Solid State Astrochemistry (Nato Science Series. II. Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, 120)

The fundamental role that Astrochemistry plays into regulating the processes that in interstellar clouds lead to the formation of stars, and how these processes concur into affecting the shape and the dynamics of galaxies and hence into showing the Universe in the way it appears to us is well established. Together with those occurring in the gas phase a special relevance is recognized to processes that involve interstellar dust grains, the solid component of matter diffused among stars. The school on "Solid State Astrochemistry", held at the Ettore Majorana Centre for Scientific Culture in Erice (Sicily) from the 5th to the 15th of June 2000, was the fifth course of the International School of Space Chemistry. In spite of its very focused aim it was attended by 66 participants from 17 different countries, that in the very special environment provided by the Majorana Centre, discussed in great details the various aspects of the subject. Front Matter....Pages i-viii The Interstellar Medium: An Overview....Pages 1-20 Important Open Questions in Astrochemistry: How Can Dust Help?....Pages 21-35 In Dust We Trust: An Overview of Observations and Theories of Interstellar Dust....Pages 37-84 Cosmic Silicates - A Review....Pages 85-103 Interstellar Chemistry in the Gas and on the Surfaces of Dust Particles....Pages 105-146 How to Identify Diffuse Band Carriers?....Pages 147-174 Matrix and Gas - Phase Spectroscopic Studies of Possible DIB Carriers....Pages 175-210 Chemical Reactions on Solid Surfaces of Astrophysical Interest....Pages 211-250 From Interstellar Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Ice to Astrobiology....Pages 251-316 Ice Chemistry in Space....Pages 317-356 Ion Interactions with Solids: Astrophysical Applications....Pages 357-393 Trans-Neptunian Objects....Pages 395-416 Chemical Models: Where to Start from?....Pages 417-429 The Chemical Evolution of TMC-1....Pages 431-439 The Model of Chemical Composition of Halley Dust Particles....Pages 441-446 Back Matter....Pages 447-463

The fundamentals of astrochemistry in the gas phase are relatively well established, in contrast to the special relevance attributed to processes involving interstellar dust grains - the solid component of matter diffused among the stars.
This book presents the state of the art in relation to the ways grains interact with gases, the catalytic role played by dust that allows key molecular species (H2 as well as many complex, possibly prebiotic species) to be formed on its surface - which cannot be obtained efficiently by any other mechanisms, and the interaction between solids (dust grains, icy mantles, cometary nuclei, satellites of the giant planets and minor bodies in the Solar system) in space and energetic agents such as UV photons and fast particles.
The presence and importance of PAH, which may represent the smallest component of the grains, is considered in relation to possible astrobiological pathways and the ever-present mystery of the ubiquitous presence of Diffuse Interstellar Bands and their carriers.

The astrochemical interaction of interstellar dust grains (the "solid component of matter diffused among the stars") with other grains and with gases in stars and interstellar clouds was the subject of the fifth course of the International School of Space Chemistry held in June of 2000. Fifteen papers from the gathering are presented here by Krelowski (Center for Astronomy, N. Copernicus U., Poland) and his colleagues Pirronello and Manico (both of DMFCI Universita di Catania, Italy). Among the topics discussed are a review of the cosmic silicates, the identification of diffuse band carriers, chemical reactions on solid surfaces of astrophysical interest, ice chemistry in space, ion interactions with solids, trans-Neptunian objects, and a model of the chemical composition of Halley dust particles. Annotation : 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute, Erice, Sicily, Italy, from 5 to 15 June 2000 The interstellar medium is the matter filling the space not occupied by stars in a galaxy.