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Last Updated: 03/10/05

Diffuse Interstellar Bands

A series of diffuse bands (of interstellar origin) were recorded on photographic plates early in the century. We now know of well over 100 such bands present in the UV, visible and near IR regions of the spectrum. Some authors suggest that 10% of cosmic carbon may be in the molecules that cause these features. Identifying the carriers of these diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) has become the classic (astrophysical) spectroscopic problem of the 20th century. Since their discovery in the early 1900's the DIBs have successfully challenged spectroscopists, astronomers, and physicists. During this time so many suggestions have been made that the subject fills many books. We think tat the DIBs are caused by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or most likely their cations, since PAH ions of all sizes absorb in the visible and near infrared, and such molecules are expected to be ionized by the intense UV field present in much of the interstellar medium. The table below shows the similarity between the DIBs and spectral data on PAHs from the astrochemistry lab and especially Dr. Farid Salama.


For more detailed information on our studies of the Diffuse Interstellar Bands, see:

Salama, F. (1996). Low Temperature Molecular Spectroscopy: From Ground to Space. In Low Temperature Molecular Spectroscopy, R. Fausto, ed., NATO/ASI Series, Series C: Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Vol. 483, (Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht), pp. 169-191.

Salama, F., Bakes, E., Allamandola, L. J., & Tielens, A. G. G. M. (1996). Assessment of the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon - Diffuse Interstellar Band Proposal. Astrophys J. 458, 621-636.

Salama, F., Joblin, C., & Allamandola, L. J. (1995). Absorption spectroscopy of neutral and ionized PAHs. Implications for the Diffuse Interstellar Bands. In The Diffuse Interstellar Bands, A. G. G. M. Tielens & T. P. Snow, eds., (Kluwer: Dordrecht), pp. 207-217.

Salama, F., & Allamandola, L. J. (1993). Neutral and Ionized PAHs, The Diffuse Interstellar Bands, and the Ultraviolet Extinction Curve. J. Chem. Soc.Faraday Trans. 89, 2277-2284.

Salama, F., & Allamandola, L. J. (1992). The Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrum of the PAH C10H8+: Possible Contributions to the Diffuse Interstellar Bands and to the UV-Visible Extinction. Astrophys. J. 395, 301-306.

Salama, F., & Allamandola, L. J. (1992). Is a Pyrene-Like Molecular Ion Responsible for the 4430 Å Diffuse Interstellar Band? Nature 358, 42-43.