Density of Molecules in Interstellar Space.

The Density of Molecules in Interstellar Space.