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An Extended FUSE Survey of Diffuse O VI Emission in the Interstellar Medium
We present a survey of diffuse O VI emission in the interstellar medium(ISM) obtained with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE).Spanning 5.5 yr of FUSE observations, from launch through 2004 December,our data set consists of 2925 exposures along 183 sight lines, includingall of those with previously published O VI detections. The data wereprocessed using an implementation of CalFUSE version 3.1 modified tooptimize the signal-to-noise ratio and velocity scale of spectra from anaperture-filling source. Of our 183 sight lines, 73 show O VIλ1032 emission, 29 at >3 σ significance. Six of the 3σ features have velocities |vLSR|>120 kms-1, while the others have |vLSR|<=50 kms-1. Measured intensities range from 1800 to 9100 LU (lineunit; 1 photon cm-2 s-1 sr-1), with amedian of 3300 LU. Combining our results with published O VI absorptiondata, we find that an O VI-bearing interface in the local ISM yields anelectron density ne=0.2-0.3 cm-3 and a path lengthof 0.1 pc, while O VI-emitting regions associated with high-velocityclouds in the Galactic halo have densities an order of magnitude lowerand path lengths 2 orders of magnitude longer. Although the O VIintensities along these sight lines are similar, the emission isproduced by gas with very different properties.Based on observations made with the NASA-CNES-CSA Far UltravioletSpectroscopic Explorer. FUSE is operated for NASA by Johns HopkinsUniversity under NASA contract NAS5-32985.
| Young Stars far from the Galactic Plane: Runaways from Clusters
Quite recently, a significant number of OB stars far from the galacticplane have been found, situated at z-distances ranging from severalhundreds of pc to several kpc. The short lifetimes of these stars poseproblems for their interpretation in terms of the standard picture ofstar formation. Different mechanisms have been put forward to explainthe existence of these stars, either within the conventional view, orpostulating star formation in the galactic halo itself. These mechanismsrange from arguing that they are misidentified evolved or abnormalstars, to postulating powerful ejection mechanisms for young disk stars;in situ formation also admits several variants. We have collected fromthe literature a list of young stars far from the plane, for which theevidence of youth seems convincing. We discuss two possible formationmechanisms for these stars: ejection from the plane as the result ofdynamical evolution of small clusters (Poveda et al. 1967) and in situformation, via induced shocks created by spiral density waves (Martos etal. 1999). We compute galactic orbits for these stars, and identify thestars that could be explained by one or the other mechanism. We findthat about 90 percent of the stars can be accounted for by the clusterejection mechanism, that is, they can be regarded as runaway stars inthe galactic halo.
| Stars with ISM Polarization Observed with HPOL. II
Polarization data are given for stars whose polarizations are mostlyinterstellar which were observed with the University of Wisconsinspectropolarimeter (HPOL) during 1995-2003. Several cases are found forwhich K in the Serkowski Law for ISM polarization is higher than allowedby published formulas.
| Potential Variations in the Interstellar N I Abundance
We present Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) and SpaceTelescope Imaging Spectrograph observations of the weak interstellar N Iλ1160 doublet toward 17 high-density sight lines[N(Htot)>=1021 cm-2]. When combinedwith published data, our results reveal variations in the fractional N Iabundance showing a systematic deficiency at large N(Htot).At the FUSE resolution (~20 km s-1), the effects ofunresolved saturation cannot be conclusively ruled out, although O Iλ1356 shows little evidence of saturation. We investigated thepossibility that the N I variability is due to the formation ofN2 in our mostly dense regions. The 0-0 band of thec'41Σ+u-X1Σ+gtransition of N2 at 958 Å should be easily detected inour FUSE data; for 10 of the denser sight lines, N2 is notobserved at a sensitivity level of a few times 1014cm-2. The observed N I variations are suggestive of anincomplete understanding of nitrogen chemistry.Based on observations made with the NASA-CNES-CSA Far UltravioletSpectroscopic Explorer, which is operated for NASA by the Johns HopkinsUniversity under NASA contract NAS 5-32985, and the NASA/ESA HubbleSpace Telescope, obtained from the Multimission Archive at the SpaceTelescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association ofUniversities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under the NASA contractNAS 5-26555.
| Variable Na I Absorption toward ρ Leonis: Biased Neutral Formation in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium?
We present multiepoch KPNO coudé feed telescope observations ofinterstellar Na I and Ca II absorption toward the bright star ρ Leo.Comparisons of the Na I profiles observed over a period of 8 yr revealsignificant temporal variations in the Na I column in at least onecomponent, implying that there is ``structure'' at scales on the orderof the proper motion (~12 AU). Archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST)Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph observations of the C Ifine-structure excitation in the variable component suggest that thedensity is <~20 cm-3, significantly lower than thedensities inferred in past H I 21 cm and Na I studies. We suggest thatthe bulk of the trace neutral species are in the density peaks within aninterstellar cloud. The patchy distribution of these species naturallygives rise to the large fluctuations seen on scales of 10-1000 AU inpast temporal and binary studies. This picture predicts that the scalesover which fluctuations will be observed vary as a function of theionization rate of a species.Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtainedfrom the data archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute. STScI isoperated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy(AURA), Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555.
| Highly Ionized Gas in the Galactic Halo: A FUSE Survey of O VI Absorption toward 22 Halo Stars
Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spectra of 22 Galactichalo stars are studied to determine the amount of O VI in the Galactichalo between ~0.3 and ~10 kpc from the Galactic midplane. Strong O VIλ1031.93 absorption was detected toward 21 stars, and a reliable3 σ upper limit was obtained toward HD 97991. The weaker member ofthe O VI doublet at 1037.62 Å could be studied toward only sixstars because of stellar and interstellar blending problems. Themeasured logarithmic total column densities vary from 13.65 to 14.57with =14.17+/-0.28 (1 σ). The observed columns arereasonably consistent with a patchy exponential O VI distribution with amidplane density of 1.7×10-8 cm-3 and scaleheight between 2.3 and 4 kpc. We do not see clear signs of stronghigh-velocity components in O VI absorption along the Galactic sightlines, which indicates the general absence of high-velocity O VI within2-5 kpc of the Galactic midplane. This result is in marked contrast tothe findings of Sembach et al., who reported high-velocity O VIabsorption toward ~60% of the complete halo sight lines observed byFUSE. The line centroid velocities of the O VI absorption do not reflectGalactic rotation well. The O VI velocity dispersions range from 33 to78 km s-1, with an average of =45+/-11 kms-1 (1 σ). These values are much higher than the valueof ~18 km s-1 expected from thermal broadening for gas atT~3×105 K, the temperature at which O VI is expected toreach its peak abundance in collisional ionization equilibrium.Turbulence, inflow, and outflow must have an effect on the shape of theO VI profiles. Kinematical comparisons of O VI with Ar I reveal thateight of 21 sight lines are closely aligned in LSR velocity(|ΔVLSR|<=5 km s-1), while nine of 21exhibit significant velocity differences(|ΔVLSR|>=15 km s-1). This dual behaviormay indicate the presence of two different types of O VI-bearingenvironments toward the Galactic sight lines. The correlation betweenthe H I and O VI intermediate-velocity absorption is poor. We couldidentify the known H I intermediate-velocity components in the Ar Iabsorption but not in the O VI absorption in most cases. Comparison of OVI with other highly ionized species suggests that the high ions areproduced primarily by cooling hot gas in the Galactic fountain flow andthat turbulent mixing also has a significant contribution. The role ofturbulent mixing varies from negligible to dominant. It is mostimportant toward sight lines that sample supernova remnants like Loops Iand IV. The average N(C IV)/N(O VI) ratios for the nearby halo (thiswork) and complete halo (Savage et al.) are similar (~0.6), but thedispersion is larger in the sample of nearby halo sight lines. We areable to show that the O VI enhancement toward the Galactic center regionthat was observed in the FUSE survey of complete halo sight lines(Savage et al.) is likely associated with processes occurring near theGalactic center by comparing the observations toward the nearby HD177566 sight line to those toward extragalactic targets.
| Interstellar Silicon Abundance
We present 34 measurements of silicon gas phase column densities in theinterstellar medium. We have used spectra containing the SiII 1808 Angline which were obtained with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph(GHRS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Extinction curveparameters are determined for analyzed lines of sight and relationbetween Si/H ratio and extinction parameters is discussed. We find theabundance of gas phase silicon in diffuse clouds to be lower than thesolar value by a factor of four.
| A search for O VI in the winds of B-type stars
We have conducted a survey of FUSE spectra of 235 Galactic B-type starsin order to determine the boundaries in the H-R diagram for theproduction of the superion {O Vi} in their winds. By comparing thelocations and morphology of otherwise unidentified absorption featuresin the vicinity of the {O Vi} resonance doublet with the bona fide windprofiles seen in archival IUE spectra of the resonance lines of {N V},{Si Iv} and {C Iv}, we were able to detect blueshifted {O Vi} lines inthe spectra of giant and supergiant stars with temperature classes aslate as B1. No features attributable to {O Vi} were detected in dwarfslater than B0, or in stars of any luminosity class later than B1,although our ability to recognize weak absorption features in thesestars is severely restricted by blending with photospheric andinterstellar features. We discuss evidence that the ratio of the ionfractions of {O Vi} and {N V} is substantially different in the winds ofearly B-type stars than O-type stars.
| Radial velocities of early-type stars in the Perseus OB2 association
We present radial velocities for 29 B- and A-type stars in the field ofthe nearby association Perseus OB2. The velocities are derived fromspectra obtained with AURELIE, via cross correlation with radialvelocity standards matched as closely as possible in spectral type. Theresulting accuracy is ~ 2-3 km s-1. We use thesemeasurements, together with published values for a few other early-typestars, to study membership of the association. The mean radial velocity(and measured velocity dispersion) of Per OB2 is 23.5 +/- 3.9 kms-1, and lies ~ 15 km s-1 away from the meanvelocity of the local disk field stars. We identify a number ofinterlopers in the list of possible late-B- and A-type members which wasbased on Hipparcos parallaxes and proper motions, and discuss thecolour-magnitude diagram of the association.Based on observations made at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence (CNRS),France.
| A New Measurement of the Average Far-Ultraviolet Extinction Curve
We have measured the extinction curve in the far-ultraviolet wavelengthregion of (900-1200 Å) using spectra obtained with the BerkeleyEUV/FUV spectrometer during the ORFEUS I and the ORFEUS II (Orbiting andRetrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer) missions in 1993and 1996. From the complete sample of early-type stars observed duringthese missions, we have selected pairs of stars with the same spectraltype but different reddenings to measure the differential FUVextinction. We model the effects of molecular hydrogen absorption andexclude affected regions of the spectrum to determine the extinctionfrom dust alone. We minimize errors from inaccuracies in the catalogedspectral types of the stars by making our own determinations of spectraltypes based on their IUE spectra. We find substantial scatter in thecurves of individual star pairs and present a detailed examination ofthe uncertainties and their effects on each extinction curve. We findthat, given the potentially large uncertainties inherent in using thepair method at FUV wavelengths, a careful analysis of measurementuncertainties is critical to assessing the true dust extinction. Wepresent a new measurement of the average far-ultraviolet extinctioncurve to the Lyman limit; our new measurement is consistent with anextrapolation of the standard extinction curve of Savage & Mathis.
| The stellar composition of the star formation region CMa R1 - II. Spectroscopic and photometric observations of nine young stars
We present new high- and low-resolution spectroscopic and photometricdata of nine members of the young association CMa R1. All the stars havecircumstellar dust at some distance, as could be expected from theirassociation with reflection nebulosity. Four stars (HD52721, HD53367,LkHα220 and LkHα218) show Hα emission and we arguethat they are Herbig Be stars with discs. Our photometric andspectroscopic observations of these stars reveal new characteristics oftheir variability. We present first interpretations of the variabilityof HD52721, HD53367 and the two LkHα stars in terms of a partiallyeclipsing binary, a magnetic activity cycle and circumstellar dustvariations, respectively. The remaining five stars show no clearindications of Hα emission in their spectra, although theirspectral types and ages are comparable with those of HD52721 andHD53367. This indicates that the presence of a disc around a star in CMaR1 may depend on the environment of the star. In particular we find thatall Hα emission stars are located at or outside the arc-shapedborder of the Hii region, which suggests that the stars inside the archave lost their discs through evaporation by UV photons from nearby Ostars, or from the nearby (<25pc) supernova, about 1Myr ago.
| Distances and Metallicities of High- and Intermediate-Velocity Clouds
A table is presented that summarizes published absorption linemeasurements for the high- and intermediate-velocity clouds (HVCs andIVCs). New values are derived for N(H I) in the direction of observedprobes, in order to arrive at reliable abundances and abundance limits(the H I data are described in Paper II). Distances to stellar probesare revisited and calculated consistently, in order to derive distancebrackets or limits for many of the clouds, taking care to properlyinterpret nondetections. The main conclusions are the following. (1)Absolute abundances have been measured using lines of S II, N I, and OI, with the following resulting values: ~0.1 solar for one HVC (complexC), ~0.3 solar for the Magellanic Stream, ~0.5 solar for a southern IVC,and ~solar for two northern IVCs (the IV Arch and LLIV Arch). Finally,approximate values in the range 0.5-2 solar are found for three moreIVCs. (2) Depletion patterns in IVCs are like those in warm disk or halogas. (3) Most distance limits are based on strong UV lines of C II, SiII, and Mg II, a few on Ca II. Distance limits for major HVCs aregreater than 5 kpc, while distance brackets for several IVCs are in therange 0.5-2 kpc. (4) Mass limits for major IVCs are0.5-8×105 Msolar, but for major HVCs theyare more than 106 Msolar. (5) The Ca II/H I ratiovaries by up to a factor 2-5 within a single cloud, somewhat morebetween clouds. (6) The Na I/H I ratio varies by a factor of more than10 within a cloud, and even more between clouds. Thus, Ca II can beuseful for determining both lower and upper distance limits, but Na Ionly yields upper limits.
| Variable Interstellar Absorption toward the Halo Star HD 219188: Implications for Small-Scale Interstellar Structure
Within the last 10 yr, strong, narrow Na I absorption has appeared atvsolar~-38 km s-1 toward the halo star HD 219188;that absorption has continued to strengthen, by a factor of 2-3, overthe past 3 yr. The line of sight appears to be moving into/through arelatively cold, quiescent intermediate-velocity (IV) cloud, because ofthe 13 mas yr-1 proper motion of HD 219188; the variations inNa I probe length scales of 2-38 AU yr-1. UV spectra obtainedwith the Hubble Space Telescope GHRS in 1994-1995 suggestN(Htot)~4.8×1017 cm-2, ``halocloud'' depletions, nH~25 cm-3, andne~0.85-6.2 cm-3 (if T~100 K) for the portion ofthe IV cloud sampled at that time. The relatively high fractionalionization, ne/nH>~0.034, implies that hydrogenmust be partially ionized. The N(Na I)/N(Htot) ratio is veryhigh; in this case, the variations in Na I do not imply large localpressures or densities. Based in part on observations with the NASA/ESAHubble Space Telescope, obtained from the data archive at the SpaceTelescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association ofUniversities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contractNAS5-26555.
| The HB Narrowband Comet Filters: Standard Stars and Calibrations
We present results concerning the development and calibration of a newset of narrowband comet filters, designated the HB filter set, which wasdesigned and manufactured to replace aging IHW filters. Information isalso presented about the design and manufacturing of the filters,including the reasoning that was used for deciding the final wavelengthsand bandpasses. The new filters are designed to measure five differentgas species (OH, NH, CN, C2, C3), two ions(CO+, H2O+), and four continuum points.An improved understanding of extended wings from emission bands in cometspectra, gained since the development of the IHW filters, wasincorporated into the new design, so that contamination from undesiredspecies is significantly reduced compared to previous filters. Inaddition, advances in manufacturing techniques lead to squarertransmission profiles, higher peak transmission and UV filters withlonger lifetimes. We performed the necessary calibrations so that dataobtained with the filters can be converted to absolute fluxes, allowingfor, among other things, accurate subtraction of the continuum from thegas species. Flux standards and solar analogs were selected andobserved, and the data were used to establish a magnitude system for theHB filters. The star measurements were also used to evaluate which solaranalogs were best representatives of the Sun and to explore how the fluxstandards differed in the UV with respect to their spectral type. Newprocedures were developed to account for the non-linear extinction inthe OH filter, so that proper extrapolations to zero airmass can beperformed, and a new formalism, which can account for mutualcontaminations in two (or more) filters, was developed for reducingcomet observations. The relevant equations and reduction coefficientsare given, along with detailed instructions on how to apply them. Wealso performed a series of tests involving factors that can affecteither the filter transmission profiles or the distribution of theemission lines in the gas species to determine how these effectspropagate through to the calibration coefficients. The results indicatethat there are only two factors that are a concern at a level of morethan a few percent: f-ratios smaller than f/4, and a few individualfilters whose transmission profiles are significantly different from thefilters used in the calibrations.
| ORFEUS II Echelle Observations of Molecular Hydrogen in the Galactic Halo
The far-ultraviolet spectra of HD 219188, HD 94473, and HD 18100, threeearly-type stars in the Galactic halo, were obtained with the echellespectrometer on the ORFEUS II telescope in 1996 November. We deriveH2 column densities for the rotational levels up toJ''=6 and estimate excitation temperatures and H2dissociation rates for the clouds toward HD 219188 and HD 94473. Theresults indicate that strong radiation fields might exist near theseclouds, but these radiation fields do not seem to act as major heatingsources. No significant H2 absorption is seen toward HD18100. The correlation between our H2 column densities andpublished extinction maps confirms that the molecular clouds areassociated with dust clouds that lie between the observed stars and theSun. We estimate the conversion factor between N(H2) andW(12CO) to be XCO=4+/-2x1019cm-2 (K km s-1)-1 for the clouds alongthe line of sight to HD 94473, consistent with previous estimates towithin a factor of a few.
| Interstellar Carbon Abundance
We present 10 new measurements of carbon gas phase column density in theinterstellar medium. We have used spectra made with the Goddard HighResolution Spectrograph aboard the Hubble Space Telescope containing theCII 1334.5 Ang and CII* 1335.7 Ang lines. The continuum reconstructionmethod has been used to obtain the carbon column density from theLorentzian damped lines. Extinction curve parameters are determined inselected directions and relation between C/H ratio and extinctionparameters is discussed. A correlation has been found between C/H andthe strength of the 2175 Ang bump. Unlike previous results, we noticethat C/H changes with fractional abundance of molecular hydrogen,f(H_2). The average value of C/H=3.55*10^{-4} for lines of sight withf(H_2)<1*10^{-3} is the same as solar photospheric abundance fromGrevese and Noels (1993) and may represent the real cosmic carbonabundance.
| The interstellar clouds of ADAMS and Blaauw revisited: an HI absorption study - II.
Not Available
| Cross-correlation characteristics of OB stars from IUE spectroscopy
We present a catalogue of homogeneous measures of the linewidthparameter, v_esin i, for 373 O-type stars and early B supergiants(including the separate components of 25 binary and three triplesystems), produced by cross-correlating high-resolution,short-wavelength IUE spectra against a `template' spectrum of tauSco. Wealso tabulate terminal velocities. There are no O supergiants in oursample with v_esin i<65 km s^-1, and only one supergiant earlier thanB5 has v_esin i<50 km s^-1, confirming that an important linebroadening mechanism in addition to rotation must be present in theseobjects. A calibration of the area under the cross-correlation peakagainst spectral type is used to obtain estimates of continuum intensityratios of the components in 28 spectroscopically binary or multiplesystems. At least seven SB2 systems show evidence for the `Struve-Sahadeeffect', a systematic variation in relative line strength as a functionof orbital phase. The stellar wind profiles of the most rapid rotator inour sample, the O9III:n* star HD 191423 (v_esin i=436km s^-1), show itto have a `wind-compressed disc' similar to that of HD 93521; this starand other rapid rotators are good candidates for studies of non-radialpulsation.
| On Space Velocities of Binary Stars in Which One Component Has Experienced a Supernova Explosion
When one component of an evolved binary loses a significant fraction ofits initial mass in a symmetric supernova explosion but remains bound toits companion, the remnant binary recoils with a velocity that can becomparable to the orbital velocity of the supernova precursor. Thisvelocity is enough to explain the observed peculiar space velocitiesand/or distances from the Galactic plane of most X-ray binaries andbinary OB runaway stars. Some exceptions certainly occur, butuncertainties in estimates of velocities and distances, as well asmechanisms other than a popular asymmetric kick, may be responsible formost of the exceptions.
| High-Velocity Rain: The Terminal Velocity Model of Galactic Infall
A model is proposed for determining the distances to fallinginterstellar clouds in the galactic halo by measuring the cloud velocityand column density and assuming a model for the vertical densitydistribution of the Galactic interstellar medium. It is shown thatfalling clouds with N(H I) <~ 1019 cm-2 may be decelerated to aterminal velocity which increases with increasing height above theGalactic plane. This terminal velocity model correctly predicts thedistance to high-velocity cloud Complex M and several other interstellarstructures of previously determined distance. It is demonstrated howinterstellar absorption spectra alone may be used to predict thedistances of the clouds producing the absorption. If the distance,velocities, and column densities of enough interstellar clouds are knownindependently, the procedure can be reversed, and the terminal velocitymodel can be used to estimate the vertical density structure (both themean density and the porosity) of the interstellar medium. Using thedata of Danly and assuming a drag coefficient of CD ≅ 1, thederived density distribution is consistent with the expected densitydistribution of the warm ionized medium, characterized by Reynolds.There is also evidence that for z >~ 0.4 kpc one or more of thefollowing occurs: (1) the neutral fraction of the cloud decreases to ~31+/- 14%, (2) the density drops off faster than characterized byReynolds, or (3) there is a systematic decrease in CD with increasing z.Current data do not place strong constraints on the porosity of theinterstellar medium.
| Highly Ionized Interstellar Atoms--Heated, Cooled, or Mixed?
Recent observations with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph on theHubble Space Telescope, combined with Copernicus results, make possiblea comparison between C+3 and O+5 interstellar column densities in boththe halo and the disk of our Galaxy. The ratio N(C+3)/N(O+5) for sixlines of sight in the disk is about an order of magnitude less than forfive corresponding values in the halo. In the disk, the values of thisratio are in good general agreement with a variety of different modelsfor conductive heating at an interface between hot and cool gas. As aworking hypothesis we assume that this process is the dominant one forproducing the observed highly ionized species in the disk. The muchlarger ratios for the halo lie between the ranges predicted by twodifferent idealized models---radiative cooling of hot infalling gas andturbulent mixing of hot gas with the cool clouds past which it flows.Since both these processes should occur when hot gas flows past H Iclouds in the halo, we assume tentatively that these two processes maybe jointly responsible for much of the observed high ionization of haloatoms.
| DO OB Runaway Stars Have Pulsar Companions?
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1996AJ....111.1220P&db_key=AST
| Coronal Gas in the Galactic Halo: ORFEUS Observations of NGC 346 No. 1 and PKS 2155-304
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1995ApJ...450..149H&db_key=AST
| Vitesses radiales. Catalogue WEB: Wilson Evans Batten. Subtittle: Radial velocities: The Wilson-Evans-Batten catalogue.
We give a common version of the two catalogues of Mean Radial Velocitiesby Wilson (1963) and Evans (1978) to which we have added the catalogueof spectroscopic binary systems (Batten et al. 1989). For each star,when possible, we give: 1) an acronym to enter SIMBAD (Set ofIdentifications Measurements and Bibliography for Astronomical Data) ofthe CDS (Centre de Donnees Astronomiques de Strasbourg). 2) the numberHIC of the HIPPARCOS catalogue (Turon 1992). 3) the CCDM number(Catalogue des Composantes des etoiles Doubles et Multiples) byDommanget & Nys (1994). For the cluster stars, a precise study hasbeen done, on the identificator numbers. Numerous remarks point out theproblems we have had to deal with.
| A Search for Beta-Cephei Type Variability in a Sample of Intermediate Galactic Latitude to High Galactic Latitude B-Type Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1994MNRAS.267.1103H&db_key=AST
| An atlas of ultraviolet P Cygni profiles
We have selected spectra of 232 stars from the International UltravioletExplorer (IUE) archives for inclusion in an atlas intended for varioususes but tailored especially for the study of stellar winds. The atlascovers the range in spectral types from O3 to F8. The full atlas coversthe reduced and normalized high resolution spectra from the IUE long-and short-wavelength spectrographs. Here we discuss the selection of thestars and the data reduction, and we present in velocity units theprofiles of lines formed in the stellar winds. The selected lines covera wide range of ionizations, allowing a comparison of the profiles fromdifferent ions in the wind of each star and a comparison of thedifferent wind lines as a function spectral type and luminosity. We alsopresent the basic data on the program stars to facilitate study of thedependence of wind features on stellar parameters such as luminosity,temperature, escape velocity, and v sin i. We provide an overview of thecharacteristic behavior of the wind lines in the H-R diagram. Thecomplete spectra are available in digital form through the NASAAstrophysics Data System (ADS). We offer a description of the electronicdatabase that is available through the ADS and guidelines for obtainingaccess to that database.
| An IUE survey of interstellar H I LY alpha absorption. 1: Column densities
We measure Galactic interstellar neutral hydrogen column densities byanalyzing archival interstellar Ly alpha absorption line data toward 554B2 and hotter stars observed at high resolution with the IUE satellite.This study more than doubles the number of lines of sight with measuresof N(H I) based on Ly alpha. We have included the scattered lightbackground correction algorithm of Bianchi and Bohlin in our datareduction. We use the correlation between the Balmer discontinuity(c1) index and the stellar Ly alpha absorption in order toassess the effects of stellar Ly alpha contamination. Approximately 40%of the B stars with measured (c1) index, exhibit seriousstellar Ly alpha contamination. One table contains the derived values ofthe interstellar N(H I) for 393 stars with at most small amounts ofstellar contamination. Another lists the observed values of total N(H I)for 161 stars with suspected stellar Ly alpha contamination and/oruncertain stellar parameters.
| Composition of interstellar clouds in the disk and halo. 2: Gamma2 Velorum
High-resolution observations of gamma2 Vel with the GoddardHigh-Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) echelle on the Hubble SpaceTelescope reveal the presence of seven narrow absorption components,with LSR velocities between -23 and +9 km s-1. Three of theseshow column density ratios N(S(++))/N(S(+)) and N(P(++))/N(P+)) of about1 or more, and can be identified as H II regions, while the other fourare H I regions, consistent with the O I profile and with the overallH0 column density of 5.9 x 1019 cm-2,given the usual assumptions that S is undepleted while O has a depletionD(O) = -0.3 dex. The depletions of Fe, Si, and Mn, which could bemeasure accurately for two of the four H I regions (components 6 and 7),differ somewhat from the values of Dws found for slowlymoving warm clouds in HD 93521; in particular, for the component at 4.0km s-1 (No. 6), absolute of D exceeds absolute ofDws by 0.1-0.4 dex, while for that at 9.3 km s-1(No. 7), absolute of D equals absolute of Dws on the average.The observed ratio of Fe + Mg atoms to Si atoms in the grains ofcomponent 6 is 2.04 +/-0.10, consistent with an olivine graincomposition; the Fe/Mg ratio is 1.5 +/- 0.2. The electron density incomponent 6, determined from the C II* feature, is 0.075 +/-0.013 cm -3, about two-thirds of that found for clouds ofthis velocity in HD 93521. In the two conspicuous H II regions,components 3 and 4, ne, determined from the Si II*feature, is about 1 cm-3. From the column density of S(+) +S(++) in these two components, the total H II path length is about 40pc. With the radius of a wind-blown bubble around gamma2 Velset equal to 60 pc, the effective Stromgren radius is about 100 pc,requiring that T approx. equal to 50,000 K for the Wolf-Rayet componentof the gamma2 Vel binary. Since zeta Pup is a comparablesource of ionizing radiation, this temperature is an upper limit. Theprofiles of the strongest H2 absorption features, from Copernicusarchives, indicate that the absorbing molecules have a mean velocityidentical with that of the strongest H II component (No. 4). We have noexplanation for the possible presence of these H2 molecules in a regionof ionized H. Alternatively, the H2 profiles can be explained bymolecules in the two adjacent (in velocity) H I regions, components 2and 5, provided their H I gas has densities and temperatures typical ofnormal cold clouds. The GHRS data show absorption by highly ionizedatoms Si(3+) and C(3+), N(4+) in broad features, in addition to thenarrow-line absorption by Si(3+) and C(3+) observed in the dominant H IIcomponents, Nos. 3 and 4. The broad C(3+) and N(4+) features have widthscorresponding to T in the range (4-8) x 105 K, consistentwith the broad O(5+) line shown in Copernicus data. Despite someobservational uncertainties, the ratios of column densities in the broadC(3+), N(4+), and O(5+) features agree to +/- 0.1 dex with theoreticalvalues for warm gas, heating and evaporating by thermal conduction froman adjacent hot region. Outward evaporation from an isolated cloud in ahot ambient gas cannot be distinguished, on the basis of these data,from inward evaporation of a warm shell, compressed by an expanding, hotstellar-wind bubble. For several halo stars, the C IV/O VI ratio has aquite different average value, perhaps consistent with cooling ofinfalling hot gas instead of conductive heating and evaporation.
| Ultraviolet FeIII lines in the spectra of high galactic latitude early-type stars
Using high resolution spectral data from the International UltravioletExplorer satellite, we present qualitative and quantitative comparisonsof blends of Fe III absorption lines in the region1890A<=λ<=1930A for a sample of fifteen high latitudeB-type and standard stars. Standard and halo stars were matched ineffective temperature and surface gravity using Stroemgren [c_1_] andHβ photometry, and LTE model atmosphere codes were used toinvestigate whether they had similar iron abundances. We conclude thatwhile most of the halo stars have Population I iron abundances and maybe young objects, one star, HD 177566, has significant iron and silicondepletions and is most probably an old, evolved star. In view of thecoincidence of the atmospheric parameters of this star with those ofyoung B-type stars, we consider a post-AGB evolutionary status to belikely for HD 177566.
| Optical studies of interstellar material in low density regions of the Galaxy. I - A survey of interstellar NA I and CA II absorption toward 57 distant stars
We present high-resolution spectra of the Na I D and Ca II K linestoward 57 late-O and early-B stars along extended (d greater than 1 kpc)low-density paths through the Milky Way disk and halo. The sight linespreferentially sample diffuse gas in the interstellar medium (ISM) alonginterarm, Galactic center, and high latitude directions. We measureequivalent widths, apparent column densities, and absorption componentstructure. The Ca II to Na I ratios presented as a function of velocityfor each sight line exhibit variations due to elemental depletion,ionization, and density enhancements. Absorption along high latitudesight lines is kinematically simpler than it is along interarm andGalactic center sight lines. Galactic rotation noticeably broadens theabsorption profiles of distant stars located in these latter directions.Along several sight lines, we see Ca II absorption at velocitiescorresponding to large distances (/z/ about 1 kpc) from the Galacticplane. The effects of differences in the Ca II and Na I scale heightsand nonzero velocity dispersions are readily apparent in the data. Briefnotes are given for several sight lines with interesting absorptionproperties.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Ιχθείς |
| Right ascension: | 23h14m00.52s |
| Declination: | +04°59'49.6" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 7.047 |
| Distance: | 1063.83 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | 5.4 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -12.7 |
| B-T magnitude: | 6.857 |
| V-T magnitude: | 7.032 |
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