Insights on Dust Grain Formation and Destruction Provided by Gas-Phase Element Abundances

Abstract

The abundances of free atoms and ions relative to hydrogen in the interstellar medium indicate how thoroughly different elements have condensed into solid form. Large contrasts in these depletions disclose differences in how tightly various elements are bound to the grains. While most grain nuclei probably form within astrophysical sites where densities are large, a substantial amount of the accretion of heavy elements must occur within interstellar clouds. Interstellar shocks created by supernova explosions or perhaps collisions of clouds destroy or significantly erode the grains. This viewpoint on the formation and destruction of grains is supported by the decrease in the severity of depletions in regions of lower than normal density or parcels of gas moving at high velocity. While depletions in gas away from the plane of the galaxy generally imitate the behavior of low density regions in the plane, mild anomalies for some elements may exist.