| |
 |
| Paper: |
Evolution of interstellar dust |
| Volume: |
12, The Evolution of the Interstellar Medium |
| Page: |
193 |
| Authors: |
Draine, Bruce T. |
| Abstract: |
Processes related to the evolution of interstellar dust are reviewed by examining observational evidence of active dust-grain evolution. The observational evidence includes extinction and polarization variations as well as studies of elemental depletions. The main evolutionary concepts are set forth including physical processes such as dust nucleation and growth in stellar outflows, accretion, grain-grain collisions, erosion by atoms or ions, and irradiation. The apparent problem of interstellar depletions of Fe, Ca, and Si in the gas phase is identified. The strong depletion of the elements is not consistent with accepted descriptions of the mechanism and rate of grain erosion. Other unexplained phenomena suggest that further research is required to understand the structure of the ISM, the composition of the interstellar grain population, and the related surface physics. |
|
|
|
|
|
