Ionization cross-section measurements for two PAH molecules - Implications for the heating of diffuse interstellar gas
L. Verstraete, A. Leger, L. D'Hendecourt, D. Defourneau, O. Dutuit;
AaA, 1990, 237, 436
ABSTRACT:It has been suggested that photoionization of PAH molecules could be a very efficient heating process for the diffuse interstellar medium.
To
estimate this heat input, measurements of photoionization cross-sections
were performed for two PAH molecules, coronene and pyrene.
It is found that
the PAH heating rate could be dominant for the cold diffuse clouds and
provide a significant fraction of the heating required to support the warm
phase at the observed pressure.
KEYWORDS: gaseous diffusion, hydrocarbons, interstellar gas, ionization cross sections, abundance, diffuse radiation, gas pressure, molecular collisions, photoionization
CODE: verstraete90