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FUSE Measurements of Far-Ultraviolet Extinction. III. The Dependence on R(V) and Discrete Feature Limits from 75 Galactic Sightlines
We present a sample of 75 extinction curves derived from Far UltravioletSpectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) far-ultraviolet spectra supplemented byexisting International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) spectra. Theextinction curves were created using the standard pair method based on anew set of dereddened FUSE+IUE comparison stars. Molecular hydrogenabsorption features were removed using individualized H2models for each sightline. The general shape of the FUSE extinction (8.4μm-1 < λ-1 < 11μm-1) was found to be broadly consistent withextrapolations from the IUE extinction (3.3 μm-1< λ-1 < 8.6 μm-1)curve. Significant differences were seen in the strength of the far-UVrise and the width of the 2175 Å bump. All the FUSE+IUE extinctioncurves had positive far-UV slopes giving no indication that the far-UVrise was turning over at the shortest wavelengths. The dependence ofA(λ)/A(V) versus R(V)-1 in the far-UV using thesightlines in our sample was found to be stronger than tentativelyindicated by previous work. We present an updated R(V)-dependentrelationship for the full UV wavelength range (3.3μm-1 <= λ-1 <= 11μm-1). Finally, we searched for discrete absorptionfeatures in the far-ultraviolet. We found a 3σ upper limit of~0.12A(V) on features with a resolution of 250 (~4 Å width) and3σ upper limits of ~0.15A(V) for λ-1 <9.6 μm-1 and ~0.68A(V) forλ-1>9.6 μm-1 on featureswith a resolution of 104 (~0.1 Å width).
| A Unified Representation of Gas-Phase Element Depletions in the Interstellar Medium
A study of gas-phase element abundances reported in the literature for17 different elements sampled over 243 sight lines in the local part ofour Galaxy reveals that the depletions into solid form (dust grains) areextremely well characterized by trends that employ only three kinds ofparameters. One is an index that describes the overall level ofdepletion applicable to the gas in any particular sight line, and theother two represent linear coefficients that describe how to derive eachelement's depletion from this sight-line parameter. The information fromthis study reveals the relative proportions of different elements thatare incorporated into dust at different stages of grain growth. Anextremely simple scheme is proposed for deriving the dust contents andmetallicities of absorption-line systems that are seen in the spectra ofdistant quasars or the optical afterglows of gamma-ray bursts. Contraryto presently accepted thinking, the elements sulfur and krypton appearto show measurable changes in their depletions as the general levels ofdepletions of other elements increase, although more data are needed toascertain whether or not these findings are truly compelling. Nitrogenappears to show no such increase. The incorporation of oxygen into solidform in the densest gas regions far exceeds the amounts that can takethe form of silicates or metallic oxides; this conclusion is based ondifferential measurements of depletion and thus is unaffected byuncertainties in the solar abundance reference scale.Based in large part on published observations from (1) the NASA/ESAHubble Space Telescope obtained at the Space Telescope ScienceInstitute, which is operated by the Association of Universities forResearch in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555, (2) theFar Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) mission operated by JohnsHopkins University, supported by NASA contract NAS5-32985, and (3) TheCopernicus satellite, supported by NASA grant NAGW-77 to PrincetonUniversity.
| Observations towards early-type stars in the ESO-POP Survey - II. Searches for intermediate- and high-velocity clouds
We present CaII K and TiII optical spectra of early-type stars takenmainly from the ultraviolet and visual echelle spectrograph (UVES)Paranal Observatory Project, plus HI 21-cm spectra, from the Vila-Elisaand Leiden-Dwingeloo Surveys, which are employed to obtain distances tointermediate- and high-velocity clouds (IHVCs). HI emission at avelocity of -117 kms-1 towards the sightline HD30677 () withcolumn density ~1.7 × 1019 cm-2 has nocorresponding CaII K absorption in the UVES spectrum, which has asignal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 610 per resolution element. The star hasa spectroscopically determined distance of 2.7 kpc, and hence sets thisas a firm lower distance limit towards Anti-Centre cloud ACII. Towardsanother sightline (HD46185 with ), HI at a velocity of +122kms-1 and column density of 1.2 × 1019cm-2 is seen. The corresponding CaII K spectrum has a S/N of780, although no absorption is observed at the cloud velocity. Thissimilarly places a firm lower distance limit of 2.9 kpc towards thisparcel of gas that may be an intermediate-velocity (IV) cloud. The lackof IV CaII absorption towards HD196426 () at a S/N of 500 reinforces alower distance limit of ~700 pc towards this part of complex gp, wherethe HI column density is 1.1 × 1019 cm-2 andvelocity is +78 kms-1. Additionally, no IV CaII is seen inabsorption in the spectrum of HD19445, which is strong in HI with acolumn density of 8 × 1019 cm-2 at avelocity of ~ -42 kms-1, placing a firm althoughuninteresting lower distance limit of 39 pc to this part of IV South.Finally, no high-velocity CaII K absorption is seen towards HD115363 ()at a S/N of 410, placing a lower distance of ~3.2 kpc towards the HVCgas at velocity of ~ +224 kms-1 and HI column density of 5.2× 1019 cm-2. This gas is in the same regionof the sky as complex WE (Wakker 2001), but at higher velocities. Thenon-detection of CaII K absorption sets a lower distance of ~3.2 kpctowards the HVC, which is unsurprising if this feature is indeed relatedto the Magellanic System.
| New Estimates of the Solar-Neighborhood Massive Star Birthrate and the Galactic Supernova Rate
The birthrate of stars of masses >=10 Msolar is estimatedfrom a sample of just over 400 O3-B2 dwarfs within 1.5 kpc of the Sunand the result extrapolated to estimate the Galactic supernova ratecontributed by such stars. The solar-neighborhood Galactic-plane massivestar birthrate is estimated at ~176 stars kpc-3Myr-1. On the basis of a model in which the Galactic stellardensity distribution comprises a ``disk+central hole'' like that of thedust infrared emission (as proposed by Drimmel and Spergel), theGalactic supernova rate is estimated at probably not less than ~1 normore than ~2 per century and the number of O3-B2 dwarfs within the solarcircle at ~200,000.
| Catalog of Galactic OB Stars
An all-sky catalog of Galactic OB stars has been created by extendingthe Case-Hamburg Galactic plane luminous-stars surveys to include 5500additional objects drawn from the literature. This work brings the totalnumber of known or reasonably suspected OB stars to over 16,000.Companion databases of UBVβ photometry and MK classifications forthese objects include nearly 30,000 and 20,000 entries, respectively.
| 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.
| Synthetic High-Resolution Line Spectra of Star-forming Galaxies below 1200 Å
We have generated a set of far-ultraviolet stellar libraries usingspectra of OB and Wolf-Rayet stars in the Galaxy and the Large and SmallMagellanic Cloud. The spectra were collected with the Far UltravioletSpectroscopic Explorer and cover a wavelength range from 1003.1 to1182.7 Å at a resolution of 0.127 Å. The libraries extendfrom the earliest O to late-O and early-B stars for the Magellanic Cloudand Galactic libraries, respectively. Attention is paid to the complexblending of stellar and interstellar lines, which can be significant,especially in models using Galactic stars. The most severe contaminationis due to molecular hydrogen. Using a simple model for the H2line strength, we were able to remove the molecular hydrogen lines in asubset of Magellanic Cloud stars. Variations of the photospheric andwind features of C III λ1176, O VI λλ1032, 1038, PV λλ1118, 1128, and S IV λλ1063, 1073, 1074are discussed as a function of temperature and luminosity class. Thespectral libraries were implemented into the LavalSB and Starburst99packages and used to compute a standard set of synthetic spectra ofstar-forming galaxies. Representative spectra are presented for variousinitial mass functions and star formation histories. The valid parameterspace is confined to the youngest ages of less than ~=10 Myr for aninstantaneous burst, prior to the age when incompleteness of spectraltypes in the libraries sets in. For a continuous burst at solarmetallicity, the parameter space is not limited. The suite of models isuseful for interpreting the rest-frame far-ultraviolet in local andhigh-redshift galaxies. Based on observations made with theNASA-CNES-CSA Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer. FUSE is operatedfor NASA by the Johns Hopkins University under NASA contract NAS5-32985.
| IUE Absorption-Line Observations of the Moderately and Highly Ionized Interstellar Medium toward 164 Early-Type Stars
We present measurements of Galactic interstellar Al III, Si IV, and C IVabsorption recorded in high-resolution archival ultraviolet spectra of164 hot early-type stars observed by the International UltravioletExplorer (IUE) satellite. The objects studied were drawn from the listof hot stars scheduled to be observed with the Far UltravioletSpectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite as part of observing programsdesigned to investigate absorption by O VI in the Galactic disk andhalo. Multiple IUE echelle-mode integrations have been combined toproduce a single ultraviolet (1150-1900 Å) spectrum of each starwith a spectral resolution of ~25 km s-1 (FWHM). Selectedabsorption-line profiles are presented for each star along with plots ofthe apparent column density per unit velocity for each line of the AlIII, Si IV, and C IV doublets. We report absorption-line equivalentwidths, absorption velocities, and integrated column densities based onthe apparent optical depth method of examining interstellar absorptionlines. We also determine column densities and Doppler parameters fromsingle-component curve-of-growth analyses. The scientific analysis ofthese observations will be undertaken after the FUSE satellite producessimilar measurements for absorption by interstellar O IV, Fe III, S III,and other ions. Based on archival data from observations obtained withthe International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite sponsored byNASA, SERC, and ESA.
| Magellanic Cloud-Type Interstellar Dust along Low-Density Sight Lines in the Galaxy
We have studied the UV extinction properties along 30 Galactic sightlines using data from the International Ultraviolet Explorer archivethat have never been previously examined. These distant (d>1 kpc)sight lines were selected to investigate the distribution and physicalconditions of gas located in low-density regions of the Galactic diskand halo. The average densities along these sight lines are extremelylow. It is likely that they are dominated by the warm intercloud mediumand have little contribution from the cold cloud medium. We find that asubsample of these sight lines has extinction curves with weak bumps andvery steep far-UV extinction reminiscent of the Magellanic Clouds. Thesesight lines all lie in the region bounded by325deg<=l<=0deg and-5deg>=b>=-11deg. The gas along these sightlines shows forbidden velocities, which may indicate that the dust hasbeen subject to shocks. This type of low-density sight line may mimicthe environments found in the Magellanic Clouds. Large values of N(CaII)/N(Na I) indicating low depletion are associated with steep far-UVextinction. A possible correlation exists between decreasing bumpstrength and increasing far-UV steepness for extinction curves in theGalaxy and the Magellanic Clouds.
| UBV beta Database for Case-Hamburg Northern and Southern Luminous Stars
A database of photoelectric UBV beta photometry for stars listed in theCase-Hamburg northern and southern Milky Way luminous stars surveys hasbeen compiled from the original research literature. Consisting of over16,000 observations of some 7300 stars from over 500 sources, thisdatabase constitutes the most complete compilation of such photometryavailable for intrinsically luminous stars around the Galactic plane.Over 5000 stars listed in the Case-Hamburg surveys still lackfundamental photometric data.
| Metallicities of 4 blue supergiants near the Galactic centre.
High resolution optical spectra of four blue supergiants (HD 148422B0.5Ib; HD 178487 B0.5Ib; HD 179407 B1Ib, HD 163522 B1Ib) which liewithin 4.5kpc of the Galactic centre are presented. Careful differentialLTE model atmosphere analyses are used to quantify the differences inphotospheric metal abundances between these stars and MK spectralstandards in the solar neighborhood. A detailed non-LTE model atmosphereanalysis of one star (HD 163522) confirms that the LTE differentialabundances should be reliable, provided we use a comparison star withsimilar atmospheric parameters. One star (HD 148422; R_g_=4.5kpc) has achemical composition similar to normal nearby B-type stars while HD178487 (R_g_=4.1kpc) shows a mild but consistent pattern of a metalenhanced atmosphere (with elements up by 0.1-0.3dex). The other twostars HD 163522 (R_g_=4.1kpc) and HD 179407 (R_g_=3.5kpc) havesignificantly higher metal compositions than their standard comparisonstars with abundances enhanced by 0.30-0.40dex and 0.20-0.5dexrespectively. All of the stars lie outside the Galactic plane (withdistances in the range 0.5
| 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.
| 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.
| Interstellar titanium in the galactic halo
We present observations of Ti II lambda 3384 absorption toward 15distant stars in the Galactic halo and the Magellanic Clouds. These newdata extend existing surveys of the distribution of Ti(+) to largerdistances from the plane of the Galaxy than sampled previously, allowingthe scale height of titaniumn to be determined for the first time. Wefind hTi(+ = 1.5 +/- 0.2 kpc, a value which although greaterthan those of other tracers of neutral gas, is not as large as had beensuspected. We interpret the extended distribution of Ti(+) as anindication that its severe depletion in interstellar clouds in the diskis reduced at the lower densities prevailing in the halo. The data areconsistent with a simple power-law dependence of the Ti abundance on theambient density, with exponent k approximately = -1. If the model iscorrect, it implies that refractory elements like Ti are fully returnedto the gas phase at distances beyond approximately 1 kpc from the planeof the Galaxy.
| The Spacelab-1 Very Wide Field Survey of UV-excess objects. IV. The performance of the instrument in combination with optical photometry as a means of identifying stars with peculiar properties.
UV (195 nm) and Stroemgren uvby photometry of a 110 square degree fieldat high southern galactic latitudes are analyzed through a comparison ofi) UV magnitudes for 57 stars of various types common to the publishedTD1 catalogue and the Very Wide Field Camera (VWFC); and ii) observedand theoretical two-colour diagrams. The higher sensitivity of the VWFC(=~0.5magnitude) and its more complete survey are exemplified by thedetection and UV measurement of a series of objects with moderateUV-excess in addition to detection of some very blue objects of variousnature down to fainter than 12th magnitude in the optical domain. Adeeper survey with a VWFC-type instrument could provide a completesample for studies of the group properties of faint blue stars. Duringthe uvby reductions it was found that the usual procedure of plottingresiduals as functions of declination, hour angle and airmass can be apowerful and diagnostic test of photometer rigidity.
| Optical studies of interstellar material in low density regions of the Galaxy
We analyze high-resolution Na I and Ca II interstellar absorption linedata obtained in an earlier spectroscopic survey of 57 stars alongextended sight lines through the Galactic disk and halo. We find thatthe Na I lines trace a diffuse cloudy medium and the CA II lines traceboth the cloudy medium and a more extended (intercloud) medium. Highlatitude and interarm sight lines that do not cross spiral arms haveclouds that are more diffuse on average than those along sight linesthat cross spiral arms. Spiral structure may play an important role indeterminating the average absorption properties along extended sightlines and/or interesting physical differences may exist between sightlines that cross spiral arms and those that do not. These might includea harder radiation field and/or higher electron tempertures along thehigh latitude and 'clean' interarm sight lines. On average, 10% of theCa II column density occurs at velocities forbidden by the Galacticrotation law by more than 10 km/s. In contrast, only a small precentageof the Na I column density occurs at these velocites. The Ca II to Na Iratio increases by a factor of 15 over forbidden velocities from 0 to 50km/s and rises rapidly thereafter. A two component model of the Ca IIcolumn density per unit velocity over the range l = 325 deg to 360 degindicates that two distinct distributions exists, one with sigma = 8km/s and one with sigma = 21 km/s. As much as 60% of the Ca II columndensity at forbidden velocities may be associated with the fasterdistribution, which we attribute to warm intercloud material. Weestimate expontential scale heights of 0.4-0.5 kpc for the neutral gastraced by the E(B-V), Na I, and H I distributions along the low densitysight lines, and we find that Ca II has a larger scale height of 0.8kpc.
| The distribution of neutral hydrogen in the interstellar medium. 1: The data
We compile, from the existing literature, the largest sample to date(842 data points) of hydrogen column density measurements, N(H I), ofthe gas in the interstellar medium. We include only results obtainedfrom absorption measurements toward individual stars (594 in our sample)in an effort to construct a three-dimensional picture of theinterstellar gas. We derive hydrogen column densities toward a fractionof the stars in the sample from published column density measurements ofmetal ions. A three-dimensional physical model derived from this dataset will be presented in a companion paper. The observed stars spandistances from a few parsecs to a few thousand parsecs, and more thanhalf of the sample serves to describe the local interstellar mediumwithin a few hundred parsecs of the Sun. Hydrogen column densities rangefrom 1017 to 1022/sq cm. We describe here thevarious observational methods used to estimate the hydrogen columndensities and present the table with the stellar and hydrogen columndensity data. The provided table is intended as a global reference work,not to introduce new results.
| 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.
| 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.
| Infrared Observations of Possible Hot Post-Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1993A&A...272..243C
| Ultraviolet and radio observations of Milky Way halo gas
Interstellar-absorption-line and 21-cm emission-line data for sightlines to 56 stars are combined in order to study the kinematics andspatial distribution of the gas that is at great distances from theGalactic plane. Measurements of the interstellar velocities and H Icolumn densities from the 21-cm emission and Ly-alpha absorption areincluded. The problem of contamination of the interstellar Ly-alphaabsorption line by stellar Ly-alpha absorption is analyzed, and thisinformation is used to reevaluate the vertical distribution of H I. Anew method for determining lower limits on the vertical distribution ofgas by including information on the velocity structure in the gas ispresented. The data for individual sight lines are discussed.
| Photospheric Absorption Lines in the Ultraviolet Spectra of O-Stars and B-Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1990MNRAS.246..392P&db_key=AST
| Terminal velocities for a large sample of O stars, B supergiants, and Wolf-Rayet stars
It is argued that easily measured, reliable estimates of terminalvelocities for early-type stars are provided by the central velocityasymptotically approached by narrow absorption features and by theviolet limit of zero residual intensity in saturated P Cygni profiles.These estimators are used to determine terminal velocities, v(infinity),for 181 O stars, 70 early B supergiants, and 35 Wolf-Rayet stars. For OBstars, the values are typically 15-20 percent smaller than the extremeviolet edge velocities, v(edge), while for WR stars v(infinity) = 0.76v(edge) on average. New mass-loss rates for WR stars which are thermalradio emitters are given, taking into account the new terminalvelocities and recent revisions to estimates of distances and to themean nuclear mass per electron. The relationships between v(infinity),the surface escape velocities, and effective temperatures are examined.
| The distribution of interstellar AL III away from the Galactic plane
IUE spectra are analyzed to study the density distribution ofinterstellar Al III away from the Galactic plane. In most cases, themeasured values of the relative line strengths are consistent with onlymodest levels of line saturation. Al III is found to have an exponentialscale height and 1 sigma errors of 1.02(+0.36, -0.24) kpc. For the sameset of 70 stars, the scale height and 1 sigma errors for H I are0.67(+0.21, -0.16) kpc. The Al III scale height is similar to the valueobtained for free electrons from pulsar dispersion measures. The ionizedgas traced by Al III is somewhat more extended than the neutral gastraced by H I but less extended than the very highly ionized gas tracedby Si IV, C IV, and N V.
| Estimation of the equivalent width of the interstellar CA II K absorption line
Literature values for the equivalent width of the interstellarabsorption line of Ca II K (3933 A) are used to constrain a simpleempirical model for the strength of this line as a function of distancefrom the galactic plane. The best-fit model has an integrated Ca II Kequivalent width in the direction perpendicular to the galactic plane ofapproximately 200 mA and a 'scale height' of approximately 1100 pc. Sucha model is useful for estimating (and correcting for) the contributionof the interstellar Ca II K feature to the total observed Ca II K linestrength in the spectra of metal-deficient stars in the galactic halo.
| The density distribution of refractory elements away from the Galactic plane
The density distributions of the three refractory elements Ti II, Ca II,and Fe II away from the Galactic plane are compared with thedistribution of hydrogen and dust by examining plots of N s in b versusz. It is found that Ti II and Ca II are considerably more extended in zthan the H I and dust and that Fe II has an intermediate extension.Although the results are strongly influenced by sample bias, theindicated exponential scale heights for the data sample are h(Ti II) notless than 2 kpc, h(Ca II) = 1 kpc, h(Fe II) = 0.5 kpc, H(H I) = 0.3 kpc,and h(E/B-V) = 0.1 kpc. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that Ti II andCa II are much more smoothly distributed in space than the hydrogen ordust. The large scale heights for Ti II and Ca II and their smoothdistributions are most easily understood as the effect of a mixturealong the line of sight of two H I phases namely, a diffuse cloud phase,in which nearly all of the Ti and Ca are tied up in dust, and anintercloud medium, where refractory elements are less depleted. It isfound that Ti II and Ca II mostly trace the smoothly distributedintercloud medium. The smoothness of the distributions of Ti II and CaII makes them candidates for use as distance indicators.
| Highly ionized interstellar gas located in the Galactic disk and halo
High-resolution IUE absorption line spectra have been obtained for 40distant stars in order to study the distribution of interstellar H I, SiIV, C IV, and N V in the Galactic disk and lower halo. Respectivemidplane densities of 2 x 10 to the -9th, 7 x 10 to the -9th, and 3 x 10to the -9th are found for Si IV, C IV, and Ni V. Both column density andvelocity data indicate that the highly ionized gas (HIG) is considerablymore extended in directions away from the Galactic plane than is H I orSi II. The absorption-line velocities for the halo HIG are consistentwith the notion that halo gas in the inner Galaxy rotates more slowlythan gas in the underlying disk. The derived column densities suggest anexponential scale height for the HIG of about 3 kpc; however, a simpleexponential distribution is a poor representation of the distribution ofthe gas. It is concluded that a full explanation of the origin of thehalo HIG will probably require a blending of ideas from the Galacticfountain and the photoionized halo models.
| Ultraviolet absorption by highly ionized halo gas near the Galactic center
Initial results are presented for a program to survey highly ionized gasin the Milky Way disk and halo. High-resolution IUE (InternationalUltraviolet Explorer) far-UV spectra were obtained for 12 stars atgalactocentric distances less than 6 kpc. The stars are 0.7-2.2 kpc awayfrom the plane. Most of the spectra contain exceedingly strong and broadinterstellar absorption lines of weakly and highly ionized atoms. Inaddition to the normally strong lines of Si IV and C IV, stronginterstellar NV lines have been detected in the spectra of eight stars.The detection of NV absorption (amounting to more than 10 times thepredicted NV) provides an important new constraint on models for theorigin of Galactic halo gas. A Galactic fountain operating in thepresence of known UV and EUV radiation might explain the observations.
| Interstellar CA II and NA I line profiles towards halo OB stars
High resolution Ca II and Na I interstellar line profiles towardsseveral halo OB stars are presented. The profiles have been correctedwhere necessary for the presence of stellar features, and analyzed usingmulticomponent models to derive information on the radial velocities,internal velocity dispersions, and column densities of individualinterstellar clouds. A method is described for estimating peculiarvelocities for the clouds, and a significant trend of decreasing R =N(Na I)/N(Ca II) with increasing peculiar velocity is found. The ratio,R, is also shown to be generally smaller in the halo than in the plane,implying that many of the halo clouds may have peculiar velocities. Thedata indicate that there are both few clouds and a small Ca II densitybeyond the absolute z value of 2 kpc.
| Atmospheric parameters and chemical compositions of eighteen halo OB stars
Stellar equivalent widths and He line profiles, measured from 5 and 10A/mm IPCS spectra obtained at the AAT, are presented for 18 halo OBstars. Effective temperatures and gravities have been estimated usingStromgren and H-beta photometry in conjunction with these data. Alsoderived are the abundances relative to hydrogen of helium, carbon,nitrogen, oxygen and calcium. From the normal chemical compositions andatmospheric parameters obtained, it is concluded that the stars are notsubluminous and show no evidence of any other peculiarities. Usingconservative and nonconservative evolutionary tracks, masses, ages anddistances are deduced for the stars, implying that several of them havebeen ejected from the galactic plane with velocities in excess of 100km/s.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Sagittarius |
| Right ascension: | 19h12m53.00s |
| Declination: | -12°34'58.3" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 9.471 |
| Proper motion RA: | -3.1 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -6.9 |
| B-T magnitude: | 9.479 |
| V-T magnitude: | 9.472 |
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INHABITED SKY
