Ebook: The Diffuse Interstellar Bands

The mystery of the diffuse interstellar bands has been variously a curiosity, a co­ nundrum, and a nuisance for astronomers in the seven decades since the features were first noticed, but recently they have become a forefront issue in astrophysics. Ever since Paul Merrill, in a series of papers starting in 1934, pointed out the interstellar and unidentified nature of the bands, a Who's Who of twentieth century astronomers have tried their hands at solving the problem of identifying the carriers. Henry Norris Russell, Pol Swings, Otto Struve, Paul Ledoux, W. W. Morgan, Walter Adams, Jesse Greenstein, Lawrence Aller, and Gerhard Herzberg all briefly entered the stage, only to move on quickly to other problems where the chances for progress appeared more realistic. In more recent times a number of equally prominent scientists have pursued the bands, but generally only as a sideline to their real astronomical research. But in the past decade, and particularly in the past three years, the view of the search for the diffuse band absorbers as an interesting but perhaps quixotic quest has changed. Today there are several astronomers, as well as laboratory chemists, who are devoting substantial research time and resources to the problem and, as perhaps the most reliable indicator of the newly elevated status of research in this field, some research grants have now been awarded for the study of the bands.

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While the origin of the diffuse interstellar bands in interstellar rather than stellar material was established soon after their discovery early in this century, their precise identification has eluded generations of astronomers. However, advances in optical techniques, laboratory studies of astrophysically relevant materials, and our general understanding of the interstellar medium may be changing that. Current indications are that the carrier is molecular in origin.
The 40 invited reviews in The Diffuse Interstellar Bands bring the reader to the forefront of research, covering observation, theory and laboratory experiments.
Audience: An interdisciplinary work posing a challenge to astronomers, physicists and chemists interested in the visible spectra of large molecules. Also recommended for graduate students entering the field.

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While the origin of the diffuse interstellar bands in interstellar rather than stellar material was established soon after their discovery early in this century, their precise identification has eluded generations of astronomers. However, advances in optical techniques, laboratory studies of astrophysically relevant materials, and our general understanding of the interstellar medium may be changing that. Current indications are that the carrier is molecular in origin.
The 40 invited reviews in The Diffuse Interstellar Bands bring the reader to the forefront of research, covering observation, theory and laboratory experiments.
Audience: An interdisciplinary work posing a challenge to astronomers, physicists and chemists interested in the visible spectra of large molecules. Also recommended for graduate students entering the field.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-x
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
The Diffuse Bands: A Review with Speculations....Pages 3-12
Diffuse Interstellar Bands in Individual Sightlines....Pages 13-24
Ultra-High-Resolution Spectroscopy of Diffuse Bands....Pages 25-30
The Diffuse Interstellar Bands Towards Southern Stars....Pages 31-38
The Diffuse Interstellar Band Spectrum....Pages 39-51
Revisiting Diffuse Interstellar Bands in the Satellite Ultraviolet with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph....Pages 53-63
Diffuse Interstellar Bands in the near Infrared — A Dedicated Search for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon and Fullerene Cations....Pages 65-72
A Search for Polarization in Diffuse Interstellar Bands Towards HD197770....Pages 73-79
Front Matter....Pages 81-81
Collective Behaviour of the Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 83-95
DIBs and UV Extinction....Pages 97-103
The Environment Dependence of Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 105-112
Diffuse Interstellar Bands in the Young Galactic Clusters M16 and M17....Pages 113-119
The Interstellar Space Mosaic: A User Interface for Accessing ISM Data World-wide distributed....Pages 121-128
Diffuse Circumstellar Bands....Pages 129-142
Red Rectangle Emission Bands....Pages 143-148
Hac and the Ere....Pages 149-155
Visible Luminescence from PAH Cations and the Diffuse Bands in Emission....Pages 157-163
Carrier of the Emission ?5797 DIB in the Red Rectangle: Suprathermally Rotating PAH?....Pages 165-172
Front Matter....Pages 173-173
Laboratory Studies of DIB Carriers....Pages 175-198
Laboratory Studies of Highly Unsaturated Carbon Chains and the Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 199-205
Front Matter....Pages 173-173
Absorption Spectroscopy of Neutral and Ionized PAHs. Implications for the Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 207-217
A Critical Assessment of the PAH Hypothesis: Revisited....Pages 219-220
Photofragmentation of Isolated PAH Cations....Pages 221-229
Experimental Study of Naphthalene and Anthracene Reactions....Pages 231-238
Front Matter....Pages 239-239
The Diffuse Interstellar Bands and Interstellar Dust....Pages 241-252
Dust Grain Carriers and the Diffuse Band Profiles....Pages 253-262
Interstellar Polarization....Pages 263-270
Polarization of the 2175 ? Feature....Pages 271-278
Front Matter....Pages 279-279
Spectroscopy and Photophysics of Possible Large Molecule Carriers of the Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 281-305
Large Molecules in the Interstellar Medium....Pages 307-314
Charge Variation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium....Pages 315-321
Front Matter....Pages 323-323
Observational Constraints on the Carriers of the Diffuse Bands....Pages 325-340
Porphyrins within Interstellar Grains....Pages 341-347
Fulleranes and the Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 349-358
DIB Carriers on Grain Surfaces....Pages 359-362
PAH Cations as Candidates to the DIB Carriers....Pages 363-368
Carbon Chains and the Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 369-378
A Critique of Suggested Diffuse Band Carriers....Pages 379-393
Summary....Pages 395-405
Back Matter....Pages 407-415

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While the origin of the diffuse interstellar bands in interstellar rather than stellar material was established soon after their discovery early in this century, their precise identification has eluded generations of astronomers. However, advances in optical techniques, laboratory studies of astrophysically relevant materials, and our general understanding of the interstellar medium may be changing that. Current indications are that the carrier is molecular in origin.
The 40 invited reviews in The Diffuse Interstellar Bands bring the reader to the forefront of research, covering observation, theory and laboratory experiments.
Audience: An interdisciplinary work posing a challenge to astronomers, physicists and chemists interested in the visible spectra of large molecules. Also recommended for graduate students entering the field.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-x
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
The Diffuse Bands: A Review with Speculations....Pages 3-12
Diffuse Interstellar Bands in Individual Sightlines....Pages 13-24
Ultra-High-Resolution Spectroscopy of Diffuse Bands....Pages 25-30
The Diffuse Interstellar Bands Towards Southern Stars....Pages 31-38
The Diffuse Interstellar Band Spectrum....Pages 39-51
Revisiting Diffuse Interstellar Bands in the Satellite Ultraviolet with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph....Pages 53-63
Diffuse Interstellar Bands in the near Infrared — A Dedicated Search for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon and Fullerene Cations....Pages 65-72
A Search for Polarization in Diffuse Interstellar Bands Towards HD197770....Pages 73-79
Front Matter....Pages 81-81
Collective Behaviour of the Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 83-95
DIBs and UV Extinction....Pages 97-103
The Environment Dependence of Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 105-112
Diffuse Interstellar Bands in the Young Galactic Clusters M16 and M17....Pages 113-119
The Interstellar Space Mosaic: A User Interface for Accessing ISM Data World-wide distributed....Pages 121-128
Diffuse Circumstellar Bands....Pages 129-142
Red Rectangle Emission Bands....Pages 143-148
Hac and the Ere....Pages 149-155
Visible Luminescence from PAH Cations and the Diffuse Bands in Emission....Pages 157-163
Carrier of the Emission ?5797 DIB in the Red Rectangle: Suprathermally Rotating PAH?....Pages 165-172
Front Matter....Pages 173-173
Laboratory Studies of DIB Carriers....Pages 175-198
Laboratory Studies of Highly Unsaturated Carbon Chains and the Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 199-205
Front Matter....Pages 173-173
Absorption Spectroscopy of Neutral and Ionized PAHs. Implications for the Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 207-217
A Critical Assessment of the PAH Hypothesis: Revisited....Pages 219-220
Photofragmentation of Isolated PAH Cations....Pages 221-229
Experimental Study of Naphthalene and Anthracene Reactions....Pages 231-238
Front Matter....Pages 239-239
The Diffuse Interstellar Bands and Interstellar Dust....Pages 241-252
Dust Grain Carriers and the Diffuse Band Profiles....Pages 253-262
Interstellar Polarization....Pages 263-270
Polarization of the 2175 ? Feature....Pages 271-278
Front Matter....Pages 279-279
Spectroscopy and Photophysics of Possible Large Molecule Carriers of the Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 281-305
Large Molecules in the Interstellar Medium....Pages 307-314
Charge Variation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium....Pages 315-321
Front Matter....Pages 323-323
Observational Constraints on the Carriers of the Diffuse Bands....Pages 325-340
Porphyrins within Interstellar Grains....Pages 341-347
Fulleranes and the Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 349-358
DIB Carriers on Grain Surfaces....Pages 359-362
PAH Cations as Candidates to the DIB Carriers....Pages 363-368
Carbon Chains and the Diffuse Interstellar Bands....Pages 369-378
A Critique of Suggested Diffuse Band Carriers....Pages 379-393
Summary....Pages 395-405
Back Matter....Pages 407-415
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