Observations and interpretation of the infrared spectrum of HD 44179

Infrared spectra of HD 44179 have been obtained for the 3040-, 1150-, and 890-kayser emission features. The strengths of the features put constraints on the possible constituents of the materials responsible for each emission feature. The 3040-kayser feature can be due to emission either from a solid (if it arises from a different region than the 890-kayser feature) or from a gas-phase molecule. The 8-13-micron spectrum is fitted with a simple model employing carbonates plus a dielectric in emission and silicates in absorption. It is suggested that amorphous carbon is the dielectric responsible for the featureless underlying continuum.