University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Formation of interstellar C60 from silicon carbide circumstellar grains

Bernal, Jacob

Content Files
1445613.pptx
3939.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/104376

Description

Title
Formation of interstellar C60 from silicon carbide circumstellar grains
Author(s)
Bernal, Jacob
Contributor(s)
  • Amari, Sachiko
  • Zega, Thomas J.
  • Howe, Jane
  • Haenecour, Pierre
  • Ziurys, Lucy M.
Issue Date
2019-06-19
Keyword(s)
Astronomy
Date of Ingest
  • 2019-07-15T22:16:48Z
  • 2020-01-25T19:30:31Z
Abstract
The positive detection of buckminsterfullerene (C$_{60}$) in circumstellar and interstellar environments has changed paradigms of chemical complexity in the hostile conditions of space. While C$_{60}$ is a significant sink of interstellar carbon, the formation mechanism is still the subject of speculation. To examine C$_{60}$ formation, we have conducted shock-heating experiments on synthetic, 3C-SiC grains, the most common polytype generated by stars. Measurements of the heated grains, conducted with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) techniques, show the formation of graphite and carbon nanobuds on the sample surface. The nanobud diameters are nearly identical to that of C$_{60}$, indicating that spherical structures may be forming as well. These data suggest that C$_{60}$ is formed by the shock-heating of common SiC grains at the end of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) phase. In addition, TEM measurements of actual pre-solar grains extracted from meteorites show a central SiC core, surrounded by graphite, confirming our proposed formation mechanism.
Publisher
International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy
Type of Resource
text
Genre of Resource
Conference Paper / Presentation
Language
eng
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/104376
DOI
https://doi.org/10.15278/isms.2019.WA01
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2019 Jacob Bernal

Owning Collections

Abstracts & Presentations - 2019 International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy PRIMARY