title: New estimates of ionization potentials of four DIB molecular carriers.
abstract: We present a study of the behaviour and ionization properties of four Diffuse Interstellar Bands (DIBs) at lambda lambda 5780, 5797, 6379 and 6613 angstroms. In the lambda lambda 5797, 6379 and 6613 angstrom DIBs, substructures have recently been detected, indicating large gaseous molecular carriers. Studying DIBs in regions with different physical properties in terms of UV flux and density enables us to monitor the behaviour of the carriers and hence to constrain their nature. As a follow-up of Sonnentrucker et al. (1997), we add new lines of sight and generalize the results for lines of sight with 2 or 3 clouds. This refines the Ionization Potential estimates which are between 10 and 13 eV, hence reminiscent of PAH or fullerene cations for those DIBs.
authors.affiliation: Observatoire de Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sonnentrucker
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Foing
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ehrenfreund
mesh_terms: D055580:Astronomical Phenomena; D001256:Astronomy; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis*; D007477:Ions; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010777:Photochemistry; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D007477:Ions