Models for the water-ice librational band in cool dust: possible observational test

Of all the water–ice (H2O–ice) bands the librational band, occurring at a wavelength of about 12 μm, has proved to be the most difficult to detect observationally and also to reproduce in radiative transfer models. In fact, the case for the positive identification of the feature is strong in only a few astronomical objects. A previously suggested explanation for this is that so-called radiative tr...