Interstellar Astrochemistry

俄亥俄州立大学的埃里克·赫布斯特博士将继续研究由气体和尘埃组成的星际云的化学性质。这些云的一部分正在坍缩，形成新的恒星，也可能是行星。这项研究计划的目标是了解在星际云中不寻常的物理条件下发生的各种化学过程，并在大规模的化学模拟中利用这些过程。到目前为止，赫布斯特博士的模拟只利用了发生在星际云气相中的化学反应；他现在将包括发生在微小尘埃颗粒上的过程。赫布斯特博士还打算研究发生在星际云中的各种化学过程，这些过程在实验室中知之甚少。

Dr. Eric Herbst at Ohio State University will continue a program of research in the chemistry of interstellar clouds made up of gas and dust. Portions of these clouds are in the process of collapsing to form new stars and probably planets as well. The objectives of this research program are to understand the various types of chemical processes that are occurring under the unusual physical conditions present in interstellar clouds and to utilize these processes in large scale simulations of the chemistry. Up to now Dr. Herbst's simulations have utilized only chemical reactions occurring in the gas phase of interstellar clouds; he will now include processes occurring on tiny dust particles as well. Dr. Herbst also intends to study a variety of chemical processes that occur in interstellar clouds that are poorly understood in the laboratory.