Detalles de publicación
PP 010066
Formation of fullerenes in H-containing Planetary Nebulae
(1) IAC, (2) ULL, (3) CSIC, (4) ESAC-ESA, (5) NOAO, (6) UAM, (7) NCAC , (8) INSA-ESA
Hydrogen depleted environments are considered an essential requirement for the
formation of fullerenes. The recent detection of C60 and C70 fullerenes in what was incorrectly interpreted as a hydrogen-poor Planetary Nebula (PN) seemed to confirm this picture. Here, we present strong evidence that challenges the current paradigm regarding fullerene formation, showing that it can take place in circumstellar environments containing hydrogen. We report the simultaneous detection of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and fullerenes towards C-rich and H-containing PNe belonging to environments with very different chemical histories such as our own Galaxy and the Small Magellanic Cloud. We suggest that PAHs and fullerenes may be formed by the photochemical processing of hydrogenated amorphous carbon. These observations have profound implications on our current understanding of the chemistry of large organic molecules as well as the chemical processing in space.
formation of fullerenes. The recent detection of C60 and C70 fullerenes in what was incorrectly interpreted as a hydrogen-poor Planetary Nebula (PN) seemed to confirm this picture. Here, we present strong evidence that challenges the current paradigm regarding fullerene formation, showing that it can take place in circumstellar environments containing hydrogen. We report the simultaneous detection of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and fullerenes towards C-rich and H-containing PNe belonging to environments with very different chemical histories such as our own Galaxy and the Small Magellanic Cloud. We suggest that PAHs and fullerenes may be formed by the photochemical processing of hydrogenated amorphous carbon. These observations have profound implications on our current understanding of the chemistry of large organic molecules as well as the chemical processing in space.