Astron. Astrophys. 355, 1191-1200 (2000)

Interstellar nanodiamonds: the carriers of mid-infrared emission bands?

A.P. Jones and L. d'Hendecourt

Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale (CNRS), Université Paris XI - Bâtiment 121, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France

Received 7 September 1999 / Accepted 21 December 1999

Abstract

In this paper we pursue the natural consequences of the structure of nanodiamonds and their surface relaxation and reconstruction to surfaces exhibiting sp² carbon atoms. We show that in the interstellar radiation field nanodiamonds can be stochastically heated to temperatures as high as 1000 K and give rise to discrete emission bands associated with the surface structures. We therefore speculate that nanodiamonds can make a significant contribution towards the m unidentified mid-infrared emission bands.

Key words: ISM: dust, extinction ISM: general

Correspondence to: A.P. Jones (anthony.jones@ias.u-psud.fr)

This article contains no SIMBAD objects.

Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. The formation of nanodiamonds
• 3. Presolar nanodiamonds: Structure, size and shape
• 4. A model for the structural properties of nanometre-sized diamonds
• 5. The infrared properties of nanodiamonds
  • 5.1. Bulk features
  • 5.2. Surface features
  • 5.3. The infrared modes of nanodiamonds
• 6. The thermal properties of nanodiamonds
• 7. Nanodiamonds in the interstellar medium
  • 7.1. Visible and ultraviolet absorption and emission
  • 7.2. Observational constraints
• 8. Summary
• Acknowledgements
• References

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 2000

Online publication: March 21, 2000
helpdesk.link@springer.de