Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and the diffuse interstellar bands

Abstract

This paper discusses some of the thermodynamic and spectroscopic properties of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which make them attractive candidates as carriers of the Diffuse Interstellar Bands (DIBs). It is pointed out that, in the diffuse medium, many of these species will be partially hydrogenated and positively charged, and will absorb in the visible. The observed lineshapes and widths of the DIBs can be explained by rovibronic band contours and linebroadening due to internal conversion. Since little information is available concerning the spectroscopic properties of such species in the gas phase, a considerable amount of laboratory and theoretical work is needed.