Modelling absorption of electromagnetic radiation by carbon-based constituents of the interstellar medium
Lead Research Organisation:
Loughborough University
Department Name: School of Mathematics
Abstract
This proposal will investigate the hypothesis that carbon in an amorphous aggregate state forms particles of interstellar matter. This will be achieved by using the well-known property that amorphous carbon lacks long range order. As a result of this property, the process of absorption of electromagnetic radiation by amorphous structures appears locally and similar to that for molecules. As a result the electronic energy spectra of small molecular clusters of carbon in different forms will be investigated by performing ab initio calculations. A primary purpose of these calculations will be to understand the propensity of these small clusters for absorption of electromagnetic radiation.The results from the small carbon clusters will be used to parameterise an empirical many body potential function which will be used to examine the structure of amorphous carbon of different densities on a much larger scale than can be achieved using ab initio calculations alone.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Roger Smith (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Siklitskaya A
(2013)
Structure-induced negatively skewed X-ray diffraction pattern of carbon onions
in Journal of Applied Physics
Siklitskaya A
(2013)
Variable step radial ordering in carbon onions
in Diamond and Related Materials
Yastrebov S
(2009)
The contribution of carbon nanoparticles to the interstellar optical extinction
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Yastrebov S
(2009)
NANODIAMONDS ENVELOPED IN GLASSY CARBON SHELLS AND THE ORIGIN OF THE 2175 Å OPTICAL EXTINCTION FEATURE
in The Astrophysical Journal
Description | The main finding was a model to explain the fact that in certain areas of space a certain frequency of electromagnetic radiation is blocked. The model explains this fact by postulating that in interstellar space small types of carbon nanoparticle can be responsible for this. |
Sectors | Other |