IDENTIFYING FLUORESCENT HYDROCARBON RADICALS FROM A BENZENE DISCHARGE. Neil J. Reilly, Damian L. Kokkin, Scott H. Kable & Timothy W. Schmidt (Not)
Diffuse interstellar bands…
What is this molecule?
Benzene discharge (2d) 99989998 99979997 10101010 10111011 21212121 21202120 21222122 Rotational branch trails C3C3 C2C2
Benzene discharge ?
Emission wavelength (nm) Excitation wavelength (nm)
Benzene discharge Claude Monet. Water-Lilies Oil on canvas. National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, Japan.
Benzene discharge C3C3 ? ? ? ? ?
C2C2 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
origin DF C2C2 C2C2
Benzene discharge C2C2 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? = same molecule!
C 6 H 6 discharge Our origin band DIB
Benzene discharge C2C2
C2C2
C6H6C6H6 C6H5DC6H5D C6D6C6D6
C6H6C6H6 C6H5DC6H5D C6D6C6D6
C6H6C6H6 C6H5DC6H5D C6D6C6D6 CnH6?CnH6?
Coincidence? Both spectra generated from C 6 H 6 discharge Both coincident with broad DIBs What could be the broadening mechanism? Inefficient radiative cooling? We’ll try to get a R2C2PI spectrum later this year… I’ll tell you what it is next year