Astrochemistry in external galaxies: how to use molecules
as probes of dense gas
by Serena Viti (University College London)
Abstract.It is now well established
that chemistry in
external galaxies is rich and complex. In this talk I will show how molecular
emission from external galaxies can be used to explore and characterize the
physical conditions and energetics of these galaxies, as well as, possibly,
their evolutionary status. I will present examples of the chemical and
radiative transfer models that have been developed in recent years to tackle
the often unresolved (spatially and spectrally) extragalactic molecular
emission. I will then show recent applications of such models in nearby
galaxies and how to make molecules into powerful diagnostics of the evolution
and distribution of molecular gas.
