Diffuse interstellar bands (DIB): co-planar doubly excited He and metal atoms embedded in Rydberg Matter

TL;DR

This paper predicts the frequencies of 260 diffuse interstellar bands using a Rydberg Matter model involving co-planar doubly excited He and metal atoms, providing insights into their origins and spectral ranges.

Contribution

It introduces a novel Rydberg Matter model to predict DIB frequencies, emphasizing the role of doubly excited states and metals in interstellar absorption.

Findings

Predicted 260 DIB frequencies with the model.

70% of DIB intensity from doubly excited states.

30% of DIB intensity from singly excited He atoms.

Abstract

The interpretation of the more than 300 diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) is one of the most long-standing problems in interstellar spectra since the two first bands were reported in 1921. We now predict the frequencies of 260 diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) using the Rydberg Matter model we have developed previously. These transitions involve mainly He atoms, but other two-electron atoms like Ca and other metals can take part in the absorption processes. Approximately 70% of the total intensity of the DIBs is due to absorption in doubly excited states and 30% in singly excited He atoms. The doubly excited states are in inverted states while the He atoms are thermal. The possibilities to observe DIBs in the UV and NIR ranges are discussed and band positions are predicted.