No CrossRef data available.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 August 2017
The current state of our knowledge of the physical parameters and the chemical composition of dense cores in molecular clouds is discussed. In particular, I summarize what is known about the rate at which molecules condense out on grain surfaces. I discuss in turn: a) dense cores in nearby dust complexes such as Taurus, b) clumps in regions of massive star formation such as Orion and M17, c) hot dense cores near to newly formed O stars such as the Orion-KL hot core and d) the high density condensations which give rise to interstellar masers. Recent work on each of these categories is reviewed with emphasis on the chemical abundance determinations and estimates of the local density and temperature. Particular attention is given to recent work on OH, methanol, and ammonia masers.