Molecules as tracers of galaxy evolution

• Studying the molecular phase of the interstellar medium in galaxies is fundamental for the understandingof the onset and evolution of star formation and the growth of supermassive black holes. Wecan use molecules as observational tools exploiting them as tracers of chemical, physical and dynamicalconditions. In this short review, key molecules (e.g. HCN, HCO+, HNC, HC3N, CN, H3O+) in identifyingthe nature of buried activity and its evolution are discussed including some standard astrochemical scenarios.Furthermore, we can use IR excited molecular emission to probe the very inner regions of luminousinfrared galaxies (LIRGs) allowing us to get past the optically thick dust barrier of the compact obscurednuclei, e.g. in the dusty LIRG NGC4418. High resolution studies are often necessary to separate effectsof excitation and radiative transport from those of chemistry - one example is absorption and effects ofstimulated emission in the ULIRG Arp220. Finally, molecular gas in large scale galactic outflows is brieflydiscussed.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

galaxies: evolution—galaxies: ISM—galaxies:active—- radio lines: ISM—- ISM: molecules —ISM:abundances —- astrochemistry

Publication and Content Type

kon (subject category)

ref (subject category)