Flashing carbon on cold surfaces

The formation of carbon particles on cold surfaces takes place when rare-gas solids containing trapped carbon vapor molecules are sublimed. This formation process is accompanied by violent effects such as flashes of light emission and splashing of luminous fragments, both observable with the naked eye. The recorded optical emission spectrum shows a continuum attributable to a blackbody radiation of similar to2500 K. We believe the violent effects are associated with exothermic reactions following the rearrangement of bonds, which leads from the metastable sp-carbon chains to the more stable sp(2) form of carbon particles.