Dust in the Universe
Abstract
Dust is ubiquitous in the Universe and plays a crucial role in astrophysical environments. Dust impacts the synthesis of complex organic molecules in molecular clouds, the wind-driving of evolved stars and the formation of celestial bodies (e.g. asteroids, planets) in protoplanetary discs. The dust formation from a gaseous medium requires several thermodynamic conditions: densities above a certain threshold to ensure sufficient collisions between the constituent particles, moderate temperatures below the stability threshold of the dust component, and sufficient time for the nucleation and growth of molecular clusters into larger grains. Such conditions are found in the circumstellar environments of Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars. AGB stars thus belong to the major sources of cosmic dust and return the interstellar medium in our galaxy.
- Publication:
-
Memorie della Societa Astronomica Italiana
- Pub Date:
- 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020MmSAI..91..236C