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| Paper: |
Molecular Clusters in Dust Nucleation Processes in Circumstellar Outflows of Oxygen–Rich AGB Stars |
| Volume: |
378, Why Galaxies Care About AGB Stars: Their Importance as Actors and Probes |
| Page: |
181 |
| Authors: |
Patzer, A.B.C. |
| Abstract: |
The transition from a circumstellar gas into dust particles takes place via the formation and growth of small molecular clusters in the gas phase. The physical properties of molecular clusters possibly involved in such dust formation processes have been investigated theoretically employing computational electronic structure techniques. The properties thus obtained are necessary prerequisites for the study of phase transitions in astrophysical environments such as the circumstellar surroundings of cool, late-type stars on the AGB. Important results regarding the formation of especially aluminum oxide clusters in circumstellar outflows of oxygen-rich AGB stars are presented and their implications for the nucleation of dust particles are discussed. |
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