Abstract
SPECTRAL features at 3.07, 10, 20 and 33 µm have proved invaluable in the chemical characterisation of interstellar dust1,2. As spectral observations are extended into the far infrared, it is likely that other features attributable to the absorption and emission of radiation by dust will be observed. To date there has been no discussion in the literature on the possibility of discrete spectral features attributable to dust at even longer wavelengths. The purpose of this note is to suggest that relatively sharp spectral lines may arise from neutral or ionised atomic species in interstellar dust at mm and cm wavelengths. The detection of these spectral features would provide definitive information on the chemical composition of interstellar dust.
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DULEY, W. Microwave spectral lines from interstellar dust. Nature 263, 485–486 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/263485a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/263485a0
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