Ana I. Gomez de Castro - Böcker

Ultraviolet Astronomy and the Quest for the Origin of Life addresses the use of astronomical observations in the ultraviolet range to better understand the generation of complex, life-precursor molecules. The origin of RNA is still under debate but seems to be related to the generation of pools of complex organic molecules submitted to heavy cycles of solution in water and drying. This book investigates whether these cycles require a planetary surface or may occur in space by examining both the theoretical and observational aspects of the role of UV radiation in the origin of life. This book offers the latest advances in these studies for astronomers, astrobiologists and planetary scientists.

Addresses both the theoretical and observational aspects of the role of Ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the origin of life Builds on the requirements to produce prebiotic molecules in space and the implications for the origin of RNA Investigates the use of ultraviolet observations related to planetary system formation, the evolution of young planetary disks, and the interaction of stars with planetary atmospheres

Magnetic Fields play a key role in the physics of star formation on all scales: from the formation of the large complexes of molecular clouds to the formation of solar-like planetary systems.

Modern astrophysics is a mature science that has evolved from its early phase of discovery and classification to a physics-oriented discipline focused on finding answers to fundamental problems ranging from cosmology to the origin and diversity of life-sustainable systems in the Universe.

The field of ultraviolet astronomy offers unequalled scientific promise yet has not been blessed with a multitude of space missions (as has been the case for other spectral domains). This book contains a distillation of the community’s views on the topic and the desires for future observational facilities. As such, it provides the most up-to-date information on the topic of ultraviolet astronomy from a very broad point of view, presenting a compilation of lectures given at a specialist meeting and combining theoretical arguments with observational reports and detailed instrumental information.

Magnetic Fields play a key role in the physics of star formation on all scales: from the formation of the large complexes of molecular clouds to the formation of solar-like planetary systems. The plasma physics involved is non-linear and very complex, which requires the development of large numerical codes. An additional difficulty is that the detection and study of magnetic fields is not easy from an observational point of view, and therefore theoretical models cannot easily be constrained. In the week from April 21st to 25th in 2003, a meeting was held on the Campus of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain) to join theoretical and observational efforts to address these issues. The objective was to define a set of relevant problems for the physics of star formation that can be properly addressed with the current or near-future instruments. This book summarizes the results of this intensive week of work. The book is written in a comprehensive manner and reviews our current knowledge of the subject. It also represents an updated account of the ideas and thoughts of the scientists working in the field of Star Formation. The contributions are presented in six chapters which correspond to the six fundamental issues (sessions) on which the discussion was focused during the workshop: the physics of turbulence in the Interstellar Medium (ISM), the formation of structure in the ISM, the formation of stars within dense cores of molecular gas, the physics of accretion disks, the physics of outflows and their interaction with the ISM, and the interaction between the stellar magnetosphere and accretion disk. Each chapter starts with a comprehensive summary written by one of the editors, which includes input from the contributions as well as the editor's own thoughts on the subject. For all these reasons the book is well-suited as a primer to introduce graduate students in the richness of this field of research.

Modern astrophysics is a mature science that has evolved from its early phase of discovery and classification to a physics-oriented discipline focused on finding answers to fundamental problems ranging from cosmology to the origin and diversity of life-sustainable systems in the Universe. For this very reason, progress of modern astrophysics requires access to the electromagnetic spectrum in the broadest energy range. The Ultraviolet is a fundamental energy domain since it is one of the most powerful tools to study plasmas at temperatures in the 3,000-300,000~K range as well as electronic transitions of the most abundant molecules in the Universe. Moreover, the UV radiation field is a powerful astrochemical and photoionizing agent.This book describes the fundamental problems in modern astrophysics that cannot progress without easy and wide-spread access to modern UV instrumentation.

This book is a reprint of the topical issue “UV Astronomy 2011” published by the journal Astrophysics and Space Science. Papers included in that topical issue cover four main topics of UV astronomy: stellar physics and evolution, planets, Milky Way and other galaxies and finally, UV instrumentation with an update on the current status of the main missions and technologies. This builds on the remarkable progress made in the field since the earlier topical issue: “Space Astronomy: the UV window to the Universe” which appeared in 2008.

Papers included in that topical issue cover four main topics of UV astronomy: stellar physics and evolution, planets, Milky Way and other galaxies and finally, UV instrumentation with an update on the current status of the main missions and technologies.