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Refractory Molecule

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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology
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Definition

A molecule with a very high sublimation temperature is termed refractory. Such molecules condense at high temperature in the solar nebula or in stellar envelopes; they include silicon carbide and iron and magnesium silicates that are thought to form the cores of many interstellar dust particles.

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Correspondence to William M. Irvine .

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Irvine, W.M. (2023). Refractory Molecule. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-65093-6_1361

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