2003/09/25 by Karl D. Gordon, Gordon, Karl D.
Chemistry · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Atmospheric Ozone and Climate #FOS: Physical sciences #Spectroscopy and Laser Applications #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0309709
15 pages, color, to appear in Astrophysics of Dust, ASP Conf. Proceedings, eds. A. N. Witt, G. C. Clayton, and B. T. Draine
arxiv created 2003/09/25 · openalex publication_date 2003/09/25 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Studies of dust scattering properties in astrophysical objects with Milky Way interstellar dust are reviewed. Such objects are reflection nebulae, dark clouds, and the Diffuse Galactic Light (DGL). To ensure their basic quality, studies had to satisfy four basic criteria to be included in this review. These four criteria significantly reduced the scatter in dust properties measurements, especially in the case of the DGL. Determinations of dust scattering properties were found to be internally consistent for each object type as well as consistent between object types. The 2175 A bump is seen as an absorption feature. Comparisons with dust grain models find general agreement with significant disagreements at particular wavelengths (especially in the far-ultraviolet). Finally, unanswered questions and future directions are enumerated.