Astron. Astrophys. 348, 594-599 (1999)

Interstellar extinction by porous grains

D.B. Vaidya ¹ and Ranjan Gupta <sup>2

1</sup> Department of Physics, Gujarat College, Ahmedabad 380006, India
² IUCAA, Post Bag 4, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007, India

Received 7 September 1998 / Accepted 23 April 1999

Abstract

Interstellar extinction curve E(-V)/E(B-V) vs is evaluated in the spectral range and using the extinction efficiencies of the porous silicate and graphite grains. The extinction efficiencies of the porous silicate and graphite grains are computed using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA). The model curves are compared with the average observed interstellar extinction curve. Further, we investigate the effect of porosity on the extinction in the UV in details and show that the inhomogeneity (porosity, structure) within the grains can produce shift in the central wavelength of the extinction peak in the UV, as well as variation in its width. The albedo for the porous grains in the UV and the visible spectral range is also computed and it is found to be consistent with the observations.

Key words: ISM: dust, extinction

Send offprint requests to: Ranjan Gupta (rag@iucaa.ernet.in)

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1999

Online publication: July 26, 1999

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