Predictions of exceptionally strong ‘4430’ in the backscattered light from reflection nebulae

The strength of the 4430 interstellar spectrum feature in the backscattered light from certain reflection nebulae is shown to be a sensitive indicator of the feature's origin.Backscattering 4430 profiles have been computed for several, models of silicate, graphite, dirtyice-coated graphite, and silicon carbide grains with impurities. The effect on these profiles of both non-sphericity of the grains and finite optical thickness of the reflection nebula have been considered. For silicate grains, the 4430 central depth is predicted to be up to ten times its value in the corresponding extinction profile, whereas for graphite only a rather weak feature is expected. Some comments are made concerning the future comparison of observations with these theretical results.