Optical Properties of C$-$rich ($^{12}$C, SiC and FeC) Dust Layered Structure of Massive Stars

TL;DR

This study uses ab-initio calculations to predict the structures and optical properties of C-rich dust materials relevant to supernovae, providing insights into their composition and spectral signatures in the interstellar medium.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical approach to model and analyze the optical properties of C-rich dust structures in supernova environments, filling a gap in experimental data.

Findings

2D structures of C-rich dust match observed infrared spectra of supernovae

FeC and SiC are likely components of dust in supernova ejecta

Optical absorption peaks correspond to specific supernova spectral features

Abstract

The composition and structure of interstellar dust are important and complex for the study of the evolution of stars and the \textbf{interstellar medium} (ISM). However, there is a lack of corresponding experimental data and model theories. By theoretical calculations based on ab-initio method, we have predicted and geometry optimized the structures of Carbon-rich (C-rich) dusts, carbon ($^{12}$C), iron carbide (FeC), silicon carbide (SiC), even silicon ($^{28}$Si), iron ($^{56}$Fe), and investigated the optical absorption coefficients and emission coefficients of these materials in 0D (zero$-$dimensional), 1D, and 2D nanostructures. Comparing the \textbf{nebular spectra} of the supernovae (SN) with the coefficient of dust, we find that the optical absorption coefficient of the 2D $^{12}$C, $^{28}$Si, $^{56}$Fe, SiC and FeC structure corresponds to the absorption peak displayed in the infrared band (5$-$8) $\mu$$m$ of the spectrum at 7554 days after the SN1987A explosion. And it also corresponds to the spectrum of 535 days after the explosion of SN2018bsz, when the wavelength in the range of (0.2$-$0.8) and (3$-$10) $\mu$$m$. Nevertheless, 2D SiC and FeC corresponds to the spectrum of 844 days after the explosion of SN2010jl, when the wavelength is within (0.08$-$10) $\mu$$m$. Therefore, FeC and SiC may be the second type of dust in SN1987A corresponding to infrared band (5$-$8) $\mu$$m$ of dust and may be in the ejecta of SN2010jl and SN2018bsz.