Astrochimistry – Spring 2013 Interstellar PAHs

Outline
I. From Unidentified to Aromatic Infrared Bands (7 p.)
I.1 Historical background
I.2 Observational evidence
I.3 The PAH hypothesis
II. General properties of “chemical” PAHs (9 p.)
II.1 Overview of the PAH family
II.2 Electronic properties
II.3 Vibrational properties
III. Evolution of interstellar PAHs (15 p.)
III.1 Observational evidence
III.2 Dissociation of PAHs
III.3 Reactivity of PAHs
III.4 Formation of PAHs
IV. Influence of PAHs on the ISM evolution (3 p.)
IV.1 Extinction curve
IV.2 Photoelectric effect
IV.3 Formation of H 2
V. Summary
VI. Some bibliographic references
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