Due to the lapse in federal government funding, NASA is not updating this website.

Suggested Searches

 

DGCE SIG Seminar

Diffuse Gas in Cosmic Ecosystems Science Interest Group

DATE

July 24, 2025

TIME

4:00 pm EST

COMMUNITY

DGCE SIG

TYPE

Seminar

Uncovering Hidden Astrophysical Laboratories with (Diffuse) Molecular Hydrogen

Keri Hoadley, University of Florida

Molecular hydrogen (H2) permeates almost all regions of cool cosmic ecosystems- from the molecular clouds that stars form in, to planet-forming gaseous disks, and the space between stars in galaxies. It is, however, notoriously hard to detect, given the quantum properties of the molecule, and we often rely on other proxies to infer what H2 in present in many systems. Where we have observed diffuse H2, particularly fluorescing H2, has revealed some extraordinary astrophysical laboratories we may have missed otherwise. In this talk, I will bring to light a few ways we have observed fluorescing H2 that have revealed unique systems that warrant further study in the evolution of cosmic ecosystems and stars: the Blue Ring Nebula, and the Eos cloud. Time permitted, I’ll discuss a few ways we can continue to use fluorescing H2 to further advance our knowledge of cosmic ecosystem evolution, using planned/upcoming UV missions, UV mission concepts, and UV capabilities on HWO.

News Straight to Your Inbox

Subscribe to your community email news list

We will never share your email address.

Privacy Policy

Sign Up
An illustration of Sun-like star HD 181327 and its surrounding debris disk. The star is at top right. It is surrounded by a far larger debris disk that forms an incomplete ellpitical path and is cut off at right. There’s a huge cavity between the star and the disk. The debris disk is shown in shades of light gray. Toward the top and left, there are finer, more discrete points in a range of sizes. The disk appears hazier and smokier at the bottom. The star is bright white at center, with a hazy blue region around it. The background of space is black. The label Artist's Concept appears at lower left.