Nanodiamond dust and the energy distribution of quasars
arXiv:astro-ph/0509735 · doi:10.1002/asna.200510497
Abstract
The spectral energy distribution of quasars shows a sharp steepening of the continuum shortward of ~ 1100 A. The steepening could be a result of dust absorption. We present a dust extinction model which considers crystalline carbon grains and compare it with SMC-like dust extinction consisting of a mixture of silicate grains with graphite or amorphous carbon grains. We show that the sharp break seen in individual quasar spectra of intermediate redshif \~ 1-2 can be reproduced by dust absorption provided the extinction curve consists of nanodiamonds, composed of terrestial cubic diamonds or of diamonds similar to the presolar nanodiamonds found in primitive meteorites.
arXiv commentIn proceedings of Granada workshop on high redshift radio-galaxies, Spain 2005, to appear in Astronomishe Nachrichten
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