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The Atomic-to-Molecular Transition in Turbulent Media


  Shmuel Bialy  ,  Blakesly Burkhart [2]  ,  Amiel Sternberg [1]  
 [1] Tel Aviv University
[2] Harvard Smithonian Center for Astrophysics

The conversion of interstellar gas from atomic to molecular form (dominated by H and H2) is of critical importance for star-formation and for galaxy evolution.
The H-to-H2 conversion is also vital for the formation of complex molecules, observed in interstellar gas clouds.
I will present a theoretical model for the atomic-to-molecular transition in turbulent gas, irradiated by far-UV radiation.
The properties of the atomic transition layer depend on three dimensionless parameters, the gas metallicity, the H2 formation-to-photodissociation ratio, and the sonic Mach number.
I will compare our analytical results to 21 cm of atomic gas in Galactic clouds.