NETWORK APPLICATION: A Network in Surface Science Applications in Laboratory Astrophysics

一个新的、总部设在英国的网络被提出，它将把来自一系列学科的科学家聚集在一起，他们对了解星际气体介质与尘埃颗粒表面的相互作用有着共同的兴趣。直到最近，天文学家才意识到这种气体-颗粒相互作用在星际介质化学演化中的重要性。表面科学家，既有实验的，也有理论的，现在正在研究这种相互作用的许多方面：氢和其他分子从原子形成，覆盖在颗粒上的冰壳的行为，以及这些外套层是如何被光、电子和离子加工成复杂的生物前分子的。该网络的作用将是鼓励来自不同社区的科学家之间的交流，以确保对这些复杂的相互作用有一个适当和完整的了解。为实现这一目标，将利用研究会议和培训讲习班相结合的方式，使成员了解其必须解决的一系列问题，并使成员了解必要的背景知识。研究会议将每年举行，而我们认为研讨会只有在网络存在的初始阶段才是重要的，以打破社区之间的理解障碍。该网络的初始成员将在组成该网络的社区之间密切平衡。随着网络的发展，将增加来自两个社区的新成员，以确保持续的平衡。

A new, UK-based network is proposed, which will bring together scientists from a range of disciplines with a common interest in understanding the interaction of the gaseous interstellar medium with the surfaces of dust grains. Only relatively recently have astronomers realised the importance of this gas-grain interaction in the chemical evolution of the interstellar medium. Surface scientists, both experimental and theoretical, are now investigating many aspects of this interaction; the formation of hydrogen and other molecules from atoms, the behaviour of the icy mantles that coat the grains and how these mantles are processed to yield complex, pre-biotic molecules by light, electrons and ions. It will be the role of the network to encourage communication between scientists from different communities to ensure that a proper and complete understanding of these complex interactions is forthcoming. To achieve this aim a combination of research meetings and training workshops will be used to enlighten the membership to the range of issues it must address and to give the membership the necessary background understanding. The research meetings will be held annually, while we envisage workshops as important only in the initial stages of the network existence to break down the barriers to understanding between the communities. The initial membership of the network will be closely balanced between communities comprising the network. As the network develops, new members from both communities will be added to ensure a continued balance.