Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Preface xvii
4. 1. Introduction 1
5. 2. Collisional Processes 11
6. 3. Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamic Equilibrium 22
7. 4. Energy Levels of Atoms and Ions 32
8. 5. Energy Levels of Molecules 38
9. 6. Spontaneous Emission, Stimulated Emission, and Absorption 53
10. 7. Radiative Transfer 63
11. 8. HI 21-cm Emission and Absorption 70
12. 9. Absorption Lines: The Curve of Growth 75
13. 10. Emission and Absorption by a Thermal Plasma 92
14. 11. Propagation of Radio Waves through the ISM 101
15. 12. Interstellar Radiation Fields 119
16. 13. Ionization Processes 127
17. 14. Recombination of Ions with Electrons 137
18. 15. Photoionized Gas 162
19. 16. Ionization in Predominantly Neutral Regions 182
20. 17. Collisional Excitation 190
21. 18. Nebular Diagnostics 203
22. 19. Radiative Trapping 219
23. 20. Optical Pumping 229
24. 21. Interstellar Dust: Observed Properties 235
25. 22. Scattering and Absorption by Small Particles 248
26. 23. Composition of Interstellar Dust 263
27. 24. Temperatures of Interstellar Grains 285
28. 25. Grain Physics: Charging and Sputtering 296
29. 26. Grain Dynamics 304
30. 27. Heating and Cooling of H II Regions 315
31. 28. The Orion H II Region 326
32. 29. HI Clouds: Observations 331
33. 30. H I Clouds: Heating and Cooling 337
34. 31. Molecular Hydrogen 344
35. 32. Molecular Clouds: Observations 357
36. 33. Molecular Clouds: Chemistry and Ionization 373
37. 34. Physical Processes in Hot Gas 381
38. 35. Fluid Dynamics 389
39. 36. Shock Waves 397
40. 37. Ionization/Dissociation Fronts 412
41. 38. Stellar Winds 422
42. 39. Effects of Supernovae on the ISM 429
43. 40. Cosmic Rays and Gamma Rays 440
44. 41. Gravitational Collapse and Star Formation: Theory 451
45. 42. Star Formation: Observations 465
46. A. List of Symbols 473
47. B. Physical Constants 476
48. C. Summary of Radiative Processes 477
49. D. Ionization Potentials (eV) 481
50. E. Energy-Level Diagrams 482
51. F. Collisional Rate Coefficients 496
52. G. Semiclassical Atom 503
53. H. Debye Length for a Plasma 505
54. I. Heuristic Model for Ion–Electron Inelastic Scattering 506
55. J. Virial Theorem 508
56. Bibliography 511
57. Index 529