1995A&A...299..135J

Carbon-rich H-deficient stars which shed dusty material in the line-of-sight exhibit RCrB-like optical variations. The UV extinction toward several such objects differs significantly from the average interstellar extinction law; these data have been re-examined. The observed peak in extinction at 4.1µm^–1(=240nm) has previously been explained in terms of anhydrous carbon grains but difficulties remain, particularly regarding the low observed extinction at shorter wavelengths. Laboratory absorption measurements of C₆₀ and related molecules are found to be consistent with the UV 4.1µm^–1 extinction peak, but do not provide sufficient extinction at 1/λ<3.5µm^–1 and have insufficient wavelength coverage to compare with the crucial short wavelength observations.