The diffuse interstellar band carriers in interstellar space: All intense bands calculated from He doubly excited states embedded in Rydberg Matter

Abstract

The interpretation of the almost 300 diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) is one of the most long-standing problems in interstellar spectra. The only model showing agreement with a large number of DIBs (>60 bands) is based on transitions in doubly excited atoms embedded in the condensed phase named Rydberg Matter (RM). A similar model is now used to precisely calculate all intense bands from the high-resolution survey by Galazutdinov et al., 63 bands in total. Thus, the RM model interprets at present 120 DIBs accurately in a consistent manner, almost half of the number of DIBs. The origin of almost all intense DIBs is shown to be absorption during electron transitions between co-planar doubly excited He atoms inside RM, and from singly excited He atoms to doubly excited He atoms inside RM. The average error in the assignments is 4 cm-1 (1.4 Å), comparable to the band width. The intense but broad DIB 578.0 nm is part of a series of 10 bands interpreted as RM transitions from n″ = 5 to the conduction band limit. The shape of DIB 579.7 nm is consistent with a rotational band from symmetric top RM clusters at approximately 100 K. Good agreement with observational results like band shapes and correlations among various bands is found. © 2008 RAS.