Fullerenes and Buckyonions in the Interstellar Medium

Abstract

We show that photoabsorption by fullerenes and buckyonions (multishell fullerenes) explain the shape, width, and peak energy of the most prominent feature of interstellar absorption, the UV bump at 2175 . The predicted A optical and near-infrared transitions for these molecules also offer a potential explanation for the long-standing problem of the identity of the diffuse interstellar bands. The implied ubiquitous distribution of fullerenes may also account for the anomalous galactic microwave emission detected by cosmic microwave background experiments. Comparing theoretical cross sections and astronomical data, we estimate a density of fullerenes in the diffuse interstellar medium of 0.1-0.2 parts per million, consistent with the findings in meteorites. Fullerenebased molecules appear to be a major carbon reservoir in the interstellar medium.

An intrinsic source of reddening in the cataclysmic variable SS Cygni

“…-Some studies (Iglesias-Groth 2004) demonstrate that fullerenes and buckyonions are the best candidates for explaining the shape, width and peak energy of the most prominent feature of the 2175 Å bump. -Other studies (Kuznetsov et al 1994;Ugarte 1995;Kroto et al 1987;Kroto 1997;Draine 2009) demonstrate that the formation of fullerenes and buckyonions is confirmed both in laboratory and in circumstellar envelopes of evolved stars and other astrophysical environments.…”

“…Concerning the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM), the positions and widths observed for the 2175 Å bump can be explained by the power-law-size distribution proposed by Iglesias-Groth (2004). In her calculations of the density of fullerenes and buckyonions, she uses a comparison between the theoretical cross-sections of her model and the UV bump data.…”

Diffuse interstellar bands in fullerene planetary nebulae: the fullerenes – diffuse interstellar bands connection

“…Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; e.g., Salama et al 1999), fullerenes (e.g., Foing & Ehrenfreund 1994;Herbig 2000;Iglesias-Groth 2007), and polyatomic organic molecules (e.g., Maier et al 2011) are among the proposed DIB carriers. In particular, the fullerenes -DIB hypothesis may also explain the intense UV absorption band at 217 nm as due to fullerene-based molecules such as buckyonions (multishell fullerenes; e.g., Iglesias-Groth 2004) and hydrogenated fullerenes (e.g., Cataldo & Iglesias-Groth 2009).…”

Facula, Faculae

“…The infrared spectrum of C 60 H 36 has also been compared with the infrared features of astrophysical objects like the protoplanetary nebulae (Cataldo 2003). An inventory about fullerenes and hydrogenated derivatives in the interstellar medium and their theoretical spectral properties can be found in the recent works of Iglesias-Groth (2004. A connection between fullerenes and the strongest ▶ diffuse interstellar band (DIB) known in the optical has also been proposed (Iglesias-Groth 2007, 2008.…”