In Rep. Prog. Phys. 70 (2007) 1099-1176
astro-ph/0511534
For a PDF version of the article, click
here.
MOLECULES IN GALAXIES
Alain Omont
Institut d'Astrophysique de
Paris, CNRS and Université Pierre et
Marie Curie, 98bis Bd Arago, 75014 Paris, France
omont@iap.fr
Abstract.
The main achievements, current developments and prospects of molecular
studies in external galaxies are reviewed. They are put in the context
of the results of several decades of studies of molecules in local
interstellar medium, their chemistry and their importance for star
formation. CO observations have revealed the gross structure of
molecular gas in galaxies. Together with other molecules, they are among
the best tracers of star formation at galactic scales. Our knowledge
about molecular abundances in various local galactic environments is
progressing. They trace physical conditions and metallicity, and they
are closely related to dust processes and large aromatic
molecules. Major recent developments include mega-masers, and molecules
in Active Galactic Nuclei; millimetre emission of molecules at very high
redshift; and infrared H2 emission as tracer of warm
molecular gas, shocks and photodissociation regions. The advent of
sensitive giant interferometers from the centimetre to sub-millimetre
range, especially ALMA in the near future in the mm/submm range, will
open a new area for molecular studies in galaxies and their use to trace
star formation at all distances.
Table of Contents
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
- Central role of the interstellar medium (ISM) in
the physics, structure, evolution and multi-lambda emission of
galaxies
- Molecular gas is a major component of the ISM
- Landmarks of the history of the discovery and
studies of interstellar molecules in the Milky Way (MW)
- Main achievements of molecular studies in
external galaxies
- COSMIC MOLECULES AND LOCAL INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM
- Physics and various components of the local
interstellar molecular gas
- Observational techniques
- Modelling (millimetre) molecular line formation,
and diagnostic of physical conditions and molecular abundances in the
ISM
- Uniqueness of basic processes of interstellar
chemistry
- Relation between interstellar and other cosmic
molecules
- CO OBSERVATIONS AND GROSS STRUCTURE OF MOLECULAR GAS
IN THE MILKY WAY
- Introduction: atomic and molecular interstellar
gas
- Molecular gas in the Milky Way at galactic scale
- CO OBSERVATIONS AND GROSS STRUCTURE OF MOLECULAR GAS
IN OTHER GALAXIES
- Molecular gas in spiral galaxies from CO surveys
of local galaxies
- Molecular gas in other types of galaxies
- MOLECULES AS TRACERS OF STAR FORMATION AT GALACTIC
SCALES
- Introduction. Star formation rate
- Star formation and molecular clouds in
non-starburst galaxies
- Molecular gas and starbursts in luminous and
ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs and ULIRGs)
- OH mega-masers.
- MOLECULAR ABUNDANCES IN VARIOUS LOCAL GALACTIC
ENVIRONMENTS
- Summary of standard molecular abundances in
various regions of the Milky Way, and models of interstellar
chemistry
- Observed abundance variations in local galaxies:
I. the Magellanic Clouds
- Observed abundance variations in local galaxies:
II. Nearby starbursts and other galaxies
- Abundance ratios of isotopic varieties, and
inferences for chemical evolution of galaxies
- TRENDS IN MOLECULAR ABUNDANCES FROM ABSORPTION LINES
AT HIGH REDSHIFT
- H2 UV absorption lines in Damped
Lyman-alpha systems of quasars
- Millimetre and radio absorption lines in lensing
galaxies and radio-sources
- MOLECULES, DUST AND PAHS (LARGE AROMATIC MOLECULES)
- Introduction. Interplay between dust and
molecules in galaxies
- Mid-infrared emission of PAHs in galaxies
- Diffuse Interstellar Bands (DIBs) in galaxies
- Molecular infrared spectral features in
extragalactic dust
- MILLIMETRE EMISSION OF MOLECULES AT VERY HIGH
REDSHIFT
- Star formation and ULIRGs at high redshift
- CO studies
- Molecules in the host galaxies of high-z AGN
- Other species and detailed studies through strong
gravitational lensing
- INFRARED H2 EMISSION, TRACER OF WARM
MOLECULAR GAS, SHOCKS AND PHOTODISSOCIATION REGIONS
- Basic features and physics of H2
emission, and Milky Way observations
- The 2µm H2 emission in
galaxies
- Mid-IR H2 pure-rotational lines in
galaxies
- Prospects for detecting H2 in
forming galaxies
- MOLECULES AND ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI (AGN)
- Interplay between super-massive black holes
and their host galaxy
- Molecules in the central regions and fueling
the AGN
- H2O mega-masers and AGN molecular
disks
- PROSPECTS
- Waiting for ALMA: ongoing studies and
submillimetre breakthroughs
- The ALMA revolution
- Accompanying- and post-ALMA: JWST, extremely
large telescopes and SKA
- GENERAL CONCLUSION
- REFERENCES
- List of Main Abbreviations
