UV radiation field inside dense clouds - Its possible existence and chemical implications

Abstract

Interstellar UV radiation cannot penetrate into the interior of dense clouds, and cosmic ray ionization is thought to be the sole driver of the gas phase chemistry. However, cosmic ray energy deposition also involves electronic excitation of the absorbing gas. It appears, therefore, possible that emissions resulting from these excitations might maintain a significant flux of chemically effective UV photons in the interior of dense clouds. The present investigation is concerned with this possibility, taking into account a simplified approach. This approach involves a consideration of Lyman and Werner band photons of molecular hydrogen and their relevance to C and CO chemistry. The results of this investigation suggest that a chemically significant flux of UV photons may exist inside dense clouds due to cosmic ray excitation of the various band systems of hydrogen. These photons would recover C I from the CO reservoir in dense clouds via photodissociation at an order of magnitude faster rate than that possible in connection with the reaction of CO with He(+).