2002ApJ...573L.119W

Turbulence is widespread in the interstellar medium, and turbulent diffusion has been suggested as a means of accounting for the lower than expected O₂ abundance observed in molecular clouds by the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite. Here we present the results of new chemical models of clouds incorporating turbulent diffusion, together with gas-grain interactions and H₂ and CO self-shielding. We find H I to be a very sensitive tracer of the diffusion process, with H I/H₂ larger in the interior than predicted by static models. Our model may explain observations of H I/H₂ in cold cores. The model results for other species, e.g., O, O₂, H₂O, C, and CO, are also consistent with available observations. This work demonstrates the potential importance of chemical studies in the elucidation of turbulent processes in the interstellar medium.