Interstellar Gas & Dust, Densities & Temperatures

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around the challenges of finding reliable data on the density and temperature of various interstellar medium objects, including cold dark nebulae, diffuse nebulae, ionized gas, and plasma. Participants express frustration over the lack of correlation between density and temperature in available resources, noting that while temperatures can be found, corresponding density data is often missing. The conversation highlights the wide range of temperatures, from near absolute zero to around 8000 K, and the significant gaps in existing literature. Suggestions include consulting textbooks for more comprehensive information. Overall, the need for better data correlation in astrophysical studies is emphasized.
treddie
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Howdie.
This question started from what was to be a "simple" analysis of heating the air in a room. So much for simplicity when you start to question what exactly is heat and what is happening to atoms and molecules. SOOOO...the question I have (which will have bearing on my INITIAL quest), is this. Does anyone have data for range of density vs. range of temperature for the following Interstellar Medium objects?
1. Cold, dark nebulae
2. Diffuse nebulae
3. Ionized gas
4. Plasma

In my web searches I get vague answers for densities and temperatures but never any rough correlation between the two.

Thanks for any responses!:smile:
 
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I don't know but if you mean average temperatures and densities then they will be very different for plasma vs atomic vs molecular clouds.
 
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Yes, we're talking near zero deg K to something like 8000 deg K. It seems like all the material out there talks about densities or temperatures but rarely both as a correlation, and even then, the holes in their information are large enough to fit a galaxy through.
 
Yep...that's some hot stuff there in that link.

But notice that in the article they say that they can look at the density and temperature of such-and-such plasma, then proceed to give temperatures, yet for some reason brain-fart when it comes to reporting densities! Everywhere I go on the web, it's the same thing...no correlation.
 
the ministry of information not giving relevant and important information? really? I can't believe it. :-)

you may have to buy a textbook to get the information you want.

maybe if I knew what you hope to learn from this I could help you better. (not that I am an expert, of course)
 
I'm not an expert either (although I play one on TV).

It's time to add a new book to my collection anyway...I think there's one empty slot left.
 

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