Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 February 2013
Desorption of condensed species is a key process in controlling the balance of material between the solid and gaseous phases in the interstellar medium. Therefore, a quantitative understanding of desorption in astrophysical environments, by both thermal and non-thermal mechanisms, is essential for development of the field of astrochemistry. This paper briefly reviews recent progress in the study of desorption by experimental and computational methods, and identifies some areas with potential for development in the near future.