High-gravity central stars

NLTE spectral analyses of high-gravity central stars by means of state-of-the-art model atmosphere techniques provide information about the precursor AGB stars. The hydrogen-deficient post-AGB stars allow investigations on the intershell matter which is apparently exhibited at the stellar surface. We summarize recent results from imaging, spectroscopy, and spectropolarimetry.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, IAU Symposium No. 234, Planetary Nebulae in our Galaxy and Beyon

AA Dor - An Eclipsing sdOB - Brown Dwarf Binary

AA Dor is an eclipsing, close, post common-envelope binary consisting of a sdOB primary star and an unseen secondary with an extraordinary small mass - formally a brown dwarf. The brown dwarf may have been a former planet which survived a common envelope phase and has even gained mass. A recent determination of the components' masses from results of NLTE spectral analysis and subsequent comparison to evolutionary tracks shows a discrepancy to masses derived from radial-velocity and the eclipse curves. Phase-resolved high-resolution and high-SN spectroscopy was carried out in order to investigate on this problem. We present results of a NLTE spectral analysis of the primary, an analysis of its orbital parameters, and discuss possible evolutionary scenarios.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, Workshop on Extreme Horizontal Branch Stars and Related Objects, Jun 2003, Keele, U

Spectral Analysis via the Virtual Observatory: The Service Theossa

In the framework of the Virtual Observatory, the newly developed service TheoSSA provides access to theoretical stellar spectral-energy distributions. In a pilot phase, this service is based on the well established Tuebingen NLTE Model-Atmosphere Package for hot, compact stars. We demonstrate its present capabilities and future extensions.Comment: Proceedings of JENAM-2011, European Week of Astronomy and Space Science, 8 pages, 6 figure

Non-LTE Spectral Analysis of Extremely Hot Post-AGB Stars: Constraints for Evolutionary Theory

Spectral analysis by means of Non-LTE model-atmosphere techniques has arrived at a high level of sophistication: fully line-blanketed model atmospheres which consider opacities of all elements from H to Ni allow the reliable determination of photospheric parameters of hot, compact stars. Such models provide a crucial test of stellar evolutionary theory: recent abundance determinations of trace elements like, e.g., F, Ne, Mg, P, S, Ar, Fe, and Ni are suited to investigate on AGB nucleosynthesis. E.g., the strong Fe depletion found in hydrogen-deficient post-AGB stars is a clear indication of an efficient s-process on the AGB where Fe is transformed into Ni or even heavier trans iron-group elements. We present results of recent spectral analyses based on high-resolution UV observations of hot stars.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure