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Cover image for Chemistry in space : from interstellar matter to the origin of life
Title:
Chemistry in space : from interstellar matter to the origin of life
Personal Author:
Publication Information:
Weinheim, GW. : Wiley-VCH, c2010.
Physical Description:
x, 291 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 24 cm.
ISBN:
9783527326891
Subject Term:

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30000010280605 QB450 R44 2010 Open Access Book Book
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Summary

Summary

The dynamic field of extraterrestrial chemistry brings together ideas of chemistr, astrophysics, and biology to the study of molecules between stars, around stars, and on plantes. This book serves as an introduction to chemial processes under ?unearthly? and hence usually extreme conditions (temperature, pressure, high or low density, bombardment by cosmic rays), and their impact on the early development of our solar system, as well as providing a deeper understanding of processes in earthly regions where conditions approach those of extraterrestrial areas.
A unique and extraordinary perspective written with chemists in mind. An excellent practical book for inorganic, and physical chemists, spectroscopists, astronomers, and libraries.

From the contents:

* Introduction and technical notes
* Origin and development of the universe
* Stars
* The interstellar medium
* The solar system
* Exoplanets
* The origin of life


Author Notes

Dieter Rehder is a Chemistry Professor at the University of Hamburg, Germany. He obtained his academic degrees in Chemistry and Astronomy from the University of Hamburg, and was appointed Professor in Hamburg after two-and-a-half years of teaching appointments at The College of Arts Science and Technology in Kingston, Jamaica. He has authored over 280 publications, and received the Vanadis Award for outstanding research in vanadium chemistry in 2006. His main teaching obligations encompass Organometallic Chemistry, NMR Spectroscopy (metal nuclei), and Bioinorganic Chemistry. In 2008/09, be was guest lecturer at the University of Lund (Sweden).


Table of Contents

Prefacep. ix
1 Introduction and Technical Notesp. 1
Referencesp. 5
2 Origin and Development of the Universep. 7
2.1 The Big Bangp. 7
2.2 Cosmic Evolution: Dark Matter-the First Starsp. 10
2.3 Cosmo-Chronometryp. 12
Summaryp. 15
Referencesp. 15
3 The Evolution of Starsp. 77
3.1 Formation, Classification, and Evolution of Starsp. 17
3.1.1 Generalp. 17
3.1.2 Neutron Stars and Black Holesp. 23
3.1.3 Accretion and Hydrogen Burningp. 25
3.1.4 Nuclear Fusion Sequences Involving He, C, O, Ne, and Sip. 28
3.1.5 The r-, s-, rp- and Related Processesp. 30
3.1.5.1 Generalp. 30
3.1.5.2 Rapid Processesp. 31
3.1.5.3 Slow Processesp. 34
3.2 Chemistry in AGB Starsp. 35
3.3 Galaxies and Clustersp. 40
Summaryp. 42
Referencesp. 43
4 The Interstellar Mediump. 45
4.1 Generalp. 45
4.2 Chemistry in Interstellar Cloudsp. 50
4.2.1 Reaction Typesp. 50
4.2.2 Reaction Networksp. 54
4.2.3 Detection of Basic Interstellar Spedesp. 61
4.2.3.1 Hydrogenp. 62
4.2.3.2 Other Basic Moleculesp. 68
4.2.4 Complex Moleculesp. 74
4.2.5 Chemistry on Grainsp. 80
4.2.5.1 The Hydrogen Problemp. 81
4.2.5.2 Grain Structure, Chemical Composition, and Chemical Reactionsp. 82
Summaryp. 94
Referencesp. 95
5 The Solar Systemp. 99
5.1 Overviewp. 99
5.2 Earth's Moon and the Terrestrial Planets: Mercury, Venus, and Marsp. 107
5.2.1 The Moonp. 107
5.2.2 Mercuryp. 110
5.2.3 Venusp. 115
5.2.3.1 General, and Geological and Orbit Featuresp. 115
5.2.3.2 Venus' Atmospherep. 218
5.2.3.3 Chemical Reactionsp. 121
5.2.4 Marsp. 126
5.2.4.1 Generalp. 126
5.2.4.2 Orbital Features, and the Martian Moons and Trojansp. 127
5.2.4.3 Geological Features, Surface Chemistry, and Mars Meteoritesp. 129
5.2.4.4 Methanep. 133
5.2.4.5 Carbonates, Sulfates, and Waterp. 137
5.2.4.6 Chemistry in the Martian Atmospherep. 140
5.2 Summary Section 5.2p. 145
5.3 Ceres, Asteroids, Meteorites, and Interplanetary Dustp. 146
5.3.1 General and Classificationp. 146
5.3.2 Carbon-Bearing Components in Carbonaceous Chondritesp. 153
5.3.3 Interplanetary Dust Particles (Presolar Grains)p. 162
5.4 Cometsp. 167
5.4.1 Generalp. 167
5.4.2 Comet Chemistryp. 172
5.5 Kuiper Belt Objectsp. 176
Summary Sections 5.3-5.5p. 179
5.6 The Giant Planets and Their Moonsp. 280
5.6.1 Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptunep. 180
5.6.2 The Galilean Moonsp. 286
5.6.3 The Moons Enceladus, Titan and Tritonp. 292
Summary Section 5.6p. 295
Referencesp. 296
6 Exoplanetsp. 203
Summaryp. 211
Referencesp. 212
7 The Origin of Lifep. 213
7.1 What is Life?p. 213
7.2 Putative Non-Carbon and Nonaqueous Life Forms; the Biological Role of Silicate, Phosphate, and Waterp. 220
7.3 Life Under Extreme Conditionsp. 230
Summary Sections 7.1-7.3p. 240
7.4 Scenarios for the Primordial Supply of Basic Life Moleculesp. 241
7.4.1 The Iron-Sulfur World ("Pioneer Organisms")p. 242
7.4.2 The Miller-Urey and Related Experimentsp. 247
7.4.3 "Clay Organisms"p. 259
7.4.4 Extraterrestrial Inputp. 262
7.5 Extraterrestrial Life?p. 265
Summary Sections 7.4 and 7.5p. 274
Referencesp. 276
Indexp. 287
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