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Article Contents

ABSTRACT

1.INTRODUCTION: Historical Perspectives of Studies of Interstellar Grain Compositions and Sizes

2.NANOPARTICLES IN INTERSTELLAR SPACE

3.EXCITATION OF VIBRATIONAL TRANSITIONS

3.1.An Overview of the Photoexcitation and Emission Processes

3.2."Exact-Statistical" Approach

3.3."Thermal" Approach

4.EXCITATION OF PHOTOLUMINESCENCE

5.AN OVERVIEW OF INTERSTELLAR NANOPARTICLE SPECIES

5.1.Nano Carbon Grains: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Dust

5.2.Nano Silicate Grains

5.3.Nano Silicon Grains

5.4.Nano Diamond Grains

5.5.Nano Titanium Carbide Grains

6.CONCLUDING REMARKS

REFERENCES