"The question we always get asked is, 'If nanodiamonds are abundant in space, why haven't we seen them more often?' They have only been spotted twice," said Charles Bauschlicher, also of Ames. The problem was how to look. The scientists have now devised a method to use bright light from a background star to reveal the telltale chemical fingerprints of diamonds' tightly bonded carbon molecules. The research, which appears in an upcoming issue of Astrophysical Journal, indicates that the nanodiamonds should radiate brightly in the infrared wavelengths that the Spitzer Space Telescope is fortuitously sensitive to. The key to spotting the diamonds is high-energy ultraviolet light, which would cause the diamond's carbon bonds to move as it passes through, producing a distinctive pattern in the infrared. The scientists concluded that the best way to find diamonds is space is to look right next to hot stars, which radiate in ultraviolet. "Now that we know where to look, infrared telescopes like Spitzer can help us learn more about their life in space," Allamandola said. Related Links : Irene Klotz's blog: Free Space |
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