Interstellar and intergalactic gas in the far IR and submillimeter spectral ranges

Yu.A. Shchekinov^a, b, V.N. Lukash^a, E.V. Mikheeva^a, c, S.V. Pilipenko^a
^aAstro Space Centre, Lebedev Physical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Profsoyuznaya 84/32, Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation
^bRaman Research Institute, C. V. Raman Avenue, Sadashiva Nagar, Bangalore, 560080, India
^cMoscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University), Institutskii per. 9, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141701, Russian Federation

This review discusses key physical problems that relate to the interstellar and intergalactic medium and are the subject of far infrared (FIR) and submillimeter (submm) astronomy. It outlines the most impressive results of the last 25'years and summarizes the characteristics of most successful space- and ground-based FIR and submm observatories, either currently in operation or already inoperative or else under development. A brief discussion is given of the physical problems that are concerned with the evolution of gaseous medium in galaxies and nearby and in the intergalactic medium, for whose solution the FIR and submm spectral ranges can provide critically important and sometimes otherwise inaccessible information. Among such problems are: the origin of the galactic molecular gas, the conversion of gas into stars, ejection of gas and dust into intergalactic space, the long-term survival of dust in the hostile environment of this space (in particular, in the hot environment of galaxy clusters) and the very origin of dust in the Universe. There are a host of surprising finding that have emerged from recent astronomic observations which are related to our understanding of the evolution of the galaxies, the chemical history of the Universe, etc. A brief discussion of some of these findings is given.

Keywords: far infrared astronomy, submillimeter astronomy, diagnostics of interstellar medium, diagnostics of intergalactic medium, origin of cosmic dust, early galaxies
PACS: 95.30.−k, 95.85.Fm, 95.85.Gn, 97.10.Bt, 98.58.−w (all)
DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.2017.02.038059
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2017/10/a/
Web of Science

000419110600001
Scopus

2-s2.0-85040933504
ADS NASA

2017PhyU...60..961S
Citation: Shchekinov Yu A, Lukash V N, Mikheeva E V, Pilipenko S V "Interstellar and intergalactic gas in the far IR and submillimeter spectral ranges" Phys. Usp. 60 961–993 (2017)

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Received: 2nd, September 2016, revised: 2nd, December 2016, accepted: 1st, February 2017

Оригинал: Щекинов Ю А, Лукаш В Н, Михеева Е В, Пилипенко С В «Межзвёздный и межгалактический газ в далёкой инфракрасной и субмиллиметровой области спектра» УФН 187 1033–1070 (2017); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.2017.02.038059