Shock processing of interstellar dust - Diamonds in the sky

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (111) References (23) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Shock Processing of Interstellar Dust: Diamonds in the Sky Tielens, A. G. G. M. ; Seab, C. G. ; Hollenbach, D. J. ; McKee, Christopher F. Abstract The processing of interstellar dust grains by strong shock waves is studied, with the emphasis on the effects of grain-grain collisions. Such collisions provide the high pressures required to transform interstellar graphite and amorphous carbon grains into diamonds. Diamond metamorphism is as important for the destruction of such grains as vaporization and sputtering. It is calculated that about 5 percent of the C is expected to be in the form of 5-100 A diamonds in the interstellar medium. These results support the suggested interstellar origin for the recently discovered small meteoritic diamonds by providing a feasible interstellar formation mechanism. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: August 1987 DOI: 10.1086/184964 Bibcode: 1987ApJ...319L.109T Keywords: Amorphous Materials; Cosmic Dust; Interstellar Matter; Metamorphism (Geology); Meteoritic Diamonds; Shock Waves; Crystal Lattices; Interstellar Gas; Interstellar Magnetic Fields; Phase Transformations; Shock Fronts; Sputtering; Astrophysics; INTERSTELLAR: GRAINS; INTERSTELLAR: MATTER; SHOCK WAVES full text sources ADS |