43 research outputs found
IRIS: A Generic Three-Dimensional Radiative Transfer Code
We present IRIS, a new generic three-dimensional (3D) spectral radiative
transfer code that generates synthetic spectra, or images. It can be used as a
diagnostic tool for comparison with astrophysical observations or laboratory
astrophysics experiments. We have developed a 3D short-characteristic solver
that works with a 3D nonuniform Cartesian grid. We have implemented a piecewise
cubic, locally monotonic, interpolation technique that dramatically reduces the
numerical diffusion effect. The code takes into account the velocity gradient
effect resulting in gradual Doppler shifts of photon frequencies and subsequent
alterations of spectral line profiles. It can also handle periodic boundary
conditions. This first version of the code assumes Local Thermodynamic
Equilibrium (LTE) and no scattering. The opacities and source functions are
specified by the user. In the near future, the capabilities of IRIS will be
extended to allow for non-LTE and scattering modeling. IRIS has been validated
through a number of tests. We provide the results for the most relevant ones,
in particular a searchlight beam test, a comparison with a 1D plane-parallel
model, and a test of the velocity gradient effect. IRIS is a generic code to
address a wide variety of astrophysical issues applied to different objects or
structures, such as accretion shocks, jets in young stellar objects, stellar
atmospheres, exoplanet atmospheres, accretion disks, rotating stellar winds,
cosmological structures. It can also be applied to model laboratory
astrophysics experiments, such as radiative shocks produced with high power
lasers.Comment: accepted for publication in A&A; 17 pages, 9 figures, 2 table
NLTE analysis of spectra: OBA stars
Methods of calculation of NLTE model atmosphere are discussed. The NLTE trace
element procedure is compared with the full NLTE model atmosphere calculation.
Differences between LTE and NLTE atmosphere modeling are evaluated. The ways of
model atom construction are discussed. Finally, modelling of expanding
atmospheres of hot stars with winds is briefly reviewed.Comment: in Determination of Atmospheric Parameters of B-, A-, F- and G-Type
Stars, E. Niemczura et al. eds., Springer, in pres
Effective area calibration of the reflection grating spectrometers of XMM-Newton. II. X-ray spectroscopy of DA white dwarfs
White dwarf spectra have been widely used as a calibration source for X-ray
and EUV instruments. The in-flight effective area calibration of the reflection
grating spectrometers (RGS) of XMM-Newton depend upon the availability of
reliable calibration sources. We investigate how well these white dwarf spectra
can be used as standard candles at the lowest X-ray energies in order to gauge
the absolute effective area scale of X-ray instruments. We calculate a grid of
model atmospheres for Sirius B and HZ 43A, and adjust the parameters using
several constraints until the ratio of the spectra of both stars agrees with
the ratio as observed by the low energy transmission grating spectrometer
(LETGS) of Chandra. This ratio is independent of any errors in the effective
area of the LETGS. We find that we can constrain the absolute X-ray spectrum of
both stars with better than 5 % accuracy. The best-fit model for both stars is
close to a pure hydrogen atmosphere, and we put tight limits to the amount of
helium or the thickness of a hydrogen layer in both stars. Our upper limit to
the helium abundance in Sirius B is 4 times below the previous detection based
on EUVE data. We also find that our results are sensitive to the adopted
cut-off in the Lyman pseudo-continuum opacity in Sirius B. We get best
agreement with a long wavelength cut-off. White dwarf model atmospheres can be
used to derive the effective area of X-ray spectrometers in the lowest energy
band. An accuracy of 3-4 % in the absolute effective area can be achieved.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysics, main journa
Radial abundance gradients in the outer Galactic disk as traced by main-sequence OB stars
Using a sample of 31 main-sequence OB stars located between galactocentric
distances 8.4 - 15.6 kpc, we aim to probe the present-day radial abundance
gradients of the Galactic disk. The analysis is based on high-resolution
spectra obtained with the MIKE spectrograph on the Magellan Clay 6.5-m
telescope on Las Campanas. We used a non-NLTE analysis in a self-consistent
semi-automatic routine based on TLUSTY and SYNSPEC to determine atmospheric
parameters and chemical abundances. Stellar parameters (effective temperature,
surface gravity, projected rotational velocity, microturbulence, and
macroturbulence) and silicon and oxygen abundances are presented for 28 stars
located beyond 9 kpc from the Galactic centre plus three stars in the solar
neighborhood. The stars of our sample are mostly on the main-sequence, with
effective temperatures between 20800 - 31300 K, and surface gravities between
3.23 - 4.45 dex. The radial oxygen and silicon abundance gradients are negative
and have slopes of -0.07 dex/kpc and -0.09 dex/kpc, respectively, in the region
\,kpc. The obtained gradients are compatible with the
present-day oxygen and silicon abundances measured in the solar neighborhood
and are consistent with radial metallicity gradients predicted by
chemodynamical models of Galaxy Evolution for a subsample of young stars
located close to the Galactic plane.Comment: Accepted for publication in the A&
The VLT-FLAMES survey of massive stars: Surface chemical compositions of B-type stars in the Magellanic Clouds
We present an analysis of high-resolution FLAMES spectra of approximately 50
early B-type stars in three young clusters at different metallicities, NGC6611
in the Galaxy, N11 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and NGC346 in the Small
Magellanic Cloud (SMC). Using the TLUSTY non-LTE model atmospheres code,
atmospheric parameters and photospheric abundances (C, N, O, Mg and Si) of each
star have been determined. These results represent a significant improvement on
the number of Magellanic Cloud B-type stars with detailed and homogeneous
estimates of their atmospheric parameters and chemical compositions. The
relationships between effective temperature and spectral type are discussed for
all three metallicity regimes, with the effective temperature for a given
spectral type increasing as one moves to a lower metallicity regime.
Additionally the difficulties in estimating the microturbulent velocity and the
anomalous values obtained, particularly in the lowest metallicity regime, are
discussed. Our chemical composition estimates are compared with previous
studies, both stellar and interstellar with, in general, encouraging agreement
being found. Abundances in the Magellanic Clouds relative to the Galaxy are
discussed and we also present our best estimates of the base-line chemical
composition of the LMC and SMC as derived from B-type stars. Additionally we
discuss the use of nitrogen as a probe of the evolutionary history of stars,
investigating the roles of rotational mixing, mass-loss, blue loops and
binarity on the observed nitrogen abundances and making comparisons with
stellar evolutionary models where possible.Comment: A&A accepted. 32 pages, 14 figures reduced in quality. Replaced
version updated with correct masses for LMC objects. Full quality version and
online data available at http://star.pst.qub.ac.uk/~ih
Chemical Abundances from the Continuum
The calculation of solar absolute fluxes in the near-UV is revisited,
discussing in some detail recent updates in theoretical calculations of
bound-free opacity from metals. Modest changes in the abundances of elements
such as Mg and the iron-peak elements have a significant impact on the
atmospheric structure, and therefore self-consistent calculations are
necessary. With small adjustments to the solar photospheric composition, we are
able to reproduce fairly well the observed solar fluxes between 200 and 270 nm,
and between 300 and 420 nm, but find too much absorption in the 270-290 nm
window. A comparison between our reference 1D model and a 3D time-dependent
hydrodynamical simulation indicates that the continuum flux is only weakly
sensitive to 3D effects, with corrections reaching <10% in the near-UV, and <2%
in the optical.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the conference A
Stellar Journey, a symposium in celebration of Bengt Gustafsson's 65th
birthday, June 23-27, 2008, Uppsal
A non-LTE analysis of the spectra of two narrow lined main sequence stars in the SMC
An analysis of high-resolution VLT/UVES spectra of two B-type main sequence
stars, NGC 346-11 and AV 304, in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), has been
undertaken, using the non-LTE TLUSTY model atmospheres to derive the stellar
parameters and chemical compositions of each star. The chemical compositions of
the two stars are in reasonable agreement. Moreover, our stellar analysis
agrees well with earlier analyses of H II regions. The results derived here
should be representative of the current base-line chemical composition of the
SMC interstellar medium as derived from B-type stars.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 1 online tabl