Energetic processing of interstellar silicate grains by cosmic rays

E. M. Bringa; S. O. Kucheyev; M. J. Loeffler; R. A. Baragiola; A. G.G.M. Tielens; Z. R. Dai; G. Graham; S. Bajt; J. P. Bradley; C. A. Dukes; T. E. Felter; D. F. Torres; W. Van Breugel

doi:10.1086/517865

Energetic processing of interstellar silicate grains by cosmic rays

E. M. Bringa, S. O. Kucheyev, M. J. Loeffler, R. A. Baragiola, A. G.G.M. Tielens, Z. R. Dai, G. Graham, S. Bajt, J. P. Bradley, C. A. Dukes, T. E. Felter, D. F. Torres, W. Van Breugel

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

72 Scopus citations

Abstract

While a significant fraction of silicate dust in stellar winds has a crystalline structure, in the interstellar medium nearly all of it is amorphous. One possible explanation for this observation is the amorphization of crystalline silicates by relatively "low" energy, heavy-ion cosmic rays. Here we present the results of multiple laboratory experiments showing that single-crystal synthetic forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) amorphizes when irradiated by 10 MeV Xe ions at large enough fluences. Using modeling, we extrapolate these results to show that 0.1-5.0 GeV heavy-ion cosmic rays can rapidly (∼70 Myr) amorphize crystalline silicate grains ejected by stars into the interstellar medium.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	372-378
Number of pages	7
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	662
Issue number	1 I
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/517865
State	Published - Jun 10 2007
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Cosmic rays
Dust, extinction

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1086/517865

Cite this

@article{c1bcb1450b1d4a32928bbf7f0c439620,

title = "Energetic processing of interstellar silicate grains by cosmic rays",

abstract = "While a significant fraction of silicate dust in stellar winds has a crystalline structure, in the interstellar medium nearly all of it is amorphous. One possible explanation for this observation is the amorphization of crystalline silicates by relatively {"}low{"} energy, heavy-ion cosmic rays. Here we present the results of multiple laboratory experiments showing that single-crystal synthetic forsterite (Mg2SiO4) amorphizes when irradiated by 10 MeV Xe ions at large enough fluences. Using modeling, we extrapolate these results to show that 0.1-5.0 GeV heavy-ion cosmic rays can rapidly (∼70 Myr) amorphize crystalline silicate grains ejected by stars into the interstellar medium.",

keywords = "Cosmic rays, Dust, extinction",

author = "Bringa, {E. M.} and Kucheyev, {S. O.} and Loeffler, {M. J.} and Baragiola, {R. A.} and Tielens, {A. G.G.M.} and Dai, {Z. R.} and G. Graham and S. Bajt and Bradley, {J. P.} and Dukes, {C. A.} and Felter, {T. E.} and Torres, {D. F.} and {Van Breugel}, W.",

year = "2007",

month = jun,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1086/517865",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "662",

pages = "372--378",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "1 I",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Energetic processing of interstellar silicate grains by cosmic rays

AU - Bringa, E. M.

AU - Kucheyev, S. O.

AU - Loeffler, M. J.

AU - Baragiola, R. A.

AU - Tielens, A. G.G.M.

AU - Dai, Z. R.

AU - Graham, G.

AU - Bajt, S.

AU - Bradley, J. P.

AU - Dukes, C. A.

AU - Felter, T. E.

AU - Torres, D. F.

AU - Van Breugel, W.

PY - 2007/6/10

Y1 - 2007/6/10

N2 - While a significant fraction of silicate dust in stellar winds has a crystalline structure, in the interstellar medium nearly all of it is amorphous. One possible explanation for this observation is the amorphization of crystalline silicates by relatively "low" energy, heavy-ion cosmic rays. Here we present the results of multiple laboratory experiments showing that single-crystal synthetic forsterite (Mg2SiO4) amorphizes when irradiated by 10 MeV Xe ions at large enough fluences. Using modeling, we extrapolate these results to show that 0.1-5.0 GeV heavy-ion cosmic rays can rapidly (∼70 Myr) amorphize crystalline silicate grains ejected by stars into the interstellar medium.

AB - While a significant fraction of silicate dust in stellar winds has a crystalline structure, in the interstellar medium nearly all of it is amorphous. One possible explanation for this observation is the amorphization of crystalline silicates by relatively "low" energy, heavy-ion cosmic rays. Here we present the results of multiple laboratory experiments showing that single-crystal synthetic forsterite (Mg2SiO4) amorphizes when irradiated by 10 MeV Xe ions at large enough fluences. Using modeling, we extrapolate these results to show that 0.1-5.0 GeV heavy-ion cosmic rays can rapidly (∼70 Myr) amorphize crystalline silicate grains ejected by stars into the interstellar medium.

KW - Cosmic rays

KW - Dust, extinction

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34347208309&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34347208309&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/517865

DO - 10.1086/517865

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:34347208309

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 662

SP - 372

EP - 378

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 I

ER -

Energetic processing of interstellar silicate grains by cosmic rays

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this