Some aspects of condensation in clouds

Several general features of nucleation characteristics of low-density cosmic clouds are discussed. These are: (1) tendency for metastable condensates to form; (2) nonoccurrence of nominal refractory molecules in the gas; (3) a strong temperature dependence of condensation at relatively low temperatures; and (4) significant vibrational disequilibrium in cosmic clouds. These support previous analyses which indicate that equilibrium calculations have restricted applicability. A kinetic treatment of condensation is required for cosmic grains, and the possibility of formulating such an analysis is pointed out.