A method for mapping the aliphatic hydrocarbon content of interstellar dust towards the Galactic Centre

Abstract

In the interstellar medium, the cosmic elemental carbon abundance includes the total carbon in both gas and solid phases. The aim of the study was to trial a new method for measuring the amount and distribution of aliphatic carbon within interstellar dust over wide fields of view of our Galaxy. This method is based on measurement of the 3.4 $\mu$m absorption feature from aliphatic carbonaceous matter. This can readily be achieved for single sources using IR spectrometers. However, making such measurements over wide fields requires an imaging IR camera, equipped with narrow-band filters that are able to sample the spectrum. While this cannot produce as good a determination of the spectra, the technique can be applied to potentially tens to hundreds of sources simultaneously, over the field of view of the camera. We examined this method for a field in the centre of the Galaxy, and produced a map showing the variation of 3.4 $\mu$m optical depth across it.

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Cited by in corpus (5)

• JWST reveals widespread CO ice and gas absorption in the Galactic Center cloud G0.253+0.016
• INFRA-ICE: an ultra-high vacuum experimental station for laboratory astrochemistry
• Mapping the aliphatic hydrocarbon content of interstellar dust in the Galactic plane
• Photocleavage of aliphatic C--C bonds in the interstellar medium
• Photometric Mapping of Carbonaceous/Siliceous Dust and Water Ice in the ISM with JWST: Applications to the Dense Sightlines