Probing the chemical environments of early star formation : a multidisciplinary approach
Authors
Hardegree-Ullman, Emily Elizabeth
ORCID
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Other Contributors
Whittet, D. C. B. (Doug C. B.)
Newberg, Heidi
Roberge, W. G. (Wayne G.)
Swindle, Timothy D.
Watson, E. Bruce
Newberg, Heidi
Roberge, W. G. (Wayne G.)
Swindle, Timothy D.
Watson, E. Bruce
Issue Date
2014-05
Keywords
Multidisciplinary science
Degree
PhD
Terms of Use
This electronic version is a licensed copy owned by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. Copyright of original work retained by author.
Full Citation
Abstract
Chemical compositions of prestellar and protostellar environments in the dense interstellar medium are best quantified using a multidisciplinary approach. For my dissertation, I completed two projects to measure molecular abundances during the earliest phases of star formation. The first project investigates gas phase CO depletion in molecular cloud cores, the progenitors of star systems, using infrared photometry and molecular line spectroscopy at radio wavelengths. Hydrogenation of CO depleted onto dust is an important first step toward building complex organic molecules. The second project constrains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) abundances toward young stellar objects (YSO). Band strengths measured from laboratory spectroscopy of pyrene/water ice mixtures were applied to estimate abundances from features attributed to PAHs in observational YSO spectra. PAHs represent a distinct but important component of interstellar organic material that is widely observed but not well quantified in star-forming regions.
Description
May 2014
School of Science
School of Science
Department
Multidisciplinary Science Program
Publisher
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Relationships
Rensselaer Theses and Dissertations Online Collection
Access
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