Over the past twenty-seven years, the interstellar PAH hypothesis has been tested, has had predictions borne out, and has been successfully applied to a surprising number of disparate astrophysical conundra. Along the way, the PAH hypothesis became the PAH model.  This progress has been made in 'fits and starts', and often in disparate, unconnected steps with the result that there remain significant gaps in today's model and it is not as fully integrated into a whole as it can be. Of particular interest here are the generally neglected roles that PAHs can play in astrochemistry. This is especially important and should not be neglected because PAHs are estimated to contain some 10 to 15 % of the cosmic carbon inventory.<br/> <br/>Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and related aromatic materials are present in virtually all phases of the interstellar medium.  While primarily detected in the gas phase, they condense onto grains in dense clouds and become part of the water-rich mixed molecular ices that are important components of the dust in dense molecular clouds and protoplanetary disks. Given the tight astrochemical connection between the gas and ice phases, it is important to understand the chemical roles PAHs can play in both gas and ice phases.  This talk will highlight some of the recent work that is beginning to shed light on processes such as PAH erosion and subsequent chemistry in both the gas and ice phases.<br/>

Some key questions involving PAHs and astrochemistry

254th National Meeting (2017)

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