Molecular Band Strengths Research Articles

A spectral classification system for hydrogen-deficient carbon stars

ABSTRACTStellar spectral classification has been highly useful in the study of stars. While there is a currently accepted spectral classification system for carbon stars, the subset of hydrogen-deficient carbon (HdC) stars has not been well described by such a system, due predominantly to their rarity and their variability. Here we present the first system for the classification of HdCs based on their spectra, which is made wholly on their observable appearance. We use a combination of dimensionality reduction and clustering algorithms with human classification to create such a system with eight total classes corresponding to temperature, and an additional second axis corresponding to the carbon molecular band strength. We classify over half of the known sample of HdC stars using this, and roughly calibrate the temperatures of each class using their colours. Additionally, we express trends in the occurrence of certain spectral peculiarities such as the presence of hydrogen and lithium lines. We also present three previously unpublished spectra, report the discovery of two new Galactic dustless HdC stars, and additionally discuss one especially unique star that appears to border between the hottest HdCs and the coolest extreme helium stars.

V838 Mon: A slow waking up of Sleeping Beauty?

Context. V838 Monocerotis is a peculiar binary that underwent an immense stellar explosion in 2002, leaving behind an expanding cool supergiant and a hot B3V companion. Five years after the outburst, the B3V companion disappeared from view, and has not returned to its original state. Aims. We investigate the changes in the light curve and spectral features to explain the behaviour of V838 Mon during the current long-lasting minimum. Methods. A monitoring campaign has been performed over the past 13 years with the Nordic Optical Telescope to obtain optical photometric and spectroscopic data. The datasets are used to analyse the temporal evolution of the spectral features and the spectral energy distribution, and to characterise the object. Results. Our photometric data show a steady brightening in all bands over the past 13 years, which is particularly prominent in the blue. This rise is also reflected in the spectra, showing a gradual relative increase in the continuum flux at shorter wavelengths. In addition, a slow brightening of the Hα emission line starting in 2015 was detected. These changes might imply that the B3V companion is slowly reappearing. During the same time interval, our analysis reveals a considerable change in the observed colours of the object along with a steady decrease in the strength and width of molecular absorption bands in our low-resolution spectra. These changes suggest a rising temperature of the cool supergiant along with a weakening of its wind, most likely combined with a slow recovery of the secondary due to the evaporation of the dust and accretion of the material from the shell in which the hot companion is embedded. From our medium-resolution spectra, we find that the heliocentric radial velocity of the atomic absorption line of Ti I 6556.06 Å has been stable for more than a decade. We propose that Ti I lines are tracing the velocity of the red supergiant in V838 Mon, and do not represent the infalling matter as previously stated.

Molecular simulations for the spectroscopic detection of atmospheric gases.

Unambiguously identifying molecules in spectra is of fundamental importance for a variety of scientific and industrial uses. Interpreting atmospheric spectra for the remote detection of volatile compounds requires information about the spectrum of each relevant molecule. However, spectral data currently exist for a few hundred molecules and only a fraction of those have complete spectra (e.g. H2O, NH3). Consequently, molecular detections in atmospheric spectra remain vulnerable to false positives, false negatives, and missassignments. There is a key need for spectral data for a broad range of molecules. Given how challenging it is to obtain high-resolution molecular spectra, there is great value in creating intermediate approximate spectra that can provide a starting point for the analysis of atmospheric spectra. Using a combination of experimental measurements, organic chemistry, and quantum mechanics, RASCALL (Rapid Approximate Spectral Calculations for ALL) is a computational approach that provides approximate spectral data for any given molecule, including thousands of potential atmospheric gases. RASCALL is a new theoretical chemistry method for the simulation of spectral data. RASCALL 1.0, presented here, is capable of simulating molecular spectral data, in a few seconds, by interpreting functional group data from experimental and theoretical sources to estimate the position and strength of molecular bands. The RASCALL 1.0 spectra consist of approximate band centers and qualitative intensities. RASCALL 1.0 is also able to assess hundreds of molecules simultaneously, which will inform prioritization protocols for future, computationally and experimentally costly, high-accuracy physical chemistry studies. Finally, RASCALL can be used to study spectral patterns between molecules, highlighting ambiguities in molecular detections and also directing observations towards spectral regions that reduce the degeneracy in molecular identification. The RASCALL catalogue, and its preliminary version RASCALL 1.0, contains spectral data for more molecules than any other publicly available database, with applications in all fields interested in the detection of molecules in the gas phase (e.g., medical imaging, petroleum industry, pollution monitoring, astrochemistry). The preliminary catalogue of molecular data and associated documentation are freely available online and will be routinely updated.

Carbon stars in the X-shooter Spectral Library

In a previous paper, we assembled a collection of medium-resolution spectra of 35 carbon stars, covering optical and near-infrared wavelengths from 400 to 2400 nm. The sample includes stars from the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds, with a variety of (J−Ks) colors and pulsation properties. In the present paper, we compare these observations to a new set of high-resolution synthetic spectra, based on hydrostatic model atmospheres. We find that the broad-band colors and the molecular-band strengths measured by spectrophotometric indices match those of the models when (J−Ks) is bluer than about 1.6, while the redder stars require either additional reddening or dust emission or both. Using a grid of models to fit the full observed spectra, we estimate the most likely atmospheric parameters Teff, log (g), [Fe/H] and C/O. These parameters derived independently in the optical and near-infrared are generally consistent when (J−Ks) < 1.6. The temperatures found based on either wavelength range are typically within ±100 K of each other, and log (g) and [Fe/H] are consistent with the values expected for this sample. The reddest stars ((J−Ks) > 1.6) are divided into two families, characterized by the presence or absence of an absorption feature at 1.53 μm, generally associated with HCN and C2H2. Stars from the first family begin to be more affected by circumstellar extinction. The parameters found using optical or near-infrared wavelengths are still compatible with each other, but the error bars become larger. In stars showing the 1.53 μm feature, which are all large-amplitude variables, the effects of pulsation are strong and the spectra are poorly matched with hydrostatic models. For these, atmospheric parameters could not be derived reliably, and dynamical models are needed for proper interpretation.

LIMITATIONS OF CN AND CH MOLECULAR BAND STRENGTHS AT HIGH METALLICITIES: A CASE STUDY IN NGC 6791

ABSTRACT We present an analysis of the CN and CH molecular band strengths in NGC 6791 from low-resolution Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration spectra as a means to detect chemical variations in the cluster. NGC 6791 is a heavily studied open cluster (OC) due to its unique combination of old age, high mass, and high metallicity. These characteristics place NGC 6791 between the physical properties of most globular and OCs. Recent photometric and spectroscopic studies yield contradicting results, with some claiming to detect signs of multiple populations, as in globular clusters, while others do not. We do not find large spreads in the CN and CH band strength distributions that would suggest multiple populations. By pairing spectral synthesis with the measured CN values, we conclude that the maximum [N/Fe] variation in the cluster is 0.2 dex. Additionally, we find that the saturation of the CH band at high metallicities limits its usefulness in detecting multiple populations and determining C abundances.

INFRARED SPECTRAL PROPERTIES OF M GIANTS

We observed a sample of 20 M giants with the Infrared Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope. Most show absorption structure at 6.6-6.8 um which we identify as water vapor, and in some cases, the absorption extends from 6.4 um into the SiO band at 7.5 um. Variable stars show stronger H2O absorption. While the strength of the SiO fundamental at 8 um increases monotonically from spectral class K0 to K5, the dependence on spectral class weakens in the M giants. As with previously studied samples, the M giants show considerable scatter in SiO band strength within a given spectral class. All of the stars in our sample also show OH band absorption, most noticeably in the 14-17 um region. The OH bands behave much like the SiO bands, increasing in strength in the K giants but showing weaker dependence on spectral class in the M giants, and with considerable scatter. An examination of the photometric properties reveals that the V-K color may be a better indicator of molecular band strength than the spectral class. The transformation from Tycho colors to Johnson B-V color is double-valued, and neither B-V nor BT-VT color increases monotonically with spectral class in the M giants like they do in the K giants.

SPECTRAL CALIBRATION IN THE MID-INFRARED: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

ABSTRACT We present spectra obtained with the Infrared Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope of 33 K giants and 20 A dwarfs to assess their suitability as spectrophotometric standard stars. The K giants confirm previous findings that the strength of the SiO absorption band at 8 μm increases for both later optical spectral classes and redder (B–V)0 colors, but with considerable scatter. For K giants, the synthetic spectra underpredict the strengths of the molecular bands from SiO and OH. For these reasons, the assumed true spectra for K giants should be based on the assumption that molecular band strengths in the infrared can be predicted accurately from neither optical spectral class or color nor synthetric spectra. The OH bands in K giants grow stronger with cooler stellar temperatures, and they are stronger than predicted by synthetic spectra. As a group, A dwarfs are better behaved and more predictable than the K giants, but they are more likely to show red excesses from debris disks. No suitable A dwarfs were located in parts of the sky continuously observable from Spitzer, and with previous means of estimating the true spectra of K giants ruled out, it was necessary to use models of A dwarfs to calibrate spectra of K giants from observed spectral ratios of the two groups and then use the calibrated K giants as standards for the full database of infrared spectra from Spitzer. We also describe a lingering artifact that affects the spectra of faint blue sources at 24 μm.

High-resolution spectroscopic atlas of M subdwarfs. Effective temperature and metallicity

Context. M subdwarfs are metal poor and cool stars. They are important probes of the old galactic populations. However, they remain elusive due to their low luminosity. Observational and modeling efforts are required to fully understand their physics and to investigate the effects of metallicity in their cool atmospheres. Aims. We perform a detailed study of a sample of subdwarfs to determine their stellar parameters and constrain the stat-of-the art atmospheric models. Methods. We present UVES/VLT high resolution spectra of three late-K subdwarfs and 18 M subdwarfs. Our atlas covers the optical region from 6400 AA up to the near infrared at 8900 AA. We show spectral details of cool atmospheres at very high resolution (R= 40 000) and compare with synthetic spectra computed from the recent BT-Settl atmosphere models. Results. Our comparison shows that molecular features (TiO, VO, CaH), and atomic features (Fe I, Ti I, Na I, K I) are well fitted by current models. We produce an effective temperature versus spectral type relation all over the subdwarf spectral sequence. Thanks to the high resolution of our spectra, we perform a detailed comparison of line profiles of individual elements such as Fe I, Ca II, Ti I, and are able to determine accurate metallicities of these stars. These determinations contribute to calibrate the relation between metallicity and molecular band strength indices from low-resolution spectra. Conclusions. This work shows that the new generation of models are able to reproduce various spectral features of M subdwarfs. Working with these high resolution spectra allowed us to disentangle the atmospheric parameters (effective temperature, gravity, metallicity), which is not possible when using low resolution spectroscopy or photometry.

The M dwarf problem in the Galaxy

We present evidence that there is an M dwarf problem similar to the previously identified G dwarf and K dwarf problems: the number of low-metallicity M dwarfs is not sufficient to match simple closed-box models of local Galactic chemical evolution. We estimated the metallicity of 4141 M dwarf stars with spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) using a molecular band strength versus metallicity calibration developed using high resolution spectra of nearby M dwarfs. Using a sample of M dwarfs with measured magnitudes, parallaxes, and metallicities, we derived a relation that describes the absolute magnitude variation as a function of metallicity. When we examined the metallicity distribution of SDSS stars, after correcting for the different volumes sampled by the magnitude-limited survey, we found that there is an M dwarf problem, with the number of M dwarfs at [Fe/H] ~ -0.5 less than 1% the number at [Fe/H] = 0, where a simple model of Galactic chemical evolution predicts a more gradual drop in star numbers with decreasing metallicity.

MULTIPLE STELLAR POPULATIONS IN 47 Tucanae

We use Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and ground-based imaging to study the multiple populations of 47 Tuc, combining high-precision photometry with calculations of synthetic spectra. Using filters covering a wide range of wavelengths, our HST photometry splits the main sequence (MS) into two branches, and we find that this duality is repeated in the subgiant and red-giant regions (SGB, RGB), and on the horizontal branch (HB). We calculate theoretical stellar atmospheres for MS stars, assuming different chemical composition mixtures, and we compare their predicted colors through the HST filters with our observed colors. We find that we can match the complex of observed colors with a pair of populations, one with primeval abundance and another with enhanced nitrogen and a small helium enhancement, but with depleted C and O. We confirm that models of RGB and red HB stars with that pair of compositions also give colors that fit our observations. We suggest that the different strengths of molecular bands of OH, CN, CH and NH, falling in different photometric bands, are responsible for the color splits of the two populations. Near the cluster center, in each portion of the color-magnitude diagram (CMD) the population with primeval abundances makes up only ~20% of the stars, a fraction that increases outwards, approachng equality in the outskirts of the cluster, with a fraction ~30% averaged over the whole cluster. Thus the second, He/N-enriched population is more concentrated and contributes the majority of the present-day stellar content of the cluster. We present evidence that the CMD of 47 Tuc consists of intertwined sequences of the two populations, whose separate identities can be followed continuously from the MS up to the RGB, and thence to the HB. A third population is visible only in the SGB, where it includes ~8% of the stars.

Dust in brown dwarfs and extra-solar planets

Context. This work is concerned with dust formation in ultra-cool atmospheres, encompassing the latest type stars, brown dwarfs, and hot giant exoplanets. Dust represents one of the most important and yet least understood sources of opacity in these types of objects.Aims. We compare our model spectra with SpeX data in order to draw conclusions about the dust cloud structure and related quantities in ultra-cool atmospheres. Methods. We use the self-consistent Drift-Phoenix atmosphere code, which features a kinetic dust formation mechanism and accounts for the dust cloud influence on the spectra. Results. We present fits of our latest model spectra to observations that cover a wide range of our model grid. The results are remarkably good, yielding significant improvement over the older Cond-/Dusty-Phoenix models, especially in the L-dwarf regime. The new models are able to properly reproduce observed spectra, including complicated features such as the molecular band strengths. This raises confidence in the reliability of our dust-modeling approach.Conclusions. We demonstrate that our code produces excellent results concerning the fitting with observations. This suggests that our dust cloud and atmosphere structures are reasonably accurate. Like all other current cloud models, ours is not able to produce satisfying results for spectral types later than L6 without manually tuning down the amount of dust. Our results show the formation of convective cells within the cloud, which are able to destroy the lower cloud parts. The dust opacity is reduced significantly without the need to tune the dust cloud thickness. There are indications that the cycle of dust accumulation and cloud destruction by convection is time-dependent on rather long timescales. Considering a statistical distribution of locally variable dust clouds over a dwarf’s surface can result in a large number of spectral configurations for the same model atmosphere parameters, hence introducing an additional and more or less random degree of freedom to those atmospheres. Without resorting to the model atmosphere parameters, this alone can account for the unusually red and blue objects that have been discovered.

Calibrating M-Dwarf Metallicities Using Molecular Indices: Extension to Low-metallicity Stars

ABSTRACTWe have calculated Fe and Ti abundances in 12 low-metallicity main sequence M stars using high-resolution spectra. These subdwarf and extreme-subdwarf stars allow us to extend our calibration of a method to determine cool-dwarf-star metallicities using molecular band strength indices from low-resolution spectra. Our calibration can now be used to determine metallicity to within ± 0.3 dex for stars with [Fe/H] between -1.5 and +0.05 and temperatures between 3500 and 4000 K. We also report a method to estimate temperatures for M dwarfs using equivalent width measurements of the infrared Ca II triplet and the K I line at 7699 Å. Our metallicity measurements show that the recently proposed classification system for low-mass stars (dwarfs, subdwarfs, extreme subdwarfs, and ultrasubdwarfs) does represent a metallicity sequence, with the ultrasubdwarfs the most metal-poor stars.

Infrared spectral variations of three Mira variable carbon stars with the 11.3 μm SiC feature

The spectral variations of three Mira variable carbon stars, V CrB, T Dra and V Cyg in the infrared are investigated based on ISO SWS data. It is found that either continua or molecular/dust features were variable with time in the infrared for these carbon stars during one and a half year observations. When stars were brighter the infrared continuum spectra became blue while stars were fainter the infrared continuum spectra became red. In addition, during spectral variations there were the correlation between the 3.05 μm HCN+C2H2 and the 5.2 μm C3 molecular band strengths and the anti-correlation between the 3.05 μm HCN+C2H2 molecular band strengths and 13.7 μm C2H2 band strengths while during variations the 11.3 μm SiC dust emission strengths were not clearly changed.

Revised Metallicity Classes for Low‐Mass Stars: Dwarfs (dM), Subdwarfs (sdM), Extreme Subdwarfs (esdM), and Ultrasubdwarfs (usdM)

The current classification system of M stars on the main sequence distinguishes three metallicity classes (dwarfs: dM; subdwarfs: sdM; and extreme subdwarfs: esdM). The spectroscopic definition of these classes is based on the relative strength of prominent CaH and TiO molecular absorption bands near 7000 A, as quantified by three spectroscopic indices (CaH2, CaH3, and TiO5). The boundaries between the metallicity classes were initially defined from a relatively small sample of only 79 metal-poor stars (subdwarfs and extreme subdwarfs). We re-examine this classification system in light of our ongoing spectroscopic survey of stars with proper motion μ > 0.45'' yr-1, which has increased the census of spectroscopically identified metal-poor M stars to over 400 objects. Kinematic separation of disk dwarfs and halo subdwarfs suggest deficiencies in the current classification system. Observations of common proper motion doubles indicates that the current dM/sdM and sdM/esdM boundaries in the [TiO5, CaH2+CaH3] index plane do not follow isometallicity contours, leaving some binaries inappropriately classified as dM+sdM or sdM+esdM. We propose a revision of the classification system based on an empirical calibration of the TiO/CaH ratio for stars of near solar metallicity. We introduce the parameter ζTiO/CaH, which quantifies the weakening of the TiO band strength due to metallicity effect, with values ranging from ζTiO/CaH = 1 for stars of near-solar metallicity to ζTiO/CaH 0 for the most metal-poor (and TiO depleted) subdwarfs. We redefine the metallicity classes based on the value of the parameter ζTiO/CaH and refine the scheme by introducing an additional class of ultrasubdwarfs (usdM). We introduce sequences of sdM, esdM, and usdM stars to be used as formal classification standards.

The effects of new $\ion{Na}{i}$ D line profiles in cool atmospheres

Aims. New Na | D line profiles and their effects on synthetic spectra of cool dwarfs computed with PHOENIX are studied. Sodium is the most abundant alkali in cool dwarf atmospheres and mostly responsible for the shape of the optical spectrum. Methods. In previous work we have pointed out the importance of atomic hydrogen as a perturber. Here, broadening due to collisions with atomic hydrogen as well as fully quantum mechanically calculated profiles for perturbations by helium are introduced for the Na | resonance line profiles. Furthermore, the effects of the new line profiles are compared to already existing line profile calculations. Results. We have calculated a number of GAIA-cond class model atmospheres and synthetic spectra for effective temperatures from 1100 K to 3000 K considering a gravity of 4.5. The line formation process has been analyzed with the flux contribution function. Due to changes in atmospheric structure, the effects of the line profiles on the synthetic spectra become larger for smaller effective temperatures. The influence of hydrogen as perturber is visible at higher effective temperatures although at the same time the strength of molecular bands increases. Furthermore, the newly introduced fully quantum mechanically calculated He | broadened profiles change the synthetic spectra by reducing the flux and the depths of the sodium absorption lines.

Calibrating M Dwarf Metallicities Using Molecular Indices

ABSTRACTWe report progress in the calibration of a method to determine cool dwarf star metallicities using molecular band strength indices. The molecular band index to metallicity relation can be calibrated using chemical abundances calculated from atomic‐line equivalent width measurements in high‐resolution spectra. Building on previous work, we have measured Fe and Ti abundances in 32 additional M and K dwarf stars to extend the range of temperature and metallicity covered. A test of our analysis method using warm star–cool star binaries shows we can calculate reliable abundances for stars warmer than 3500 K. We have used abundance measurements for warmer binary or cluster companions to estimate abundances in six additional cool dwarfs. Adding stars measured in our previous work and others from the literature provides 76 stars with Fe abundance and CaH2 and TiO5 index measurements. The CaH2 molecular index is directly correlated with temperature. TiO5 depends on temperature and metallicity. Metallicity can be estimated to within ±0.3 dex within the bounds of our calibration, which extends from roughly [Fe/H] = +0.05 to −1.0, with a limited extension to −1.5.

CN variations in NGC 7006

Rotationally induced mixing with subsequent dredge-up of nucleosynthesized material is discussed as a second parameter of the horizontal branch morphology in globular clusters. CNO abundances have been proposed as tracers of the dredge up of processed material. \ngc is a prominent example of a second parameter GC: Its HB morphology is too red for its metallicity. We present spectroscopic measurements of CN molecular band strengths S(3839) and CH band CH(4300) strengths for 12 giants in \ngc to test rotationally-driven mixing as a second parameter in this cluster. Our observations reveal (i) a scatter in star-to-star CN absorption strengths with the same amplitude as seen in other GCs of the same metallicity, but different HB morphologies; (ii) a possible continuous distribution of CN absorption strength with a preference for CN-enriched stars, and (iii) a possible weak radial gradient in the number ratio of CN-strong and CN-weak stars. We argue against the hypothesis that CN-variations are directly correlated with the second parameter effect of the HB morphology. However, the small sample of stars measured in \ngc prevents us from drawing firm conclusions. Finally, we identify one star of our sample as a foreground dwarf carbon star.

Applications of Narrow-Band Photometry in the Study of Peculiar Red Giants

Narrow-band photometry, carried out with filters or spectrum scanners, is useful for measuring molecular bandstrengths and continuum energy distributions in late-type stars. This review emphasizes observations by the writer on three different multicolor photometric systems in the near infrared (0.75 − 4.0 μm); a summary of available data is given. While applications to date have been primarily qualitative (classification, recognition of peculiarities, relative temperatures), future applications are expected to be quantitative (determinations of effective temperatures, luminosities, and abundances) and based upon comparison with synthetic spectra.

Red supergiants in the LMC — II. Spectrophotometry and model atmospheres

Spectrophotometric observations for 88 red supergiant candidates in the Large Magellanic Cloud are presented. The spectra range from 4800 to 7700 A with a resolution of 10 A. The error in the absolute fluxes is 0.04 to 0.05 mag. The molecular bands of the member stars are often rather weak, i.e. many of these are not M- but K-type supergiants. The data are available on the Strasbourg stellar data base (CDS). Most of the red (super)giant model atmospheres available up to now do not reproduce the observations well. The models of Kurucz and Lejeune, Cuisinier 38 Buser — often applied especially to population synthesis — correctly describe the strengths of atomic lines and the overall increase of the flux towards the red, but strongly underestimate the strengths of molecular bands. The models presented by Plez, however, tend to reproduce the observed spectra well, except for the blue, as they include a more complete list of opacity sources. Concerning physical properties, only the Plez models give reliable results. Considering the relation between effective temperature and the strengths of molecular bands, both the Kurucz and Lejeune models predict much higher temperatures than derived from the interferometric radius measurements discussed by Schmidt-Kaler and Dyck et al. The temperatures given by the Plez models show a much better agreement with these observations. Furthermore, the relation between Teff and molecular absorption is much more clearly defined. When considering metallicities, however, the Plez models also fail, as they predict a [Fe/H] distribution that is much too broad, and furthermore an increase of Teff with increasing [Fe/H] which clearly contradicts models of stellar evolution. The effective temperatures based on the Plez models range mostly from 3500 to 4100 K. The surface gravities derived on the basis of the Geneva evolutionary models range from log g = −0.3 to 0.3, while the bolometric luminosities based on BVRIJHK observations range from −6.6 to −9.0 mag. Except for the most luminous objects, the stars form a well-defined strip in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram extending to the Hayashi limit at 3500 K. At present, reliable metallicities cannot be derived because of inadequacies in the model atmospheres.

Spectroscopic changes and the variable mean light of carbon stars

The mean light of carbon-rich Mira variables varies on a time-scale of decades. The star becomes fainter and redder in all wavebands short of at least 4 μm, probably as the result of dust formation. The larger the amplitude of the secondary variations the redder the infrared colour. Re-examination of published material shows that M stars also vary in this way but are rarely observed to do so because these very long-period Miras (P>450 d) are very faint visually. The cycle-to-cycle variations in magnitude which are prominent in the light curves of M and S but not carbon Miras are attributed to variations in the strength of molecular bands which have much more effect on the visual magnitudes of M and S stars. Spectroscopic monitoring of four carbon-rich long-period variables for 10 years, during which V Hya and R Lep underwent major fading in visual light, shows that these episodes are accompanied by strong emission in the (0,0) band at 5165 Å in the Swan system of C2. Differences between these dust fadings and those of the R Coronae Borealis stars are noted, and other models are considered.