The Interstellar dust properties of nearby galaxies

TL;DR

This paper reviews the properties, distribution, and evolution of interstellar dust in nearby galaxies, highlighting observational techniques, current understanding, and the implications for galaxy studies.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of dust characteristics, observational methods, and evolution scenarios in the interstellar medium of nearby galaxies.

Findings

Dust distribution affects observational studies.

Multiple observables inform dust properties.

Evidence of grain evolution over cosmic time.

Abstract

This article gives an overview of the constitution, physical conditions and observables of dust in the interstellar medium of nearby galaxies. We first review the macroscopic, spatial distribution of dust in these objects, and its consequence on our ability to study grain physics. We also discuss the possibility to use dust tracers as diagnostic tools. We then survey our current understanding of the microscopic, intrinsic properties of dust in different environments, derived from different observables: emission, extinction, polarization, depletions, over the whole electromagnetic spectrum. Finally, we summarize the clues of grain evolution, evidenced either on local scales or over cosmic time. We put in perspective the different evolution scenarios. We attempt a comprehensive presentation of the main observational constraints, analysis methods and modelling frameworks of the distinct processes. We do not cover the dust properties of the Milky Way and distant galaxies, nor circumstellar or active galactic nucleus torus dust.