Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2005-09-13
Astrophys.J.636:303-315,2005
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Accepted for Publication in the ApJ
Scientific paper
10.1086/498052
The carrier of the dust-associated photoluminescence process causing the extended red emission (ERE) in many dusty interstellar environments remains unidentified. Several competing models are more or less able to match the observed broad, unstructured ERE band. We now constrain the character of the ERE carrier further by determining the wavelengths of the radiation that initiates the ERE. Using the imaging capabilities of the Hubble Space Telescope, we have resolved the width of narrow ERE filaments appearing on the surfaces of externally illuminated molecular clouds in the bright reflection nebula NGC 7023 and compared them with the depth of penetration of radiation of known wavelengths into the same cloud surfaces. We identify photons with wavelengths shortward of 118 nm as the source of ERE initiation, not to be confused with ERE excitation, however. There are strong indications from the well-studied ERE in the Red Rectangle nebula and in the high-|b| Galactic cirrus that the photon flux with wavelengths shortward of 118 nm is too small to actually excite the observed ERE, even with 100% quantum efficiency. We conclude, therefore, that ERE excitation results from a two-step process. While none of the previously proposed ERE models can match these new constraints, we note that under interstellar conditions most polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules are ionized to the di-cation stage by photons with E > 10.5 eV and that the electronic energy level structure of PAH di-cations is consistent with fluorescence in the wavelength band of the ERE. Therefore, PAH di-cations deserve further study as potential carriers of the ERE. (abridged)
Gordon Karl Douglas
Sell Paul H.
Smith Tracy L.
Vijh Uma P.
Witt Adolf N.
No associations
LandOfFree
The Excitation of Extended Red Emission: New Constraints on its Carrier From HST Observations of NGC 7023 does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Excitation of Extended Red Emission: New Constraints on its Carrier From HST Observations of NGC 7023, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Excitation of Extended Red Emission: New Constraints on its Carrier From HST Observations of NGC 7023 will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-704370