Astrochemistry

A fully revised new edition of an introductory text to the dynamic and fascinating subject of astrochemistry

Since the first edition in 2006 of Astrochemistry, the Mars rovers have driven 31.18 miles, there has been fly-by of Pluto changing it from a 4-pixel world on the Hubble Space Telescope into a mysterious non-planet. There have been visits to asteroids, revisiting Mercury, discovery of the Higgs Boson, discovery of over 2000 extrasolar planets and landing on the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko by Rosetta mission - hence the timely publication of this new edition.

This core textbook now includes more detailed information on the kinetic modelling of chemistry in the interstellar medium, extending the same principles of physical chemistry to meteor ablation and finally atmospheres and oceans. The increase in density from near-emptiness to 1.35 x 1021 L of water in the world's oceans is used to take single collision kinetics into ensemble thermodynamics. A new introduction of thermodynamic using meteor ablation replaces traditional bomb calorimetry and per-biotic chemistry leads to spontaneous reactions.

New to the second edition:

• An extended discussion on matter, dark or otherwise, interstellar and stellar chemistry and the origin of pre-biotic molecules

• Detailed chemical kinetic models for mechanisms of chemistry in the interstellar medium

• Origins of life in solution, enzyme kinetics and catalysis

• A review of Mars and Titan as habitats for life

• Fully referenced throughout to reflect the research frontier

• An introduction to the idea of analytical mathematical engines that can do all of the heavy mathematics and fostering the skill of setting up a model and testing it

• 200 problems with detailed solutions

Written for undergraduate and postgraduate students in astrochemistry or more generally physical chemistry, the new edition of Astrochemistry is an important introductory text to the topic, the latest developments in the field and the ubiquity of physical chemistry.

Autorentext

Andrew M. Shaw, PhD, is Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Exeter, UK. Professor Shaw's research concentrates on quantitative descriptions of physical chemistry interpreted with fully mechanistic mathematical models.

Klappentext

This book is the second edition of a successful introductory textbook on the dynamic and fascinating subject of astrochemistry. The first edition, 'Astrochemistry: from Astronomy to Astrobiology', was one of the first and most important contributions to the field which has grown rapidly in the last decade and will continue to do so in the future.

This fully revised and updated new edition adopts the logical style to analyse new data and results, including WMAP data and Planck data, to form stimulating discussions in connection with the cosmic microwave background, the exploration of Mars by the orbitors and the rovers, and the work in the Saturnian system by Cassini and the Huygens probe. Questions are raised as to what was found, what might be found, how the data can be interpreted and what the consequences may be for life in the solar system. To reflect the significant increase of orbiting telescopes and their results, the section on telescopes has been updated, localising each telescope to its part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Furthermore, the topic of comet chemistry is extended to include the eagerly awaited arrival at of Rosetta at comet 67P C-G, estimates of albedo, temperature at aphelion and perihelion, and the consequences for energy balance. The book is highly illustrated with diagram and photographs. Each chapter also includes examples of worked examples and problems for students and readers to test their knowledge. Furthermore, interactive online material is available which is being continually updated as new results come out.

Zusammenfassung

A fully revised new edition of an introductory text to the dynamic and fascinating subject of astrochemistry

Since the first edition in 2006 of Astrochemistry, the Mars rovers have driven 31.18 miles, there has been fly-by of Pluto changing it from a 4-pixel world on the Hubble Space Telescope into a mysterious non-planet. There have been visits to asteroids, revisiting Mercury, discovery of the Higgs Boson, discovery of over 2000 extrasolar planets and landing on the comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko by Rosetta mission hence the timely publication of this new edition.

This core textbook now includes more detailed information on the kinetic modelling of chemistry in the interstellar medium, extending the same principles of physical chemistry to meteor ablation and finally atmospheres and oceans. The increase in density from near-emptiness to 1*.*35 × 1021 L of water in the world's oceans is used to take single collision kinetics into ensemble thermodynamics. A new introduction of thermodynamic using meteor ablation replaces traditional bomb calorimetry and per-biotic chemistry leads to spontaneous reactions.

New to the second edition:

• An extended discussion on matter, dark or otherwise, interstellar and stellar chemistry and the origin of pre-biotic molecules
• Detailed chemical kinetic models for mechanisms of chemistry in the interstellar medium
• Origins of life in solution, enzyme kinetics and catalysis
• A review of Mars and Titan as habitats for life
• Fully referenced throughout to reflect the research frontier
• An introduction to the idea of analytical mathematical engines that can do all of the heavy mathematics and fostering the skill of setting up a model and testing it
• 200 problems with detailed solutions
  Written for undergraduate and postgraduate students in astrochemistry or more generally physical chemistry, the new edition of Astrochemistry is an important introductory text to the topic, the latest developments in the field and the

Inhalt
Preface

Preface to 2nd Edition

About the companion website

1. The Molecular Universe

2. Starlight, galaxies and clusters

3. Atomic and molecular astronomy

4. Stellar chemistry

5. The interstellar medium

6. Meteorite and comet chemistry

7. Planetary chemistry

8. Prebiotic chemistry

9. Primitive life forms

10. Mars and Titan - Habitats for Life?