Bibcode
García-Hernández, D. A.; Cataldo, F.; Manchado, A.
Bibliographical reference
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 434, Issue 1, p.415-422
Advertised on:
9
2013
Citations
31
Refereed citations
26
Description
Recent Spitzer Space Telescope observations of several astrophysical
environments such as planetary nebulae, reflection nebulae and R Coronae
Borealis stars show the simultaneous presence of mid-infrared features
attributed to neutral fullerene molecules (i.e. C60) and
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). If C60 fullerenes
and PAHs coexist in fullerene-rich space environments, then
C60 may easily form adducts with a number of different PAH
molecules, at least with catacondensed PAHs. Here we present the
laboratory infrared spectra (˜2-25 μm) of C60
fullerene and anthracene Diels-Alder mono- and bis-adducts as produced
by sonochemical synthesis. We find that C60/anthracene
Diels-Alder adducts display spectral features strikingly similar to
those from C60 (and C70) fullerenes and other
unidentified infrared emission features. Thus, fullerene adducts - if
formed under astrophysical conditions and are stable/abundant enough -
may contribute to the infrared emission features observed in
fullerene-containing circumstellar/interstellar environments.
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Nucleosynthesis and molecular processes in the late stages of Stellar Evolution
Low- to intermediate-mass (M < 8 solar masses, Ms) stars represent the majority of stars in the Cosmos. They finish their lives on the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) - just before they form planetary nebulae (PNe) - where they experience complex nucleosynthetic and molecular processes. AGB stars are important contributors to the enrichment of the
Domingo Aníbal
García Hernández