Physics of Interstellar and Intergalactic Medium
Occurrence and state of cosmic diffuse matter – ionized, atomic, molecular gas and dust – heating and cooling, equilibrium phases – probes of diffuse matter (line and continuum radiations at various wavelengths) – Thermal and ionization equilibrium of HII regions – UV shielding in molecular gas – extinction/reddening/polarization due to dust – dust heating and IR emission – star forming regions - cosmic rays and non-thermal synchrotron emission – recombination and re-ionization of IGM – Lyman alpha forest, Mg absorption systems – Gunn Peterson effect – Heating of intracluster gas – Sunyaev-