The Gas Phase Spectrum of Cyclic C 18 and the Diffuse Interstellar Bands

Abstract

The gas phase spectrum of the cyclic C 18 molecule recorded in the laboratory at a temperature typical of diffuse interstellar clouds is compared with absorption features toward ζ Oph and HD 204827 in the 5730-5934 Å region. For the origin band at 5928.5 Å an upper limit to the column density of ≤ 1.8 × 10 11 cm -2 is inferred. The origin band pattern in the laboratory spectrum changes on lowering the internal temperature in the 100-20 K range and bears a striking resemblance to the observed structure of a number of DIBs at other wavelengths. This suggests that platelike molecules or ions, comprising a couple of dozen to hundred carbon atoms, could be responsible for some of the latter absorptions. © 2006. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.