Article
The composition of interstellar molecular clouds
SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS
Publication Date
1999
Abstract
We consider four aspects of interstellar chemistry for comparison with comets: molecular abundances in general, relative abundances of isomers (specifically, HCN and HNC), ortho/para ratios for molecules, and isotopic fractionation, particularly for the ratio hydrogen/deuterium. Since the environment in which the solar system formed is not well constrained, we consider both isolated dark clouds where low mass stars may form and the "hot cores" that are the sites of high mass star formation. Attention is concentrated on the gas phase, since the grains are considered elsewhere in this volume.
Disciplines
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005258300558
Pages
203-218
Citation Information
William M. Irvine. "The composition of interstellar molecular clouds" SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS Vol. 90 Iss. 1-2 (1999) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/wirvine/90/
The published version is located at http://www.springerlink.com/content/r8t24w827755585q/