Profiles of blue and infrared diffuse interstellar bands

The paper presents a survey of profiles of reasonably strong diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) based on the extensive set of high-resolution spectra acquired with the aid of echelle spectrographs installed at the 2-m Terskol, 2-m Pic du Midi and 1-m SAO telescopes. The surveyed diffuse interstellar bands cover the spectral ranges of blue and near-infrared, i.e the DIBs not surveyed by Krełowski & Schmidt . The possible modifications caused by stellar and telluric lines are discussed. The very broad features such as 4430 are not discussed because the shapes of their profiles, extracted from echelle spectra, are very uncertain. The signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios of the spectra are not high enough to enable discussion of the profiles of numerous weak interstellar features discovered recently.     

Blueshifted diffuse interstellar bands in the spectrum of HD 34078

In this paper, we report the very first observation of diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) that, in the spectrum of HD 34078 (AE Aur), are blueshifted with respect to the normal position that they have in other objects, where the rest-wavelength velocity frame is determined using very sharp interstellar atomic lines or molecular features. Only reasonably narrow DIBs seemingly show this effect, which is absent in broader ones. The result is confirmed independently using three different spectrographs attached to two different telescopes.     

Origin of diffuse interstellar bands: spectroscopic studies of their possible carriers

The results of astrophysical observations that provide evidence for the molecular origin of the diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) are reviewed. It is established that molecular systems with a linear, planar or spherical carbon skeleton are good candidates as DIB carriers, and laboratory spectroscopic data concerning such systems are discussed. The characteristic features of the electronic spectra of fullerenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and of linear carbon chains and their ions are found to be consistent with the principal spectroscopic features of DIBs. Analysis of the astrophysical electronic spectra of several simple molecules that have so far been assigned indicates that polar molecules should be easier to detect in this way than those without a permanent electric dipole moment.     

Very high resolution profiles of four diffuse interstellar bands

Ultra-high-resolution  ( R ∼ 300 000)  profiles of four diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) are presented. The λλ 5797-, 5850-, 6196- and 6379- Å DIBs were observed towards the reddened supergiant HD 24398, a line of sight free of Doppler splitting; thus the observed profiles can be considered as intrinsic to the DIB carriers. Three of the profiles show substructure which supports the hypothesis of a molecular origin for these DIBs.     

Diffuse interstellar bands in low E (B – V) objects

We analyse spectra of slightly reddened, early-type stars in which the major diffuse interstellar bands at 5870 and 5797 Å are either strong or weak in relation to E(B – V) . It is demonstrated that among the low E(B – V) objects one can find stars obscured by 'sigma' as well as 'zeta' type clouds. The profiles of the diffuse bands seem not to be dependent on the total opacities of the interstellar clouds. We also discuss the physical conditions leading to the formation of the diffuse band carriers in low-opacity interstellar clouds; the carriers are apparently formed in media in which one can observe complex velocity fields.     

Variable interstellar absorption lines: a brief review

I review the recent discoveries of variable interstellar absorption lines, widely taken to imply the existence of very small scale(10–100 AU) structure in the interstellar medium. Possible origins of this structure are discussed, and attention is drawn to the fact that most known examples seem to be associated with interstellar shells and bubbles of various kinds. On the other hand, in at least one case (κ Velorum),the variation appears to occur in the supposedly quiescent cold neutral medium, consistent with earlier studies of small scale structure in atomic hydrogen probed at radio wavelengths. Further work is urgently required to determine the prevalence, mode of formation, and the physical and chemical state of these enigmatic structures. Only then will their implications for our wider understanding of the interstellar medium become apparent. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

GMRT observations of interstellar clouds in the 21cm line of atomic hydrogen

Nearby interstellar clouds with high (|ν|≥10km s⁻¹) random velocities although easily detected in NaI and CaII lines have hitherto not been detected (in emission or absorption) in the HI 21cm line. We describe here deep Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) HI absorption observations toward radio sources with small angular separation from bright O and B stars whose spectra reveal the presence of intervening high random velocity CaII absorbing clouds. In 5 out of the 14 directions searched we detect HI 21cm absorption features from these clouds. The mean optical depth of these detections is ∼0.09 and FWHM is ∼10km s⁻¹, consistent with absorption arising from CNM clouds.     

Hyperfine structure and interstellar curves of growth

The effects of the hyperfine structure (HFS) that is present in some interstellar absorption lines are investigated in the case of a single absorbing cloud. If the respective total equivalent widths of two or more unresolved HFS multiplets measured in relatively low-resolution spectra are analysed specifically by means of a curve of growth, the column density N (X) and the linewidth parameter b (X) inferred for absorbing species X in the cloud will generally be in error if the HFS is ignored. The fundamental physical effect is the reduced line saturation that arises because the total column density is divided among the HFS levels of the ground atomic level, each of which generally gives rise to an HFS line at a different wavelength. For nuclear spins   I = 3/2  and   I = 5/2  , theoretical curves of growth are calculated for some of the resonance lines of some alkali atoms, for each of four illustrative choices of the parameter  α=Δ/ b   , the ratio of the HFS splitting in the ground atomic level to the linewidth. Applications of the results to interstellar absorption by Na  i , K  i and Al  iii are emphasized. HFS is, fortunately, unimportant for most interstellar lines, however. Among the 35 elements that have been detected in diffuse clouds via interstellar absorption in the ultraviolet/optical spectral region, the most abundant isotope of each of 25 of these shows no HFS, because   I = 0  or, in the relevant ground atomic level,   J = 0  .     

The 10-μm profile of molecular-cloud and diffuse ISM silicate dust

High signal-to-noise ratio spectra are presented of the 10-μm silicate absorption feature in lines of sight towards Elias 16 and 18 in the Taurus dark cloud, and towards the heavily reddened supergiant Cyg OB2 no. 12. The observations are fitted with laboratory and astronomical spectra to produce intrinsic absorption profiles. These features, which represent molecular-cloud and diffuse ISM dust respectively, are better fitted with emissivity spectra of the Trapezium and μ Cephei than they are with those of laboratory, terrestrial, or other observations of circumstellar silicates. The difference in width between the silicate band in the two environments can be almost entirely ascribed to a broad excess absorption in the long-wavelength wing of the profiles, which is much stronger in the molecular-cloud lines of sight, and possibly reflects grain growth in the denser environment. Limits are placed on the strength of fine spectral structure; if there is a crystalline silicate component in these spectra, it is most likely to be serpentine. Column-density upper limits for methanol and the photolysis product hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) are less than a few per cent of those of water ice and silicates.     

Far-ultraviolet extinction and diffuse interstellar bands

We relate the equivalent widths of the major diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) near 5797 and 5780 Å with different colour excesses, normalized by E ( B − V ) , which characterize the growth of interstellar extinction in different wavelength ranges. It is demonstrated that the two DIBs correlate best with different parts of the extinction curve, and the ratio of these diffuse bands is best correlated with the far-ultraviolet (UV) rise. A number of peculiar lines of sight are also found, indicating that the carriers of some DIBs and the far-UV extinction can be separated in certain environments, e.g. towards the Per OB2 association.     

Correlation patterns between 11 diffuse interstellar bands and ultraviolet extinction

We relate the equivalent widths of 11 diffuse interstellar bands, measured in the spectra of 49 stars, to different colour excesses in the ultraviolet. We find that most of the observed bands correlate positively with the extinction in the neighbourhood of the 2175-Å  bump. Correlation with colour excesses in other parts of the extinction curve is more variable from one diffuse interstellar band to another; we find that some diffuse bands (5797, 5850 and 6376 Å) correlate positively with the overall slope of the extinction curve, while others (5780 and 6284 Å) exhibit negative correlation. We discuss the implications of these results on the links between the diffuse interstellar band carriers and the properties of the interstellar grains.     

Rotational contours of CH2X chain species compared with several diffuse interstellar bands

We have calculated synthetic spectra of perpendicular and parallel rovibronic bands of cumulene carbene molecules of the form C _n H₂. The perpendicular bands are consistent with a regularly spaced group of diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) near 6850 Å. Parallel bands calculated for these molecular structures are consistent with the intrinsic profile of the associated 6614-Å DIB. Both types of bands are expected for an electronic transition that these species should have at those energies. We could not determine if the molecule was charged or if an atom other than carbon terminated the chain-end. Constraints due to molecular geometry and temperature place the chain length at 7–15 carbons to fit the 6850-Å group and 9–13 carbons to fit the 6614-Å DIB.     

On the CH B‐X (1, 0) band in translucent clouds

We present observations of CH B‐X (1, 0) band toward 13 translucent sightlines. The given precise positions (at 3627.403, 3633.289, 3636.222 Å) are derived by means of shifting our spectra to the rest velocity frame using B‐X (0, 0) features (at 3878, 3886 and 3890 Å). The proposed oscillator strengths (equal to 0.00035, 0.00104, 0.00069, respectively) are based on f ‐values of the CH B‐X (0, 0) system, i.e. 0.00110, 0.00320, 0.00210 (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Radio Observations of Sgr B2

1 INTRODUCTIONFor the behavior of a molecular cloud in subsonic collision with another, Mao et al. (1992)have obtained simplified one-dimension traveling wave solutions for a plane-parallel s1ab. Chang-ing the sign in the transformation of variables in their case, we have the fOllowing results,1 rP = 2 l W op -- 1, (1)1 r =v = -- j W -- ry 1. (2)2 {V(N M)' 2z 2t -- W 1. (2)In Eq. (1), p increases with increasing t. Instability is expected to occur in strongly perturbedmolecular…     

The interstellar clouds of adams and blaauw revisited: An HI absorption study-I

This investigation is aimed at clarifying the nature of the interstellar gas seen in absorption against bright O and B stars. Towards this end we have obtained for the first time HI absorption spectra towards radio sources very close to the lines of sight towards twenty five bright stars previously studied. In this paper we describe the selection criteria, the details regarding our observations, and finally present the absorption spectra. In the accompanying paper we analyse the results and draw conclusions.     

薄分子云湍流结构函数的倾角改正及其应用

通过结构函数可以测量湍流的能量级联速率.在实际观测中,无法测量分子云中气体的3维速度,这使得其湍流结构函数难以测量.对垂直于视线方向的薄分子云的情形,结构函数Stt2可以通过云核速度弥散(core velocity dispersion,CVD)进行测量,CVD2=1/2Stt2.对此进行推广,对于不垂直于视线方向的薄分子云,CVD2=1/2Stt2(1-1/8cos2θ)R2/3,其中,θ是视线方向与投影方向的夹角,平均投影距离与3维距离之比R可以用第2类椭圆积分E(k,φ)表示为R=2/πE(cosθ,π/2).     

Cumulenic and heterocumulenic anions: potential interstellar species?

A recent theoretical investigation by Terzieva & Herbst of linear carbon chains, C _n where n  ≥ 6, in the interstellar medium has shown that these species can undergo efficient radiative association to form the corresponding anions. An experimental study by Barckholtz, Snow & Bierbaum of these anions has demonstrated that they do not react efficiently with molecular hydrogen, leading to the possibility of detectable abundances of cumulene-type anions in dense interstellar and circumstellar environments. Here we present a series of electronic structure calculations which examine possible anionic candidates for detection in these media, namely the anion analogues of the previously identified interstellar cumulenes C _n H and C _{n −1}CH₂ and heterocumulenes C _n O (where n  = 2–10). The extraordinary electron affinities calculated for these molecules suggest that efficient radiative electron attachment could occur, and the large dipole moments of these simple (generally) linear molecules point to the possibility of detection by radio astronomy.     

H3+ in diffuse interstellar gas

A model is constructed of the material in front of the star Cygnus OB2 no. 12 in which dense cores are embedded in diffuse clumps of gas. The model reproduces the measured abundances of C₂ and CO, and predicts a column density of 910¹⁰ cm² for HCO⁺.