An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The hydrogen molecule composed of three atoms in which one of the atoms is ionized. The molecular ion H₃⁺ plays a key role in the
chemistry of gaseous → interstellar medium. It reacts efficiently with almost any neutral atom or molecule to initiate a network of ion-neutral reactions. It is responsible for producing molecules such as OH, CO, and H₂O. The first detection of H₃⁺ in the interstellar medium, via two closely spaced absorption lines (doublet) near 3.668 μm, were reported in two dense → molecular cloud cores along the lines of sight to the embedded → young stellar objects W33A and GL2136 (Geballe & Oka 1996). Since then H₃⁺ has been detected in several molecular clouds. It is believed that H₃⁺ forms via → cosmic ray → ionization
of H₂ producing H₂⁺, which quickly reacts to another H₂ molecule to form H₃⁺ ( H₂ + CR → H₂⁺ and H₂⁺ + H₂→ H₃⁺ + H + 1.7 eV).

See also: Tri-, → three; → atomic; → hydrogen; → molecular; → ion.