Molecular diagnostics of diffusive boundary layers

Abstract

We have assessed the role of diffusion in determining chemical abundances in molecular interface regions. Chemical models have been developed which include the appropriate diffusion terms and that are appropriate to a narrow diffusion region (∼0.01pc) that may exist at the interface between a dark core and a hot, shocked T-Tauri wind. We have assumed pressure balance throughout and have calculated the chemical abundances as functions of time and position through the interface. The results show that significant enhancements of detectable molecules/transitions are expected (e.g. CO J=6→5, OH and CH). Using a realistic value of the diffusion coefficient a diffusive region of dimension 0.01pc may be established within about 10⁴ years. In general it seems likely that diffusion processes are highly significant on these and smaller lengthscales.