SIMBAD references

Interstellar matter is known to be strongly irradiated by cosmic radiation and several types of cosmic ray particles. Simulated interstellar matter, such as synthesized forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄), enstatite (MgSiO₃) and magnesite (MgCO₃), has been irradiated with ⁶⁰Co gamma-rays in liquid nitrogen, and also irradiated with fast neutrons at 10K and 70K by making use of the low-temperature irradiation facility of the Kyoto University Reactor (KUR-LTL. Maximum fast neutron dose is 10¹⁷n_f/cm²). After irradiation, samples are stored in liquid nitrogen for several months to allow the decay of induced radioactivity. We measured the luminescence spectra of the gamma ray irradiated samples during warming to 370K using a spectrophotometer. For the forsterite and magnesite, the spectra exhibit a rather intense peak at about 645-655nm and 660nm respectively, whereas luminescence scarcely appeared in the natural olivine sample. The spectra of forsterite is very similar to the ERE of the Red Rectangle.