Nebular dust spectral features
= Nebular dust spectral features
Dust contributes a broad infrared continuum together with composition-dependent vibrational structure. Carbon-rich material may show aromatic bands, while oxygen-rich silicates can show features near 9.7 and 18 micrometres. Grain size, charging, transient heating, <optical depth> and chemical processing affect these features, so one dust <temperature> cannot characterize every band carrier.