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Overview
While the origin of the diffuse interstellar bands in interstellar rather than stellar material was established soon after their discovery early in this century, their precise identification has eluded generations of astronomers. However, advances in optical techniques, laboratory studies of astrophysically relevant materials, and our general understanding of the interstellar medium may be changing that. Current indications are that the carrier is molecular in origin. The 40 invited reviews in The Diffuse Interstellar Bands bring the reader to the forefront of research, covering observation, theory and laboratory experiments. Audience: An interdisciplinary work posing a challenge to astronomers, physicists and chemists interested in the visible spectra of large molecules. Also recommended for graduate students entering the field.Synopsis
While the origin of the diffuse interstellar bands in interstellar rather than stellar material was established soon after their discovery early in this century, their precise identification has eluded generations of astronomers. However, advances in optical techniques, laboratory studies of astrophysically relevant materials, and our general understanding of the interstellar medium may be changing that. Current indications are that the carrier is molecular in origin.
The 40 invited reviews in The Diffuse Interstellar Bands bring the reader to the forefront of research, covering observation, theory and laboratory experiments.
Audience: An interdisciplinary work posing a challenge to astronomers, physicists and chemists interested in the visible spectra of large molecules. Also recommended for graduate students entering the field.
Booknews
Forty invited papers from a May 1994 conference in Boulder, Colorado, examine the current evidence suggesting a molecular carrier for the mysterious set of visible absorption features discovered in stella spectra early in the 20th century and soon after tracked to diffuse interstellar bands. The new insights have been developed in light of advances in optical techniques, laboratory studies of astrophysically relevant materials, and the understanding of the interstellar medium. They cover observational characteristics of the diffuse bands, their environmental behavior, laboratory and theoretical studies of proposed carriers, and interstellar dust. The proposed carriers detailed include porphyrins, fullerenes, and carbon chains. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)