'PAH' emission in novae

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Abstract
We consider the origin of the ‘PAH’ emission reported in recent novae. We show that free PAH molecules would not survive in the environment of a nova and that the ‘PAH’ emission is more likely to have arisen in hydrogenated amorphous carbon (HAC) grains, which probably rehydrogenate after the dust has dispersed; we predict the appearance of extended red emission at this time. Furthermore, since the infrared properties of nitrogenated carbon are significantly different from those of hydrogenated carbon in the 6–8 μm range and novae are normally overabundant in nitrogen, carbon dust grains originating in novae are likely to be uniquely identifiable as such.

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