Are C60 Molecules Detectable in Circumstellar Shells of R Coronae Borealis Stars?

García-Hernández, D. A.; Kameswara Rao, N.; Lambert, D. L.
Referencia bibliográfica

The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 729, Issue 2, article id. 126 (2011).

Fecha de publicación:
3
2011
Número de autores
3
Número de autores del IAC
1
Número de citas
91
Número de citas referidas
70
Descripción
The hydrogen-poor, helium-rich, and carbon-rich character of the gas around R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars has been suggested to be a site for formation of C60 molecules. This suggestion is not supported by observations reported here showing that infrared transitions of C60 are not seen in a large sample of RCB stars observed with the Infrared Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The infrared C60 transitions are seen, however, in emission and blended with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) features in spectra of DY Cen and possibly also of V854 Cen, the two least hydrogen-deficient (hydrogen deficiency of only ~10-100) RCB stars. The speculation is offered that C60 (and the PAHs) in the moderately H-deficient circumstellar envelopes may be formed by the decomposition of hydrogenated amorphous carbon but fullerene formation is inefficient in the highly H-deficient environments of most RCBs.
Proyectos relacionados
Project Image
Nucleosíntesis y procesos moleculares en los últimos estados de la evolución estelar

Las estrellas de masa baja e intermedia (M < 8 masas solares, Ms) representan la mayoría de estrellas en el Cosmos y terminan sus vidas en la Rama Asintótica de las Gigantes (AGB) - justo antes de formar Nebulosas Planetarias (NPs) - cuando experimentan procesos nucleosintéticos y moleculares complejos. Las estrellas AGB son importantes

Domingo Aníbal
García Hernández