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Abundance of atomic carbon /C I/ in dense interstellar cloudsThe abundance of interstellar neutral atomic carbon is investigated by means of its ground state fine-structure line emission at 492 GHz using the 91.5 cm telescope of NASAs Kuiper Airborne Observatory. Atomic carbon is found to be very abundant in dense interstellar molecular clouds with column densities of about 10 to the 19th per sq cm. Because the observations have considerably greater column densities than current theories of carbon chemistry, it is suggested that the physical conditions of these clouds are not as simple as assumed in the models. Various situations are discussed which would lead to large C I abundances, including the possibility that the chemical lifetimes of the clouds are relatively short.
Document ID
19820037957
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Phillips, T. G.
(California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA, United States)
Huggins, P. J.
(New York University New York, NY, United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
December 15, 1981
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
82A21492
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG2-1
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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