Variation of the 2175 {\AA} extinction feature in Andromeda galaxy
Abstract
Extinction curves contain key information on interstellar dust composition and size distribution, with the 2175 {\AA} bump being the most prominent feature. We analyze 20 sightlines toward M31 using HST/STIS UV spectroscopy combined with multi-band photometry to characterize this feature. The extinction curves show substantial diversity, from MW-like shapes to flatter profiles with reaching up to . The strength of the 2175 {\AA} feature varies widely, including two sightlines where the bump is essentially absent. The bump central wavelength spans a broader range than previously reported, while its width remains consistent with earlier studies. A moderate positive correlation is found between bump strength () and width (). We derive an average UV extinction curve toward M31 with . These results provide new constraints on dust properties and their spatial variations in this galaxy.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2512.23958,
title = {Variation of the 2175 {\AA} extinction feature in Andromeda galaxy},
author = {Bing Yan and Shu Wang and Jian Gao and Yuxi Wang and Bingqiu Chen},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2512.23958},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
19pages, 12 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in RAA