Carbon-rich dust past the asymptotic giant branch: Aliphatics, aromatics, and fullerenes in the Magellanic Clouds
- Center for Radiophysics and Space Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6801 (United States)
- Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom)
- Institute for Scientific Research, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (United States)
- Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Columbia University, 550 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 (United States)
- Astrophysics Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom)
- Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 3K7 (Canada)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 (Canada)
- Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA (United Kingdom)
- Academia Sinica, Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 11F Astronomy-Mathematics Building, NTU/AS, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, R.O.C (China)
Infrared spectra of carbon-rich objects that have evolved off the asymptotic giant branch reveal a range of dust properties, including fullerenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aliphatic hydrocarbons, and several unidentified features, including the 21 μm emission feature. To test for the presence of fullerenes, we used the position and width of the feature at 18.7-18.9 μm and examined other features at 17.4 and 6-9 μm. This method adds three new fullerene sources to the known sample, but it also calls into question three previous identifications. We confirm that the strong 11 μm features seen in some sources arise primarily from SiC, which may exist as a coating around carbonaceous cores and result from photo-processing. Spectra showing the 21 μm feature usually show the newly defined Class D PAH profile at 7-9 μm. These spectra exhibit unusual PAH profiles at 11-14 μm, with weak contributions at 12.7 μm, which we define as Class D1, or show features shifted to ∼11.4, 12.4, and 13.2 μm, which we define as Class D2. Alkyne hydrocarbons match the 15.8 μm feature associated with 21 μm emission. Sources showing fullerene emission but no PAHs have blue colors in the optical, suggesting a clear line of sight to the central source. Spectra with 21 μm features and Class D2 PAH emission also show photometric evidence for a relatively clear line of sight to the central source. The multiple associations of the 21 μm feature with aliphatic hydrocarbons suggest that the carrier is related to this material in some way.
- OSTI ID:
- 22365396
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 791, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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