The interstellar radiation field (ISRF) as a research area focuses on quantifying and modeling the spatially and spectrally resolved radiation permeating the interstellar medium, excluding discrete stellar sources. It encompasses ultraviolet, optical, infrared, and microwave photons produced by stars, dust re-emission, and the cosmic microwave background, and investigates how this field regulates heating, ionization, chemistry, and pressure balance in interstellar gas and dust. Research addresses radiative transfer in complex geometries, coupling with cosmic rays and magnetic fields, and its role in processes such as photoelectric heating, molecular cloud evolution, and star-formation feedback, often using multiwavelength observations and numerical simulations.
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