This thesis presents an observational study of molecular abundances in the dense cores of 27 prominent molecular clouds in the southern galactic plane.The molecular abundances and physical conditions in dense condensations have been derived from millimetre-wavelength observations of molecular rotational transitions.The study has produced a comprehensive data set of transition intensities and abundances for 10 different molecules in bright southern molecular clouds, and the general characteristics of emissions from these molecules such as optical depth, excitation and relative abundances are discussed. A comparison of different methods of calculating molecular hydrogen column density from observations of carbon monoxide emission is included.Both the analysis and the data collected provide an excellent starting point for further observational and theoretical studies of molecular clouds in the southern Milky Way utilising new instruments such as the millimeter-wave upgrade to the Australia Telescope Compact Array and the Attacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA). / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/181657 |
| Date | January 2001 |
| Creators | Hunt, Maria., University of Western Sydney, College of Science, Technology and Environment, School of Engineering and Industrial Design |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Source | THESIS_CSTE_EID_Hunt_M.xml |
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