Dust in the Galactic Environment, 2nd Edition

D.C.B Whittet

CRC Press, Oct 21, 2002 - Science - 390 pages

Dust is a ubiquitous feature of the cosmos, impinging directly or indirectly on most fields of modern astronomy and astrophysics. Dust in the Galactic Environment, Second Edition provides a thorough overview of the subject, covering general concepts, methods of investigation, important results and their significance, relevant literature, and some suggestions for promising avenues of future research.

Since the publication of the first edition of this popular graduate text, major advances have been made in our understanding of astrophysical dust, especially in the light of exciting new results from space- and ground-based telescopes, together with advances in laboratory astrophysics and theoretical modeling. This new, expanded edition highlights the latest results and provides a context for future research opportunities. The first chapter provides a historical perspective for current research and an overview of interstellar environments and the role of dust in astrophysical processes, followed by a discussion of the cosmic history of the chemical elements expected to be present in dust and an examination of the effect of gas-dust interactions on gas phase abundances. The next several chapters describe the observed properties of interstellar grains, such as their extinction, polarization, absorption, and emission characteristics. Then, the book explores the origin and evolution of dust, tracing its life cycle in a succession of environments from circumstellar shells to diffuse interstellar clouds, molecular clouds, protostars, and protoplanetary disks. The final chapter summarizes progress toward a unified model. Dust in other galaxies is discussed as an integral part of the text rather than as a distinct topic requiring separate chapters.

Containing extensive references and problems to aid understanding and illustrate basic principles, the book is ideally suited for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses. It will also be an invaluable reference for postgraduate students and researchers working in this important field.

Contents

• Dust in the Galaxy Our view from within: xvi
• Discovery and assimilation: 1
• 13 The distribution of dust and gas: 7
• 132 The galactic disc: 9
• 133 High galactic latitudes: 11
• 134 Diffuse galactic background radiation: 12
• 14 Interstellar environments and physical processes: 14
• 143 Interstellar clouds: 17
• 144 H II regions: 20
• 145 The interstellar environment of the Solar System: 21
• 15 The significance of dust in modern astrophysics: 23
• 153 Stars nebulae and galaxies: 25
• 154 Back to basics: 26
• 16 A brief history of models for interstellar dust: 27
• 161 Dirty ices metals and Platt particles: 28
• 162 Graphite and silicates: 29
• 163 Unmantled refractory and coremantle models: 32
• 164 Biota: 34
• Problems: 35
• Abundances and depletions: 37
• 21 The origins of the condensible elements: 38
• 212 Nucleogenesis: 40
• 214 Enrichment of the interstellar medium: 43
• 22 The Solar System abundances: 44
• 222 Results: 45
• 23 Abundance trends in the Galaxy: 49
• 232 Spatial variation: 50
• 233 Solar abundances in space and time: 52
• 24 The observed depletions: 53
• 242 Average depletions in diffuse clouds: 55
• 243 Dependence on environment: 58
• 244 Overview: 59
• 25 Implications for grain models: 60
• Recommended reading: 63
• Extinction and scattering: 65
• 31 Theoretical methods: 66
• 312 Smallparticle approximations: 68
• 313 Albedo scattering function and asymmetry parameter: 69
• 314 Composite grains: 70
• 32 Observational technique: 71
• 33 The average extinction curve and albedo: 74
• 332 Scattering characteristics: 76
• 333 Longwavelength extinction and evaluation of Rv: 79
• 334 Neutral extinction: 81
• 335 Dust density and dusttogas ratio: 82
• 34 Spatial variations: 83
• 342 The redinfrared: 87
• 343 Order from chaos?: 90
• 351 Observed properties: 91
• 352 Implications for the identity of the carrier: 96
• 36 Structure in the visible: 101
• 37 Modelling the interstellar extinction curve: 105
• Recommended reading: 108
• Polarization and grain alignment: 111
• 41 Extinction by anisotropic particles: 112
• 42 Polarimetry and the structure of the galactic magnetic field: 114
• 422 Macroscopic structure: 116
• 423 Polarization efficiency: 119
• 424 Smallscale structure: 121
• 425 Dense clouds and the skindepth effect: 122
• 43 The spectral dependence of polarization: 124
• 432 Powerlaw behaviour in the infrared: 126
• 433 Polarization and extinction: 127
• 434 Regional variations: 131
• 435 Circular polarization: 136
• 44 Polarization and grain models: 137
• 45 Alignment mechanisms: 140
• 451 Grain spin and rotational dissipation: 141
• the DG mechanism: 144
• 453 Superparamagnetic alignment: 146
• 454 Suprathermal spin: 147
• 455 Radiative torques: 148
• 456 Mechanical alignment: 149
• 457 Alignment in dense clouds: 150
• Recommended reading: 151
• Infrared absorption features: 153
• 51 Basics of infrared spectroscopy: 154
• 512 Intrinsic strengths: 158
• 513 Observational approach: 159
• 52 The diffuse ISM: 161
• 522 Silicates: 164
• 523 Silicon carbide: 168
• 524 Hydrocarbons and organic residues: 169
• 53 The dense ISM: 173
• 532 The threshold effect: 175
• the 3 𝞵m profile: 177
• polar and apolar mantles: 180
• 535 Other carbonbearing ices: 181
• 536 Nitrogen and sulphurbearing ices: 184
• 537 Refractory dust: 186
• 538 Spectropolarimetry and alignment of coremantle grains: 189
• Recommended reading: 192
• Continuum and line emission: 194
• 61 Theoretical considerations: 195
• 612 FIR continuum emission from an interstellar cloud: 197
• 6 13 Effect of grain shape: 199
• 614 Effect of grain size: 201
• 62 Galactic continuum emission: 203
• 623 Dust and gas: 206
• 624 The cold dust problem: 209
• 63 Spectral emission features: 211
• 632 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: 213
• 64 Extended red emission: 221
• Recommended reading: 223
• Problems: 224
• Dust in stellar ejecta: 225
• 71 The formation of dust in stellar outflows: 226
• 712 The circumstellar environment: 228
• 713 Orich stars: 229
• 714 Carbon stars: 231
• 715 Late stages of stellar evolution: 233
• 72 Observational constraints on stardust: 234
• 722 Infrared spectral features: 237
• 723 Circumstellar extinction: 244
• 724 Stardust in meteorites: 246
• 73 Evolved stars as sources of interstellar grains: 251
• 732 Grainsize distribution: 254
• 733 Dusttogas ratio: 255
• 734 Composition: 256
• Recommended reading: 260
• Evolution in the interstellar medium: 262
• 81 Grain surface reactions and the origin of molecular hydrogen: 263
• 82 Gasphase chemistry: 267
• 83 Mechanisms for growth: 270
• 831 Coagulation: 271
• 832 Mantle growth: 272
• deposition and evolution: 274
• 842 Depletion timescales and limits to growth: 276
• 843 Thermal and radiative processing: 278
• 85 Refractory dust: 286
• 852 Size distribution: 289
• 853 Metamorphosis: 290
• 854 Dust in galactic nuclei: 291
• Recommended reading: 292
• Dust in the envelopes of young stars: 294
• 91 The early phases of stellar evolution: 295
• 912 Infrared emission from dusty envelopes: 297
• 913 Polarization and scattering: 301
• 914 Ice sublimation in hot cores: 303
• 92 Protoplanetary discs: 305
• 921 T Tauri discs: 306
• 922 Vega discs: 307
• 923 The solar nebula: 309
• 93 Clues from the early Solar System: 311
• 931 Comets: 312
• 932 Interplanetary dust: 317
• 933 Meteorites: 319
• 94 Ingredients for life: 321
• 942 The deuterium diagnostic: 322
• 943 Amino acids and chirality: 324
• 944 Did life start with RNA?: 327
• 945 Delivery to Earth: 328
• Recommended reading: 330
• Toward a unified model for interstellar dust: 331
• 101 Areas of consensus: 332
• 1012 Silicates: 334
• 1014 Ices: 335
• 102 Open questions: 336
• A Glossary: 339
• A2 Physical chemical and astrophysical terms: 340
• A3 Acronyms: 345
• References: 347
• Index: 377

Popular passages

Page v - Put in thy chants said he, No more the puzzling hour nor day, nor segments, parts, put in, Put first before the rest as light for all and entrance-song of all, That of eidolons. Ever the dim beginning, Ever the growth', the rounding of the circle, Ever the summit and the merge at last, (to surely start again,) Eidolons!

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Bibliographic information

• Title: Dust in the Galactic Environment, 2nd Edition; Series in Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Author: D.C.B Whittet
• Edition: 2, revised
• Publisher: CRC Press, 2002
• ISBN: 0750306246, 9780750306249
• Length: 390 pages
• Subjects: Science / Physics / Astrophysics