F. Salama et al. 1999 ApJ 526 265 doi:10.1086/307978
F. Salama1, G. A. Galazutdinov2, J. Krełowski3, L. J. Allamandola1 and F. A. Musaev2
Show affiliationsWe discuss the proposal relating the origin of some of the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) to neutral and ionized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in interstellar clouds. Laboratory spectra of several PAHs, isolated at low temperature in inert gas matrices, are compared with the spectra of five reddened early-type stars selected from an extensive set of astronomical spectra. From this comparison, it is concluded that PAH ions are good candidates to explain some of the DIBs. Unambiguous assignments are difficult, however, because of the shift in wavelengths and the band broadening induced in the laboratory spectra by the solid matrix. This situation is illustrated by a comparison with the gas-phase spectra made available recently for two PAH ions. Definitive band assignments and, ultimately, the test of the proposal that PAH ions carry some of the DIBs must await the availability of a larger set of gas-phase measurements in the laboratory. The present assessment offers a guideline for future laboratory experiments by allowing the preselection of promising PAH molecules to be studied in jet expansions.
dust, extinction; ISM: abundances; line: identification; methods: laboratory
Issue 1 (1999 November 20)
Received 1999 February 10, accepted for publication 1999 July 6
F. Salama et al. 1999 ApJ 526 265
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