On the System of Diffuse Interstellar Bands at 5844 and 5850 Angstrom
Abstract
Two neighboring diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) at 5844 and 5850 Å are shown to be of different origin. The presence or absence of the 5844 DIB is related to the ratio of the two prominent DIBs at 5780 and 5797 Å as well as to the nature of the ultraviolet extinction curve. The 5844 Å DIB is very sensitive to the extinction, being completely absent in cases where the far-UV extinction is low. This suggests that the carrier is destroyed by photons having energies above 11 or 12 eV. The 5850 Å DIB correlates very well with the well-studied DIB at 5797 Å, suggesting that these two features belong to the same family of DIBs and may be produced by the same carrier.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- December 1993
- DOI:
- 10.1086/173519
- Bibcode:
- 1993ApJ...419..692K
- Keywords:
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- ISM: MOLECULES;
- LINE: IDENTIFICATION