355 research outputs found
A Na I Absorption Map of the Small-Scale Structure in the Interstellar Gas Toward M15
Using the DensePak fiber optic array on the KPNO WIYN telescope, we have
obtained high S/N echelle spectra of the Na I D wavelength region toward the
central 27" x 43" of the globular cluster M15 at a spatial resolution of 4".
The spectra exhibit significant interstellar Na I absorption at LSR velocities
of +3 km/s (LISM component) and +68 km/s (IVC component). Both components vary
appreciably in strength on these scales. The derived Na I column densities
differ by a factor of 4 across the LISM absorption map and by a factor of 16
across the IVC map. Assuming distances of 500 pc and 1500 pc for the LISM and
IVC clouds, these maps show evidence of significant ISM structure down to the
minimum scales of 2000 AU and 6000 AU probed in these absorbers. The
smallest-scale N(Na I) variations observed in the M15 LISM and IVC maps are
typically comparable to or higher than the values found at similar scales in
previous studies of interstellar Na I structure toward binary stars. The
physical implications of the small and larger-scale Na I features observed in
the M15 maps are discussed in terms of variations in the H I column density as
well as in the Na ionization equilibrium.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
A non-LTE abundance analysis of the post-AGB star ROA 5701
An analysis of high-resolution Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT)/ University
College London Echelle Spectrograph (UCLES) optical spectra for the ultraviolet
(UV)-bright star ROA 5701 in the globular cluster omega Cen (NGC 5139) is
performed, using non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) model
atmospheres to estimate stellar atmospheric parameters and chemical
composition. Abundances are derived for C, N, O, Mg, Si and S, and compared
with those found previously by Moehler et al. We find a general metal
underabundance relative to young B-type stars, consistent with the average
metallicity of the cluster. Our results indicate that ROA 5701 has not
undergone a gas-dust separation scenario as previously suggested. However, its
abundance pattern does imply that ROA 5701 has evolved off the AGB prior to the
onset of the third dredge-up.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS (Online Early
Chemical compositions of Four B-type Supergiants in the SMC Wing
High-resolution UCLES/AAT spectra of four B-type supergiants in the SMC South
East Wing have been analysed using non-LTE model atmosphere techniques to
determine their atmospheric parameters and chemical compositions. The principle
aim of this analysis was to determine whether the very low metal abundances
(1.1 dex compared with Galactic value) previously found in the Magellanic
Inter Cloud region (ICR) were also present in SMC Wing. The chemical
compositions of the four targets are similar to those found in other SMC
objects and appear to be incompatible with those deduced previously for the
ICR. Given the close proximity of the Wing to the ICR, this is difficult to
understand and some possible explanations are briefly discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figues, A&A accepte
Detection of Voigt Spectral Line Profiles of Hydrogen Radio Recombination Lines toward Sagittarius B2(N)
We report the detection of Voigt spectral line profiles of radio
recombination lines (RRLs) toward Sagittarius B2(N) with the 100-m Green Bank
Telescope (GBT). At radio wavelengths, astronomical spectra are highly
populated with RRLs, which serve as ideal probes of the physical conditions in
molecular cloud complexes. An analysis of the Hn(alpha) lines presented herein
shows that RRLs of higher principal quantum number (n>90) are generally
divergent from their expected Gaussian profiles and, moreover, are well
described by their respective Voigt profiles. This is in agreement with the
theory that spectral lines experience pressure broadening as a result of
electron collisions at lower radio frequencies. Given the inherent technical
difficulties regarding the detection and profiling of true RRL wing spans and
shapes, it is crucial that the observing instrumentation produce flat baselines
as well as high sensitivity, high resolution data. The GBT has demonstrated its
capabilities regarding all of these aspects, and we believe that future
observations of RRL emission via the GBT will be crucial towards advancing our
knowledge of the larger-scale extended structures of ionized gas in the
interstellar medium (ISM)
B-type supergiants in the SMC: Rotational velocities and implications for evolutionary models
High-resolution spectra for 24 SMC and Galactic B-type supergiants have been
analysed to estimate the contributions of both macroturbulence and rotation to
the broadening of their metal lines. Two different methodologies are
considered, viz. goodness-of-fit comparisons between observed and theoretical
line profiles and identifying zeros in the Fourier transforms of the observed
profiles. The advantages and limitations of the two methods are briefly
discussed with the latter techniques being adopted for estimated projected
rotational velocities (\vsini) but the former being used to estimate
macroturbulent velocities. Only one SMC supergiant, SK 191, shows a significant
degree of rotational broadening (\vsini 90 \kms). For the remaining
targets, the distribution of projected rotational velocities are similar in
both our Galactic and SMC samples with larger values being found at earlier
spectral types. There is marginal evidence for the projected rotational
velocities in the SMC being higher than those in the Galactic targets but any
differences are only of the order of 5-10 \kms, whilst evolutionary models
predict differences in this effective temperature range of typically 20 to 70
\kms. The combined sample is consistent with a linear variation of projected
rotational velocity with effective temperature, which would imply rotational
velocities for supergiants of 70 \kms at an effective temperature of 28 000 K
(approximately B0 spectral type) decreasing to 32 \kms at 12 000 K (B8 spectral
type). For all targets, the macroturbulent broadening would appear to be
consistent with a Gaussian distribution (although other distributions cannot be
discounted) with an half-width varying from approximately 20 \kms
at B8 to 60 \kms at B0 spectral types.Comment: 4 figures, 8 pages, submitted to Astronomy and Astrophysic
The VLT-FLAMES survey of massive stars: rotation and nitrogen enrichment as the key to understanding massive star evolution
Rotation has become an important element in evolutionary models of massive
stars, specifically via the prediction of rotational mixing. Here, we study a
sample of stars, including rapid rotators, to constrain such models and use
nitrogen enrichments as a probe of the mixing process. Chemical compositions
(C, N, O, Mg and Si) have been estimated for 135 early B-type stars in the
Large Magellanic Cloud with projected rotational velocities up to ~300km/s
using a non-LTE TLUSTY model atmosphere grid. Evolutionary models, including
rotational mixing, have been generated attempting to reproduce these
observations by adjusting the overshooting and rotational mixing parameters and
produce reasonable agreement with 60% of our core hydrogen burning sample. We
find (excluding known binaries) a significant population of highly nitrogen
enriched intrinsic slow rotators vsini less than 50km/s incompatible with our
models ~20% of the sample). Furthermore, while we find fast rotators with
enrichments in agreement with the models, the observation of evolved (log g
less than 3.7dex) fast rotators that are relatively unenriched (a further ~20%
of the sample) challenges the concept of rotational mixing. We also find that
70% of our blue supergiant sample cannot have evolved directly from the
hydrogen burning main-sequence. We are left with a picture where invoking
binarity and perhaps fossil magnetic fields are required to understand the
surface properties of a population of massive main sequence stars.Comment: ApJL. 10 pages, 1 figure. Updated to match accepted versio
A New Measurement of the Average FUV Extinction Curve
We have measured the extinction curve in the far-ultraviolet wavelength
region of (900 -- 1200 A) using spectra obtained with the Berkeley EUV/FUV
spectrometer during the ORFEUS-I and the ORFEUS-II missions in 1993 and 1996.
From the complete sample of early-type stars observed during these missions,
we have selected pairs of stars with the same spectral type but different
reddenings to measure the differential FUV extinction. We model the effects of
molecular hydrogen absorption and exclude affected regions of the spectrum to
determine the extinction from dust alone. We minimize errors from inaccuracies
in the cataloged spectral types of the stars by making our own determinations
of spectral types based on their IUE spectra. We find substantial scatter in
the curves of individual star pairs and present a detailed examination of the
uncertainties and their effects on each extinction curve. We find that, given
the potentially large uncertainties inherent in using the pair method at FUV
wavelengths, a careful analysis of measurement uncertainties is critical to
assessing the true dust extinction. We present a new measurement of the average
far-ultraviolet extinction curve to the Lyman limit; our new measurement is
consistent with an extrapolation of the standard extinction curve of Savage &
Mathis (1979).Comment: 13 pages text, 7 figures 4 tables. Sent as gzipped tar, with ms.tex
and 7 figure
Atmospheric parameters and rotational velocities for a sample of Galactic B-type supergiants
High resolution optical spectra of 57 Galactic B-type supergiant stars have
been analyzed to determine their rotational and macroturbulent velocities. In
addition, their atmospheric parameters (effective temperature, surface gravity
and microturbulent velocity) and surface nitrogen abundances have been
estimated using a non-LTE grid of model atmospheres. Comparisons of the
projected rotational velocities have been made with the predictions of stellar
evolutionary models and in general good agreement was found. However for a
small number of targets, their observed rotational velocities were
significantly larger than predicted, although their nitrogen abundances were
consistent with the rest of the sample. We conclude that binarity may have
played a role in generating their large rotational velocities. No correlation
was found between nitrogen abundances and the current projected rotational
velocities. However a correlation was found with the inferred projected
rotational velocities of the main sequence precursors of our supergiant sample.
This correlation is again in agreement with the predictions of single star
evolutionary models that incorporate rotational mixing. The origin of the
macroturbulent and microturbulent velocity fields is discussed and our results
support previous theoretical studies that link the former to sub-photospheric
convection and the latter to non-radial gravity mode oscillations. In addition,
we have attempted to identify differential rotation in our most rapidly
rotating targets.Comment: Submitted to MNRAS, 16 page
Dust in the Ionized Medium of the Galaxy: GHRS Measurements of Al III and S III
We present interstellar absorption line measurements of the ions S III and Al
III towards six stars using archival Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph data.
The ions Al III and S III trace heavily depleted and non-depleted elements,
respectively, in ionized gas. We use the photoionization code CLOUDY to derive
the ionization correction relating N(Al III)/N(S III) to the gas-phase
abundance [Al/S]_i in the ionized gas. For spectral types considered here, the
corrections are small and independent of the assumed ionization parameter.
Using the results of these photoionization models, we find [Al/S]_i = -1.0 in
the ionized gas towards three disk stars. These values of [Al/S]_i (=[Al/H]_i)
imply that Al-bearing grains are present in the ionized nebulae around these
stars. If the WIM of the Galaxy is photoionized by OB stars, our data for two
halo stars imply [Al/S]_i = -0.4 to -0.5 in the WIM and thus the presence of
dust grains containing Al in this important phase of the ISM. While
photoionization appears to be the most likely origin of the ionization for Al
III and S III, we cannot rule out confusion from the presence of hot,
collisionally ionized gas along two sightlines. We find that [Al/S]_i in the
ionized gas along the six sightlines is anti-correlated with the electron
density and average sightline neutral density. The degree of grain destruction
in the ionized medium of the Galaxy is not much higher than in the warm neutral
medium. The existence of grains in the ionized regions studied here has
important implications for the thermal balance of these regions. (Abstract
Abridged)Comment: 30 pages including 8 embedded tables and 8 embedded figures. Accepted
for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
- …