Talk:Extinction (astronomy)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I've started updating and expanding this page to be more comprehensive and include more references. This is part of a larger effort on my part to improve the information on interstellar dust in general. Feel free to add questions to this page and/or send them my way. Karl D. Gordon 14:32, 27 December 2006 (UTC)
Still todo: update section on how extinction curves are measured, add section on features other than just 2175 A bump (silicate and ice absorptions, maybe add X-ray absorptoin edges), and add more figures (UV-IR extinction curve with features labeled, figure for how extinction curves are calculated, figure with silicate and ice features).Karl D. Gordon 17:51, 1 January 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Split
I propose that this article is split into two pieces. The majority of the text would go into interstellar extinction and the remaining into atmospheric extinction. This would make more sense as the two sources of extinction arise from different physical processes. And it would make it easier to revise both pieces to be more comprehensive. Karl D. Gordon 16:50, 27 December 2006 (UTC)
[edit] N(H) vs. A_V
The mention of the ROSAT study, and only that study, for the determination of the relationship between N(H) and A_V seems to imply that it is the definitive, if not the only, measurement. Perhaps the Bohlin, Savage, & Drake (1978) reference should be stated, and the ROSAT study, amongst others, could be used to strengthen the confidence in the value. AmberRobot 17:51, 28 December 2006 (UTC)
Excellent point. I have added Bohlin et al. (1978) and the more recent Diplas & Savage (1994) to the reference list and changed the value of the relationship approximate given that these three studies did not all get the same value (1.87, 1.59, and 1.79). Karl D. Gordon 18:36, 28 December 2006 (UTC)
