Vuv to Fir Laboratory Observations on Submicron Amorphous Carbon Particles

Abstract

We present here a general overview of our experimental results obtained on submicron amorphous carbon particles. Morphological and spectroscopic analysis represent a useful tool to test the particles produced in the laboratory as possible candidates to simulate the interstellar dust. Amorphous carbon grains have been produced and spectroscopically analized in the wavelength range from 1000 A to 330 μm following the principal goal of obtaining homogeneous and reproduceable data under carefully controlled experimental ambient conditions. Present results and related speculations suggest that submicron amorphous carbon grains with radii smaller or equal to 40 A may account for the observed interstellar hump; a mixture of amorphous carbon grains and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is able to produce the entire family of the so called unidentified interstellar emission bands.