On the Interstellar Extinction Curve toward HD 93222, A Sightline with an Exceedingly Narrow 2175 Angstrom Extinction Bump

Abstract

The 2175 Angstrom extinction bump, the most prominent spectral feature superimposed on the interstellar extinction curve, is widely seen in the interstellar medium (ISM) of the Milky Way and external galaxies, both near and far. While its central wavelength is remarkably stable and independent with environment, its width shows considerable variation and environmental dependence. Here we examine the extinction curve for the line of sight toward HD 93222, a young star located in the Carina nebula. It is found that the 2175 Angstrom bump is extremely sharp, which is among the narrowest ever found in the Milky Way and external galaxies. We model the derived extinction curve and find that, to explain the extinction characteristics of HD 93222, in addition to the conventional silicate and graphite dust mixture, an additional population of nano-sized graphitic grains is required.