Handbook of Astrochemistry
- 1st Edition - December 1, 2025
- Imprint: Elsevier
- Editors: Wendy A. Brown, Martin R.S. McCoustra, Serena Viti
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 9 9 9 8 3 - 0
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 9 8 4 8 0 - 5
Handbook of Astrochemistry provides a comprehensive overview of astrochemistry as a series of tutorial reviews by leading experts on all experimental, theoretical, comput… Read more
Purchase options
Handbook of Astrochemistry provides a comprehensive overview of astrochemistry as a series of tutorial reviews by leading experts on all experimental, theoretical, computational, and astronomical aspects of this field. Starting from an overview of the observational molecular Universe, it then moves on to describe the state-of-the-art knowledge in the fields of gas-phase and solid-phase laboratory and computational astrochemistry; its use in astrochemical modelling; and finally how observations of molecules shape our understanding of how stars and planets form and of the chemical origins of biology.
Combining the knowledge and experience of an international team of experts, this book is an authoritative, accessible guide for all those working in related fields.
Combining the knowledge and experience of an international team of experts, this book is an authoritative, accessible guide for all those working in related fields.
- Explores both theoretical and experimental astrochemistry across different physical systems including gases, grains, aerosols, and ices
- Places astrochemical exploration in a broader context by highlighting how insights at the molecular-scale impact planets and life
- Includes guidance on the use and interpretation of complex astrochemical datasets
Senior undergraduates, masters and graduate students, and researchers in astrochemistry and related fields, including astronomy, astrophysics and astrobiology
SECTION 1 Introduction
1. General Introduction: Historical Perspective and Current State-of-the-art
Eric Herbst and Thomas Millar
SECTION 2 Observations
2. Observations of the Gas Phase: Simple Molecules including Mapping
Charlotte VASTEL and Francesco Fontani
3. Observations of complex organic molecules in the gas phase of the interstellar medium
Arnaud Belloche, Claudio Codella and Izaskun Jimenez-Serra
4. Observations of Ices
Melissa McClure and Adwin Boogert
SECTION 3 Astrochemical Modelling
5. Astrochemical Modelling
Serena Viti, Yuri Aikawa and Rob Garrod
SECTION 4 Gas Phase Astrochemistry
6. Experimental Gas Phase Molecular Spectroscopy
Jens-Uwe Grabow, Philipp Buschmann and Kevin Gregor Lengsfeld
7. Theoretical Gas Phase Spectroscopy
Maire Gorman and Laura McKemmish
8. Gas Phase Processes: Experimental Studies of Scattering, Photodissociation and Photoionisation, and the Dynamics and Kinetics of Molecule Formation
Ilsa Cooke, Kevin Douglas, Dwayne Heard and Ian R. Sims
9. Gas Phase Processes: Theoretical Studies of Scattering, Photodissociation and Photoionisation, and the Dynamics and Kinetics of Molecule Formation
Gunnar Nyman
SECTION 5 The Astrochemistry of Dust Grains
10. Grains: Origins, Observations and Astrophysical Roles; Solid State and Surface Composition, Size and Shape and Space-weathering
Alexander Tielens
11. Interstellar PAHs and Fullerenes
Alexander Tielens and Alessandra Candian
12. Experimental Techniques in Solid State and Surface Astrochemistry
Wendy A. Brown, Martin Robert Stewart McCoustra, Chris Arumainayagam and Riccardo Giovanni Urso
13. Bare Grain Chemistry: Experimental Studies of Small Molecule Formation
Liv Hornekaer and Cornelia Jäger
14. Bare Grain Chemistry: Theoretical Studies of Surface Structures, Spectroscopy and Small Molecule Formation
Anthony Meijer, Stefan T. Bromley, Albert Rimola and Benjamin J. Irving
SECTION 6 Chemistry in ices
15. Ice Infrared Spectroscopy, Band Strengths, and Optical Constants
Perry A. Gerakines and Reggie Hudson
16. Thermal and Non-thermal Desorption of Ices
Wendy A. Brown, Martin Robert Stewart McCoustra, Victoria Cabedo and James Stubbing
17. Thermal and Non-thermal Processing of Ices
Maria Elisabetta Palumbo, Chris Arumainayagam and Riccardo Giovanni Urso
SECTION 7 Moving from Molecules, Grains and Ices to Planets and Life
18. Meteorites
Sara Russell and Gretchen Benedix
SECTION 8 Conclusions
19. Conclusions and Forward Look
Wendy A. Brown, Martin Robert Stewart McCoustra and Serena Viti
1. General Introduction: Historical Perspective and Current State-of-the-art
Eric Herbst and Thomas Millar
SECTION 2 Observations
2. Observations of the Gas Phase: Simple Molecules including Mapping
Charlotte VASTEL and Francesco Fontani
3. Observations of complex organic molecules in the gas phase of the interstellar medium
Arnaud Belloche, Claudio Codella and Izaskun Jimenez-Serra
4. Observations of Ices
Melissa McClure and Adwin Boogert
SECTION 3 Astrochemical Modelling
5. Astrochemical Modelling
Serena Viti, Yuri Aikawa and Rob Garrod
SECTION 4 Gas Phase Astrochemistry
6. Experimental Gas Phase Molecular Spectroscopy
Jens-Uwe Grabow, Philipp Buschmann and Kevin Gregor Lengsfeld
7. Theoretical Gas Phase Spectroscopy
Maire Gorman and Laura McKemmish
8. Gas Phase Processes: Experimental Studies of Scattering, Photodissociation and Photoionisation, and the Dynamics and Kinetics of Molecule Formation
Ilsa Cooke, Kevin Douglas, Dwayne Heard and Ian R. Sims
9. Gas Phase Processes: Theoretical Studies of Scattering, Photodissociation and Photoionisation, and the Dynamics and Kinetics of Molecule Formation
Gunnar Nyman
SECTION 5 The Astrochemistry of Dust Grains
10. Grains: Origins, Observations and Astrophysical Roles; Solid State and Surface Composition, Size and Shape and Space-weathering
Alexander Tielens
11. Interstellar PAHs and Fullerenes
Alexander Tielens and Alessandra Candian
12. Experimental Techniques in Solid State and Surface Astrochemistry
Wendy A. Brown, Martin Robert Stewart McCoustra, Chris Arumainayagam and Riccardo Giovanni Urso
13. Bare Grain Chemistry: Experimental Studies of Small Molecule Formation
Liv Hornekaer and Cornelia Jäger
14. Bare Grain Chemistry: Theoretical Studies of Surface Structures, Spectroscopy and Small Molecule Formation
Anthony Meijer, Stefan T. Bromley, Albert Rimola and Benjamin J. Irving
SECTION 6 Chemistry in ices
15. Ice Infrared Spectroscopy, Band Strengths, and Optical Constants
Perry A. Gerakines and Reggie Hudson
16. Thermal and Non-thermal Desorption of Ices
Wendy A. Brown, Martin Robert Stewart McCoustra, Victoria Cabedo and James Stubbing
17. Thermal and Non-thermal Processing of Ices
Maria Elisabetta Palumbo, Chris Arumainayagam and Riccardo Giovanni Urso
SECTION 7 Moving from Molecules, Grains and Ices to Planets and Life
18. Meteorites
Sara Russell and Gretchen Benedix
SECTION 8 Conclusions
19. Conclusions and Forward Look
Wendy A. Brown, Martin Robert Stewart McCoustra and Serena Viti
- Edition: 1
- Published: December 1, 2025
- Imprint: Elsevier
- Language: English
WB
Wendy A. Brown
Wendy Brown is a surface scientist who has studied surface processes of relevance to astrochemistry for almost 20 years. Her main areas of expertise related to astrochemistry include experimental studies of adsorption, reaction, dynamics and surface processing of species adsorbed on model grain surfaces at ~25 K and under ultra-high vacuum using a wide range of surface analytical techniques. She is currently Professor of Physical Chemistry and Head of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Sussex, where she has been since 2013.
Affiliations and expertise
Professor, Department of Chemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United KingdomMM
Martin R.S. McCoustra
Martin McCoustra is ScotChem Professor of Chemical Physics at Heriot-Watt University and a surface scientist with over 30 years experience. His expertise lies in the surface physics and chemistry of thermal and energetic processes on complex surfaces (dust grains, ices and polymers) in ultra-high vacuum over a wide range of temperatures. He is especially interested in the dynamics and kinetics of such processes and employs a range of tools in his work including molecular beam and laser methods in addition to classical surface analytical methods.
Affiliations and expertise
Professor, Institute of Chemical Sciences, School of Engineering & Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, United KingdomSV
Serena Viti
Serena Viti is an astronomer who has worked in the field of Astrochemistry for over 20 years. Her research interests span a wide range of topics but they are all centred on the role of molecules in space, especially in the dense gas of the interstellar medium, of star forming regions and of nearby galaxies. She is currently a Professor of Astronomy at Leiden University where she has been since 2020, after moving from University College London where she was the Head of the Astrophysics Group.
Affiliations and expertise
Astronomer, Leiden Observatory, Leiden University,The Netherlands