Defects in Interstellar Grains

Abstract
The production of grains with a high defect concentration (defective grains) in circumstellar and interstellar space as a result of bombardment by energetic particles and photons is discussed. The fraction of all grains which are defective depends on the assumed lifetime of the grains. For a minimum lifetime ~ 10 8 year a minimum of 1 per cent of all grains will be defective. The defects influence the optical properties of the grains and in particular may be responsible for the diffuse interstellar bands and certain features of the extinction curve.

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