Detalles de publicación

PP 011004

Are C60 molecules detectable in circumstellar shells of R Coronae Borealis stars?

D. A. Garcia-Hernandez(1,2), N. Kameswara Rao(3), D. L. Lambert(4)
(1) IAC; (2) ULL; (3) Indian Institute of Astrophysics; (4) W. J. McDonald Observatory, UT
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 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.

 
Aceptado para publicación en ApJ | Enviado el 2011-01-12 | Proyecto 311586