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Aliphatic hydrocarbon content of interstellar dust
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 October 2020
Abstract
The mid-IR spectrum of the interstellar medium contains both aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbon features. These are generally attributed to carbonaceous dust. The aliphatic component is of particular interest because it produces a significant 3.4 μm absorption feature. The optical depth of this feature is related to the number and type of aliphatic carbon C–H bonds in the line of sight. It is possible to estimate the column density of aliphatic carbon from quantitative analysis of the 3.4 μm interstellar feature, providing that the absorption coefficient of interstellar aliphatic hydrocarbon is known. We produced interstellar dust analogues with spectra closely matching astronomical observations. Using a combination of FTIR and 13C NMR spectroscopy, we determined an integrated absorption coefficient of the aliphatic component. The results thus obtained permit direct calibration of astronomical observations, providing rigorous estimates of the amount of aliphatic carbon in the ISM.
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- Type
- Contributed Papers
- Information
- Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 15 , Symposium S350: Laboratory Astrophysics: From Observations to Interpretation , April 2019 , pp. 241 - 244
- Copyright
- © International Astronomical Union 2020
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