Diffuse interstellar bands

Relative strengths of observed diffuse interstellar bands

Diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) are absorption features seen in the spectra of astronomical objects in the Milky Way and other galaxies. They are caused by the absorption of light by the interstellar medium. Circa 500 bands have now been seen, in ultraviolet, visible and infrared wavelengths.[1]

The origin of most DIBs remains unknown, with common suggestions being polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other large carbon-bearing molecules.[2][3] Only one DIB carrier has been identified: ionised buckminsterfullerene (C60+), which is responsible for several DIBs in the near-infrared.[4] The carriers of most DIBs remain unidentified.

  1. ^ "ESO Diffuse Interstellar Bands Large Exploration Survey (EDIBLES) - Merging Observations and Laboratory Data". 2016-03-29.
  2. ^ Bierbaum, Veronica M.; Keheyan, Yeghis; Page, Valery Le; Snow, Theodore P. (January 1998). "The interstellar chemistry of PAH cations". Nature. 391 (6664): 259–260. Bibcode:1998Natur.391..259S. doi:10.1038/34602. PMID 9440689. S2CID 2934995.
  3. ^ Snow, Theodore P. (2001-03-15). "The unidentified diffuse interstellar bands as evidence for large organic molecules in the interstellar medium". Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. 57 (4): 615–626. Bibcode:2001AcSpA..57..615S. doi:10.1016/S1386-1425(00)00432-7. PMID 11345242.
  4. ^ Campbell, E. K.; Holz, M.; Gerlich, D.; Maier, J. P. (2015). "Laboratory confirmation of C60+ as the carrier of two diffuse interstellar bands". Nature. 523 (7560): 322–3. Bibcode:2015Natur.523..322C. doi:10.1038/nature14566. PMID 26178962. S2CID 205244293.