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Article: PAHlution in interstellar space. (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- April 13, 1985
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1985 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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PAHlution in interstellar space
Over the last decade and a half, observers have identified numerous chemical compounds in the clouds that pervade interstellar space. Starting from single elements and the simplest compounds, the list has grown by the addition of more and more complicated compounds. Now three California researchers suggest the presence of a mixture of very complicated compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
This science of astrochemistry proceeds by examining the spectra of objects in the sky for emissions or absorptions of radiation characteristic of different chemical substances, either fairly sharp wavelengths (lines) or ...