Dialectics of the PAH abundance trend with metallicity

Abstract

This paper reviews the various processes that have been proposed to explain the observed trend of PAH strength with metallicity. It summarizes a study showing that, although PAH destruction by hard radiation is important in low-metallicity environments, it is not sufficient to explain their paucity. In these systems, the deficiency of their formation mechanism, related to stellar evolution, has to be invoked. © EAS, EDP Sciences 2011.