Abstract
We report here observations made in November 1981 using the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) at Mauna Kea of the 3 µm ice absorption feature in the spectra of several obscured stars in the Taurus interstellar clouds. The feature correlated in strength with extinction at visual wavelengths (Av), and is present in stars with Av as low as 4–6 mag, a remarkable result when compared with other regions of the Galaxy. Ice may be widespread in the Taurus clouds, vindicating ideas on grain composition and growth first reported nearly 50 yr ago1.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lindblad, B. Nature 135, 133 (1935).
Oort, J. H. & van de Hulst, H. C. Bull. astr. Soc. Neth. 10, 187 (1946).
Greenberg, J. M. Stars Stellar Syst. 7, 221 (1968).
Knacke, R. F., Cudaback, D. D. & Gaustad, J. E. Astrophys. J. 158, 151 (1969).
Soifer, B. T., Russell, R. W. & Merrill, K. M. Astrophys. J. 207, 83 (1976).
Merrill, K. M., Russell, R. W. & Soifer, B. T. Astrophys. J. 207, 763 (1976).
Willner, S. P. et al. Astrophys. J. 253, 174 (1982).
Whittet, D. C. B. Q. Jl R. astr. Soc. 22, 3 (1981).
Mukai, T., Mukai, S. & Noguchi, K. Astrophys. Space Sci. 53, 77 (1978).
Soifer, B. T. et al. Astrophys. J. 250, 631 (1981).
Erickson, E. F. et al. Astrophys. J. 245, 148 (1981).
Knacke, R. F. et al. Astrophys. J. 260, 141 (1982).
Hagen, W., Tielens, A. G. G. M. & Greenberg, J. M. Astr. Astrophys. 117, 132 (1983).
Tielens, A. G. G. M. & Hagen, W. Astr. Astrophys. 114, 245 (1982).
Leger, A. et al. Astr. Astrophys. 117, 164 (1983).
Cohen, M. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 173, 279 (1975).
Whittet, D. C. B. & Blades, J. C. Mon. Not. astr. Soc. 191, 309 (1980).
Elias, J. H. Astrophys. J. 224, 857 (1978).
Russell, R. W., Soifer, B. T. & Merrill, K. M. Astrophys. J. 213, 66 (1977).
Johnson, H. L. A. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. 4, 196 (1966).
Merrill, K. M. & Stein, W. A. Publ. astr. Soc. Pacif. 88, 285 (1976).
Whittet, D. C. B., Bode, M. F., Evans, A. & Butchart, I. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 196, 81P (1981).
Harris, D. H., Woolf, N. J. & Rieke, G. H. Astrophys. J. 226, 829 (1978).
Grasdalen, G. Astrophys. J. 193, 373 (1974).
Leger, A. et al. Astr. Astrophys. 79, 256 (1979).
Allen, D. A. & Wickramasinghe, D. T. Nature 294, 239 (1981).
Ridgway, S. T., Carbon, D. F. & Hall, D. N. B. Astrophys. J. 255, 138 (1978).
Blades, J. C. & Whittet, D. C. B. Mon. Not. astr. Soc. 191, 701 (1980).
Allen, D. A., Baines, D. W. T., Blades, J. C. & Whittet, D. C. B. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 199, 1017 (1982).
Whittet, D. C. B. et al. Astr. Astrophys. (in the press).
Baas, F. et al. Astrophys. J. (in the press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Whittet, D., Bode, M., Longmore, A. et al. Interstellar ice grains in the Taurus molecular clouds. Nature 303, 218–221 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/303218a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/303218a0
This article is cited by
-
Bringing high spatial resolution to the far-infrared
Experimental Astronomy (2021)
-
Origins space telescope: from first light to life
Experimental Astronomy (2021)
-
The Ice Survey Opportunity of ISO
Space Science Reviews (2005)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.