67 research outputs found
Structure and Evolution of Hot Gas in 30 Dor
We have investigated the structure and evolution of hot gas in the 30 Dor
nebula, based on recent X-ray observations. Our deep ROSAT HRI image shows that
diffuse X-ray emission arises in blister-shaped regions outlined by loops of
HII gas. X-ray spectroscopic data from ASCA confirm the thermal nature of the
emission and indicate that hot gas temperature decreases from the core to the
halo of the nebula. The structure of the nebula can be understood as outflows
of hot and HII gases from the parent giant molecular cloud of the central OB
association. The dynamic mixing between the two gas phases is likely
responsible for the mass loading to the hot gas, as required to explain the
observed thermal structure and X-ray luminosity of the nebula. Such processes
should also be important in the formation of similar giant HII regions and in
their subsequent evolution into supergiant bubbles or galactic chimneys.Comment: 9 page text plus 4 color figures. To appear in ApJ
Hubble Space Telescope Observations of the Draco Dwarf Spheroidal
We present an F606W-F814W color-magnitude diagram for the Draco dwarf
spheroidal galaxy based on Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 images. The luminosity
function is well-sampled to 3 magnitudes below the turn-off. We see no evidence
for multiple turnoffs and conclude that, at least over the field of the view of
the WFPC2, star formation was primarily single-epoch. If the observed number of
blue stragglers is due to extended star formation, then roughly 6% (upper
limit) of the stars could be half as old as the bulk of the galaxy. The color
difference between the red giant branch and the turnoff is consistent with an
old population and is very similar to that observed in the old, metal-poor
Galactic globular clusters M68 and M92. Despite its red horizontal branch,
Draco appears to be older than M68 and M92 by 1.6 +/- 2.5 Gyrs, lending support
to the argument that the ``second parameter'' which governs horizontal branch
morphology must be something other than age. Draco's observed luminosity
function is very similar to that of M68, and the derived initial mass function
is consistent with that of the solar neighborhood.Comment: 16 pages, AASTeX, 9 postscript figures, figures 1 and 2 available at
ftp://bb3.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/draco/. Accepted for publication in the
Astronomical Journa
Observations and Implications of the Star Formation History of the LMC
We present derivations of star formation histories based on color-magnitude
diagrams of three fields in the LMC from HST/WFPC2 observations. A significant
component of stars older than 4 Gyr is required to match the observed
color-magnitude diagrams. Models with a dispersion-free age-metallicity
relation are unable to reproduce the width of the observed main sequence;
models with a range of metallicity at a given age provide a much better fit.
Such models allow us to construct complete ``population boxes'' for the LMC
based entirely on color-magnitude diagrams; remarkably, these qualitatively
reproduce the age-metallicity relation observed in LMC clusters. We discuss
some of the uncertainties in deriving star formation histories. We find,
independently of the models, that the LMC bar field has a larger relative
component of older stars than the outer fields. The main implications suggested
by this study are: 1) the star formation history of field stars appears to
differ from the age distribution of clusters, 2) there is no obvious evidence
for bursty star formation, but our ability to measure bursts shorter in
duration than 25% of any given age is limited by the statistics of the
observed number of stars, 3) there may be some correlation of the star
formation rate with the last close passage of the LMC/SMC/Milky Way, but there
is no dramatic effect, and 4) the derived star formation history is probably
consistent with observed abundances, based on recent chemical evolution models.Comment: Accepted by AJ, 36 pages including 12 figure
The Exoplanet Climate Infrared TElescope (EXCITE)
Although there are a large number of known exoplanets, there is little data on their global atmospheric properties. Phase-resolved spectroscopy of transiting planets – continuous spectroscopic observation of planets during their full orbits – probes varied depths and longitudes in the atmospheres thus measuring their three-dimensional thermal and chemical structure and contributing to our understanding of their global circulation. Planets with characteristics suitable for atmospheric characterization have orbits of several days, so phase curve observations are highly resource intensive, especially for shared use facilities. The Exoplanet Climate Infrared TElescope (EXCITE) is a balloon-borne near-infrared spectrometer designed to observe from 1 to 5 μm to perform phaseresolved spectroscopy of hot Jupiters. Flying from a long duration balloon (LDB) platform, EXCITE will have the stability to continuously stare at targets for days at a time and the sensitivity to produce data of the quality and quantity needed to significantly advance our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres. We describe the EXCITE design and show results of analytic and numerical calculations of the instrument sensitivity. We show that an instrument like EXCITE will produce a wealth of quality data, both complementing and serving as a critical bridge between current and future space-based near infrared spectroscopic instruments
Stellar Populations in Three Outer Fields of the LMC
We present HST photometry for three fields in the outer disk of the LMC
extending approximately four magnitudes below the faintest main sequence
turnoff. We cannot detect any strongly significant differences in the stellar
populations of the three fields based on the morphologies of the
color-magnitude diagrams, the luminosity functions, and the relative numbers of
stars in different evolutionary stages. Our observations therefore suggest
similar star formation histories in these regions, although some variations are
certainly allowed. The fields are located in two regions of the LMC: one is in
the north-east field and two are located in the north-west. Under the
assumption of a common star formation history, we combine the three fields with
ground-based data at the same location as one of the fields to improve
statistics for the brightest stars. We compare this stellar population with
those predicted from several simple star formation histories suggested in the
literature, using a combination of the R-method of Bertelli et al (1992) and
comparisons with the observed luminosity function. The only model which we
consider that is not rejected by the observations is one in which the star
formation rate is roughly constant for most of the LMC's history and then
increases by a factor of three about 2 Gyr ago. Such a model has roughly equal
numbers of stars older and younger than 4 Gyr, and thus is not dominated by
young stars. This star formation history, combined with a closed box chemical
evolution model, is consistent with observations that the metallicity of the
LMC has doubled in the past 2 Gyr.Comment: 30 pages, includes 10 postscript figures. Figure 1 avaiable at
ftp://charon.nmsu.edu/pub/mgeha/LMC. Accepted for publication in Astronomical
Journa
WFPC2 Observations of the Cooling Flow Elliptical in Abell 1795
We present WFPC2 images of the core of the cooling flow cD galaxy in Abell
1795. An irregular, asymmetric dust lane extends 7 \h75 kpc in projection to
the north-northwest. The dust shares the morphology observed in the H
and excess UV emission. We see both diffuse and knotty blue emission around the
dust lane, especially at the ends. The dust and emission features lie on the
edge of the radio lobes, suggesting star formation induced by the radio source
or the deflection of the radio jets off of pre-existing dust and gas. We
measure an apparent R significantly less than 3.1, implying that the
extinction law is not Galactic in the dust lane, or the presence of line
emission which is proportional to the extinction. The dust mass is at least
2 M\solar\ and is more likely to be 6.5 M\solar.Comment: 14 pages, LaTeX, Figure 4 included, Postscript Figs. 1-3 available at
ftp://astro.nmsu.edu/pub/JASON/A1795/, accepted for publication in ApJ
Letter
The metallicity gradient of M 33: chemical abundances of HII regions
We present spectroscopic observations of a sample of 72 emission-line
objects, including mainly HII regions, in the spiral galaxy M 33. Spectra were
obtained with the multi-object, wide field spectrograph AF2/WYFFOS at the 4.2m
WHT telescope. Line intensities, extinction, and electron density were
determined for the whole sample of objects. The aim of the present work was to
derive chemical and physical parameters of a set of HII regions, and from them
the metallicity gradient. Electron temperatures and chemical abundances were
derived for the 14 HII regions where both [OII] and [OIII] emission line fluxes
were measured, including the electron temperature sensitive emission line
[OIII] 436.3 nm and in a few cases [NII] 575.5 nm. The ionization correction
factor (ICF) method was used to derive the total chemical abundances. The
presence of abundance gradients was inferred from the radial behaviour of
several emission-line ratios, and accurately measured from chemical abundances
directly derived in 14 HII regions. The oxygen abundances of our HII regions,
located in the radial region from ~2 to ~7.2 kpc, gave an oxygen gradient
-0.054+/-0.011 dex/kpc The overall oxygen gradient for M 33 obtained using ours
and previous oxygen determinations in a large number of HII regions with direct
electron temperature determination as well as abundance in young stars
presented a two slope shape: -0.19 dex/kpc for the central regions (R<3kpc),
and -0.038dex/kpc for the outer regions (R>=3kpc).Comment: 16 pages, 14 figures, A&A accepted 10/05/200
Ionization structure in the 30 Doradus Nebula as seen with Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2
Using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Wide Field Planetary Camera 2, we have imaged the central 20 pc of the giant H II region 30 Doradus Nebula in three different emission lines. The images allow us to study the nebula with a physical resolution that is within a factor of 2 of that of typical ground-based observations of Galactic H II regions. We present a gallery of interesting objects within the region studied. These include a tube blown by the wind of a high-velocity star and a discrete H II region around an isolated B star. This small isolated H II region appears to be in the midst of the champagne flow phase of its evolution. Most of the emission within 30 Dor is confined to a thin zone located between the hot interior of the nebula and surrounding dense molecular material. This zone appears to be directly analogous to the photoionized photoevaporative flows that dominate emission from small, nearby H II regions. For example, a column of material protruding from the cavity wall to the south of the main cluster is found to be a direct analog to elephant trunks in M16. Surface brightness profiles across this structure are very similar to surface brightness profiles taken at ground-based resolution across the head of the largest column in M16. The dynamical effects of the photoevaporative flow can be seen as well. An arcuate feature located above this column and a similar feature surrounding a second nearby column are interpreted as shocks in which the photoevaporative flow stagnates against the high-temperature gas that fills the majority of the nebula. The ram pressure in the photoevaporative flow, derived from thermal pressure at the surface of the column, is found to balance with the pressure in the interior of the nebula derived from previous X-ray observations. By analogy with the comparison of ground-based and HST images of M16, we infer that the same sharply stratified structure seen in HST images of M16 almost certainly underlies the observed structure in 30 Doradus, which is a crucial case because it allows us to bridge the gap between nearby H II regions and the giant H II regions seen in distant galaxies. The real significance of this result is that it demonstrates that the physical understanding gained from detailed study of photoevaporative interfaces in nearby H II regions can be applied directly to interpretation of giant H II regions. Stated another way, interpretation of observations of giant H II regions must account for the fact that this emission arises not from expansive volumes of ionized gas but instead from highly localized and extremely sharply stratified physical structures
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