Infrared cirrus - New components of the extended infrared emission

Extended sources of far-infrared emission superposed on the zodiacal and galactic backgrounds are found at high galactic latitudes and near the ecliptic plane. Clouds of interstellar dust at color temperatures as high as 35K account for much of this complex structure, but the relationship to H I column density is not simple. Other features of the extended emission show the existence of warm structures within the solar system. Three bands of dust clouds at temperatures of 150 - 200K appear within 10° on both sides of the ecliptic plane. Their ecliptic latitudes and derived distances suggest that they are associated with the main asteroid belt. A third component of the 100 μm cirrus, poorly correlated with H I, may represent cold material in the outer solar system or a new component of the interstellar medium.