A derivation of nano-diamond optical constants: Here be nano-diamonds

TL;DR

This paper derives optical constants for nano-diamonds using laboratory data and models their potential abundance and detectability in various astrophysical environments, aiding future observational and theoretical studies.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive set of nano-diamond optical constants based on laboratory measurements and modeling, enabling improved astrophysical modeling of their presence.

Findings

Nano-diamonds could be abundant in the interstellar medium without detection.

Up to a few percent of carbon could be in nano-diamonds in the diffuse ISM.

Derived optical constants facilitate exploration of nano-diamond existence in astronomical sources.

Abstract

% context {Nano-diamonds are an enticing and enigmatic dust component yet their origin is still unclear. They have been unequivocally detected in only a few astronomical objects, yet they are the most abundant of the pre-solar grains, both in terms of mass and number.} %aims {Our goal is to derive a viable set of nano-diamond optical constants and optical properties to enable their modelling in any type of astrophysical object where, primarily, the local (inter)stellar radiation field is well-determined.} % methods {The complex indices of refraction, $m(n,k)$, of nano-diamonds, constrained by available laboratory measurements, were calculated as a function of size, surface hydrogenation, and internal (dis)order, using the THEMIS a-C(:H) methodology optEC$_{\rm (s)}$(a).} % results {To demonstrate the utility of the optical properties (the efficiency factors $Q_{\rm ext}$, $Q_{\rm sca}$, and $Q_{\rm abs}$), calculated using the derived $m(n,k)$ data, we show that nano-diamonds could be abundant in the interstellar medium (ISM) and yet remain undetectable there.} % conclusions {The derived optical constants provide a means to explore the existence and viability of nano-diamonds in a wide range of astronomical sources. Here we show that up to a few percent of the available carbon budget could be hidden in the form of nano-diamonds in the diffuse ISM, in abundances comparable to the pre-solar nano-diamond abundances in primitive meteorites.}