In order to make quantitative predictions from state-of-the-art numerical models and to interpret the new exciting observational results, we need accurate ground-breaking computational simulations that include advanced numerical techniques together with detailed chemistry and microphysics. The latter includes a large number of complex physical processes (cooling, heating, dust, opacity, and many others) and it is also tightly related to the chemical evolution, which is poorly understood in realistic models and represents one of the critical computational bottlenecks of current simulations. In this talk I will discuss some of the environments where microphysics plays a crucial role, as for example molecular clouds, low-metallicty star-forming regions, planetary atmospheres, and protoplanetary disks.

NOTES

Dr Grassi, an expert on the numerical modeling of interstellar medium chemistry, is a MdM short visitor at ICC. He will be at ICC in the period 17-28 October and is available for meeting with any interested ICC members. He can be found at office number V712I.