C$_{60}$ in Reflection Nebulae

TL;DR

This paper confirms the first firm detection of neutral C60 fullerenes in the interstellar medium, identifying their infrared emission features in reflection nebulae and analyzing their spatial distribution and abundance.

Contribution

It provides the first definitive identification of neutral C60 in space and maps its emission in reflection nebulae, advancing understanding of interstellar fullerenes.

Findings

Detection of C60 features at 7.04, 17.4, and 18.9 μm in NGC 7023 and NGC 2023.

C60 accounts for 0.1-0.6% of interstellar carbon.

Spatial distribution shows C60 peaks near the central star.

Abstract

The fullerene C$_{60}$ has four infrared-active vibrational transitions at 7.0, 8.5, 17.4 and 18.9 $\mu$m. We have previously observed emission features at 17.4 and 18.9 $\mu$m in the reflection nebula NGC 7023 and demonstrated spatial correlations suggestive of a common origin. We now confirm our earlier identification of these features with C$_{60}$ by detecting a third emission feature at 7.04 $\pm$ 0.05 $\mu$m in NGC 7023. We also report the detection of these three C$_{60}$ features in the reflection nebula NGC 2023. Our spectroscopic mapping of NGC 7023 shows that the 18.9 $\mu$m C$_{60}$ feature peaks on the central star and that the 16.4 $\mu$m emission feature due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons peaks between the star and a nearby photodissociation front. The observed features in NGC 7023 are consistent with emission from UV-excited gas-phase C$_{60}$. We find that 0.1-0.6% of interstellar carbon is in C$_{60}$; this abundance is consistent with those from previous upper limits and possible fullerene detections in the interstellar medium. This is the first firm detection of neutral C$_{60}$ in the interstellar medium.