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Evolution of X-ray emission from young massive star clusters
The evolution of X-ray emission from young massive star clusters ismodelled, taking into account the emission from the stars as well asfrom the cluster wind. It is shown that the level and character of thesoft (0.2-10 keV) X-ray emission change drastically with cluster age andare tightly linked with stellar evolution. Using the modern X-rayobservations of massive stars, we show that the correlation betweenbolometric and X-ray luminosity known for single O stars also holds forO+O and (Wolf-Rayet) WR+O binaries. The diffuse emission originates fromthe cluster wind heated by the kinetic energy of stellar winds andsupernova explosions. To model the evolution of the cluster wind, themass and energy yields from a population synthesis are used as input toa hydrodynamic model. It is shown that in a very young cluster theemission from the cluster wind is low. When the cluster evolves, WRstars are formed. Their strong stellar winds power an increasing X-rayemission of the cluster wind. Subsequent supernova explosions pump thelevel of diffuse emission even higher. Clusters at this evolutionarystage may have no X-ray-bright stellar point sources, but a relativelyhigh level of diffuse emission. A supernova remnant may become adominant X-ray source, but only for a short time interval of a fewthousand years. We retrieve and analyse Chandra and XMM-Newtonobservations of six massive star clusters located in the LargeMagellanic Cloud (LMC). Our model reproduces the observed diffuse andpoint-source emission from these LMC clusters, as well as from theGalactic clusters Arches, Quintuplet and NGC 3603.
| Correlation patterns between 11 diffuse interstellar bands and ultraviolet extinction
We relate the equivalent widths of 11 diffuse interstellar bands,measured in the spectra of 49 stars, to different colour excesses in theultraviolet. We find that most of the observed bands correlatepositively with the extinction in the neighbourhood of the2175-Åbump. Correlation with colour excesses in other parts of theextinction curve is more variable from one diffuse interstellar band toanother; we find that some diffuse bands (5797, 5850 and 6376 Å)correlate positively with the overall slope of the extinction curve,while others (5780 and 6284 Å) exhibit negative correlation. Wediscuss the implications of these results on the links between thediffuse interstellar band carriers and the properties of theinterstellar grains.
| A Medium Resolution Near-Infrared Spectral Atlas of O and Early-B Stars
We present intermediate-resolution (R~8000-12,000) high signal-to-noise(S/N) H- and K-band spectroscopy of a sample of 37 optically visiblestars, ranging in spectral type from O3 to B3 and representing mostluminosity classes. Spectra of this quality can be used to constrain thetemperature, luminosity, and general wind properties of OB stars, whenused in conjunction with sophisticated atmospheric model codes. Mostimportant is the need for moderately high resolutions (R>=5000) andvery high signal-to-noise (S/N>=150) spectra for a meaningful profileanalysis. When using near-infrared spectra for a classification system,moderately high signal-to-noise (S/N~100) is still required, though theresolution can be relaxed to just a thousand or two. In the Appendix weprovide a set of very high-quality near-infrared spectra of Brackettlines in six early-A dwarfs. These can be used to aid in the modelingand removal of such lines when early-A dwarfs are used for telluricspectroscopic standards.
| Abundances and Depletions of Interstellar Oxygen
We report on the abundance of interstellar neutral oxygen (O I) for 26sight lines, using data from the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer,the International Spectroscopic Explorer, and the Hubble SpaceTelescope. O I column densities are derived by measuring the equivalentwidths of several ultraviolet absorption lines and subsequently fittingthose to a curve of growth. We consider both our general sample of 26sight lines and a more restrictive sample of 10 sight lines that utilizeHST data for a measurement of the weak 1355 Å line of oxygen andare thus better constrained owing to our sampling of all three sectionsof the curve of growth. The column densities of our HST sample showratios of O/H that agree with the current best solar value if dust isconsidered, with the possible exception of one sight line (HD 37903). Wenote some very limited evidence in the HST sample for trends ofincreasing depletion with respect to RV and f(H2),but the trends are not conclusive. Unlike a recent result from Cartledgeet al., we do not see evidence for increasing depletion with respect to, but our HST sample contains only two points moredense than the critical density determined in that paper. The columndensities of our more general sample show some scatter in O/H, but mostagree with the solar value to within errors. We discuss these results inthe context of establishing the best method for determining interstellarabundances, the unresolved question of the best value for O/H in theinterstellar medium, the O/H ratios observed in Galactic stars, and thedepletion of gas-phase oxygen onto dust grains.
| Interstellar 12C/13C ratios through CH^+λλ 3957,4232 absorption in local clouds: incomplete mixing in the ISM
The 12C/13C isotope ratio is a tracer of stellaryields and the efficiency of mixing in the ISM.12CH+/13CH+ is not affectedby interstellar chemistry, and is the most secure way of measuring12C/13C in the diffuse ISM.R=12C/13C is 90 in the solar system. Previousmeasurements of 12CH+λλ3957.7,4232.3and 13CH+λλ3958.2,4232.0 absorptiontoward nearby stars indicate some variations in12C/13C, with values ranging from 40 to 90suggesting inefficient mixing. Except for the cloud toward ζOph,these R values are strongly affected by noise. With UVES on the VLT wehave improved on the previous interstellar 12C/13Cmeasurements. The weighted 12C/13C ratio in thelocal ISM is 78.27 ± 1.83, while the weighted dispersion of ourmeasurements is 12.7, giving a 6.9σ scatter. Thus we report on a6.9σ detection of 16.2% root-mean-square variations in the carbonisotopic ratio on scales of ~100 pc: R= 74.7 ± 2.3 in theζOph cloud, while R = 88.6 ± 3.0 toward HD 152235 in theLupus clouds, R = 62.2 ± 5.3 towards HD 110432 in the Coalsack,and R = 98.9 ± 10.1 toward HD 170740. The observed variations in13C/12C are the first significant detection ofchemical heterogeneity in the local ISM.
| The origin of massive O-type field stars: II. Field O stars as runaways
In two papers we try to confirm that all Galactic high-mass stars areformed in a cluster environment, by excluding that O-type stars found inthe Galactic field actually formed there. In de Wit et al. (2004) wepresented deep K-band imaging of 5 arcmin fields centred on 43 massiveO-type field stars that revealed that the large majority of theseobjects are single objects. In this contribution we explore thepossibility that the field O stars are dynamically ejected from youngclusters, by investigating their peculiar space velocity distribution,their distance from the Galactic plane, and their spatial vicinity toknown young stellar clusters. We (re-)identify 22 field O-type stars ascandidate runaway OB-stars. The statistics show that 4 ± 2% ofall O-type stars with V<8m can be considered as formedoutside a cluster environment. Most are spectroscopically singleobjects, some are visual binaries. The derived percentage for O-typestars that form isolated in the field based on our statistical analysesis in agreement with what is expected from calculations adopting auniversal cluster richness distribution with power index of β= 1.7,assuming that the cluster richness distribution is continuous down tothe smallest clusters containing one single star.
| A Galactic O Star Catalog
We have produced a catalog of 378 Galactic O stars with accuratespectral classifications that is complete for V<8 but includes manyfainter stars. The catalog provides cross-identifications with othersources; coordinates (obtained in most cases from Tycho-2 data);astrometric distances for 24 of the nearest stars; optical (Tycho-2,Johnson, and Strömgren) and NIR photometry; group membership,runaway character, and multiplicity information; and a Web-based versionwith links to on-line services.
| Interstellar Carbon in Translucent Sight Lines
We report interstellar C II column densities or upper limits determinedfrom weak absorption of the 2325.4029 Å intersystem transitionobserved in six translucent sight lines (AV>~1) with theSpace Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS). The sight lines sample awide range of interstellar characteristics, including total to selectiveextinction, RV=2.6-5.1 average hydrogen density along thesight line, =3-14 cm-3 and fraction of H inmolecular form, 0-~40%. Four of the sight lines, those toward HD 37021,HD 37061, HD 147888, and HD 207198, have interstellar gas-phaseabundances that are consistent with the diffuse sight line ratio of161+/-17 carbon atoms in the gas per million hydrogen nuclei. We notethat while it has a gas-phase carbon abundance that is consistent withthe other sight lines, a large fraction of the C II toward HD 37061 isin an excited state. The sight line toward HD 152590 has a measuredinterstellar gas-phase carbon abundance that is well above the diffusesight line average; the column density of C in this sight line may beoverestimated because of noise structure in the data. Toward HD 27778 wefind a 3 σ abundance upper limit of <=108 C atoms in the gasper million H, a substantially enhanced depletion of C as compared tothe diffuse sight line value. The interstellar characteristics toward HD27778 are otherwise not extreme among the sample, except for anunusually large abundance of CO molecules in the gas.Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtainedat the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by theAssociation of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASAcontract NAS 5-26555.
| On the Hipparcos parallaxes of O stars
We compare the absolute visual magnitude of the majority of bright Ostars in the sky as predicted from their spectral type with the absolutemagnitude calculated from their apparent magnitude and the Hipparcosparallax. We find that many stars appear to be much fainter thanexpected, up to five magnitudes. We find no evidence for a correlationbetween magnitude differences and the stellar rotational velocity assuggested for OB stars by Lamers et al. (1997, A&A, 325, L25), whosesmall sample of stars is partly included in ours. Instead, by means of asimulation we show how these differences arise naturally from the largedistances at which O stars are located, and the level of precision ofthe parallax measurements achieved by Hipparcos. Straightforwardlyderiving a distance from the Hipparcos parallax yields reliable resultsfor one or two O stars only. We discuss several types of bias reportedin the literature in connection with parallax samples (Lutz-Kelker,Malmquist) and investigate how they affect the O star sample. Inaddition, we test three absolute magnitude calibrations from theliterature (Schmidt-Kaler et al. 1982, Landolt-Börnstein; Howarth& Prinja 1989, ApJS, 69, 527; Vacca et al. 1996, ApJ, 460, 914) andfind that they are consistent with the Hipparcos measurements. AlthoughO stars conform nicely to the simulation, we notice that some B stars inthe sample of \citeauthor{La97} have a magnitude difference larger thanexpected.
| The origin of massive O-type field stars. I. A search for clusters
We present a study aimed at clarifying the birthplace for 43 massiveO-type field stars. In this first paper we present the observationalpart: a search for stellar clusters near the target stars. We derivestellar density maps at two different resolving scales, viz. 0.25pc and 1.0 pc from NTT and TNG imaging and the 2MASS catalogue.These scales are typical for cluster sizes. The main result is that thelarge majority of the O-type field population are isolated stars: only12% (5 out of 43) of the O-type field stars is found to harbour asmall-scale stellar cluster. We review the literature and aim atcharacterizing the stellar field of each O-type field star with theemphasis on star formation and the presence of known young stellarclusters. An analysis of the result of this paper and a discussion ofthe O-type field population as products of a dynamical ejection event ispresented in an accompanying paper.Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory,Chile, and at the Italian Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) operated onthe island of La Palma by the Centro Galileo Galilei of the CNAA(Consorzio Nazionale per l'Astronomia e l'Astrofisica) at the SpanishObservatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisicade Canarias.Table 2 and Figs. 4 to 17 are available in electronic form athttp://www.edpsciences.org
| Toward an adequate method to isolate spectroscopic families of diffuse interstellar bands
We divide some of the observed diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) intofamilies that appear to have the spectral structure of single species.Three different methods are applied to separate such families, exploringthe best approach for future investigations of this type. Starting witha statistical treatment of the data, we found that statistical methodsby themselves give insufficient results. Two other methods of dataanalysis (`averaging equivalent widths' and `investigating the figureswith arranged spectrograms') were found to be more useful as tools forfinding the spectroscopic families of DIBs. On the basis of thesemethods, we suggest some candidates as `relatives' of 5780- and5797-Å bands.
| High-Resolution Observations of Interstellar Ca I Absorption-Implications for Depletions and Electron Densities in Diffuse Clouds
We present high-resolution (FWHM~0.3-1.5 km s-1) spectra,obtained with the AAT UHRF, the McDonald Observatory 2.7 m coudéspectrograph, and/or the KPNO coudé feed, of interstellar Ca Iabsorption toward 30 Galactic stars. Comparisons of the column densitiesof Ca I, Ca II, K I, and other species-for individual componentsidentified in the line profiles and also when integrated over entirelines of sight-yield information on relative electron densities anddepletions (dependent on assumptions regarding the ionizationequilibrium). There is no obvious relationship between the ratio N(CaI)/N(Ca II) [equal to ne/(Γ/αr) forphotoionization equilibrium] and the fraction of hydrogen in molecularform f(H2) (often taken to be indicative of the local densitynH). For a smaller sample of sight lines for which thethermal pressure (nHT) and local density can be estimated viaanalysis of the C I fine-structure excitation, the average electrondensity inferred from C, Na, and K (assuming photoionizationequilibrium) seems to be independent of nH andnHT. While the electron density (ne) obtained fromthe ratio N(Ca I)/N(Ca II) is often significantly higher than the valuesderived from other elements, the patterns of relative nederived from different elements show both similarities and differencesfor different lines of sight-suggesting that additional processesbesides photoionization and radiative recombination commonly andsignificantly affect the ionization balance of heavy elements in diffuseinterstellar clouds. Such additional processes may also contribute tothe (apparently) larger than expected fractional ionizations(ne/nH) found for some lines of sight withindependent determinations of nH. In general, inclusion of``grain-assisted'' recombination does reduce the inferred ne,but it does not reconcile the ne estimated from differentelements; it may, however, suggest some dependence of ne onnH. The depletion of calcium may have a much weakerdependence on density than was suggested by earlier comparisons with CHand CN. Two appendices present similar high-resolution spectra of Fe Ifor a few stars and give a compilation of column density data for Ca I,Ca II, Fe I, and S I.
| An Ultra-high-Resolution Survey of the Interstellar 7Li/6Li Isotope Ratio in the Solar Neighborhood
In an effort to probe the extent of variations in the interstellar7Li/6Li ratio seen previously,ultra-high-resolution (R~360,000), high signal-to-noise spectra of starsin the Perseus OB2 and Scorpius OB2 associations were obtained. Thesemeasurements confirm our earlier findings of an interstellar7Li/6Li ratio of about 2 toward ο Per, thevalue predicted from models of Galactic cosmic-ray spallation reactions.Observations of other nearby stars yield limits consistent with theisotopic ratio of ~12 seen in carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. If thisratio originally represented the gas toward ο Per, then todecrease the original isotope ratio to its current value an order ofmagnitude increase in the Li abundance is expected, but it is not seen.The elemental K/Li ratio is not unusual, although Li and K are formedvia different nucleosynthetic pathways. Several proposals to account forthe low 7Li/6Li ratio were considered, but noneseems satisfactory. Analysis of the Li and K abundances from our surveyhighlighted two sight lines where depletion effects are prevalent. Thereis evidence for enhanced depletion toward X Per, since both abundancesare lower by a factor of 4 when compared to other sight lines. Moreover,a smaller Li/H abundance is observed toward 20 Aql, but the K/Habundance is normal, suggesting enhanced Li depletion (relative to K) inthis direction. Our results suggest that the7Li/6Li ratio has not changed significantly duringthe last 4.5 billion years and that a ratio of ~12 represents most gasin the solar neighborhood. In addition, there appears to be a constantstellar contribution of 7Li, indicating that one or twoprocesses dominate its production in the Galaxy.
| The total-to-selective extinction ratio determined from near IR photometry of OB stars
The paper presents an extensive list of the total to selectiveextinction ratios R calculated from the infrared magnitudes of 597 O andB stars using the extrapolation method. The IR magnitudes of these starswere taken from the literature. The IR colour excesses are determinedwith the aid of "artificial standards" - Wegner (1994). The individualand mean values of total to selective extinction ratios R differ in mostcases from the average value R=3.10 +/-0.05 - Wegner (1993) in differentOB associations. The relation between total to selective extinctionratios R determined in this paper and those calculated using the "methodof variable extinction" and the Cardelli et al. (1989) formulae isdiscussed. The R values presented in this paper can be used to determineindividual absolute magnitudes of reddened OB stars with knowntrigonometric parallaxes.
| Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite and Arecibo Observations of H2O and OH in a Diffuse Cloud along the Line of Sight to W51
Observations of W51 with the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite haveyielded the first detection of water vapor in a diffuse molecular cloud.The water vapor lies in a foreground cloud that gives rise to anabsorption feature at an LSR velocity of 6 km s-1. Theinferred water column density is 2.5×1013cm-2. Observations with the Arecibo radio telescope ofhydroxyl molecules at 10 positions in W51 imply an OH column density of8×1013 cm- 2 in the same diffuse cloud. Theobserved H2O/OH ratio of ~0.3 is significantly larger than anupper limit derived previously from ultraviolet observations of thesimilar diffuse molecular cloud lying in front of HD 154368. Theobserved variation in H2O/OH likely points to the presence inone or both of these clouds of a warm (T>~400K) gas component inwhich neutral-neutral reactions are important sources of OH and/orH2O.
| A Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer Survey of Interstellar Molecular Hydrogen in Translucent Clouds
We report the first ensemble results from the Far UltravioletSpectroscopic Explorer survey of molecular hydrogen in lines of sightwith AV>~1 mag. We have developed techniques for fittingcomputed profiles to the low-J lines of H2, and thusdetermining column densities for J=0 and J=1, which contain >~99% ofthe total H2. From these column densities and ancillary datawe have derived the total H2 column densities, hydrogenmolecular fractions, and kinetic temperatures for 23 lines of sight.This is the first significant sample of molecular hydrogen columndensities of ~1021 cm-2, measured through UVabsorption bands. We have also compiled a set of extinction data forthese lines of sight, which sample a wide range of environments. We havesearched for correlations of our H2-related quantities withpreviously published column densities of other molecules and extinctionparameters. We find strong correlations between H2 andmolecules such as CH, CN, and CO, in general agreement with predictionsof chemical models. We also find the expected correlations betweenhydrogen molecular fraction and various density indicators such askinetic temperature, CN abundance, the steepness of the far-UVextinction rise, and the width of the 2175 Å bump. Despite therelatively large molecular fractions, we do not see the values greaterthan 0.8 expected in translucent clouds. With the exception of a fewlines of sight, we see little evidence for the presence of individualtranslucent clouds in our sample. We conclude that most of the lines ofsight are actually composed of two or more diffuse clouds similar tothose found toward targets like ζ Oph. We suggest a modification interminology to distinguish between a ``translucent line of sight'' and a``translucent cloud.''
| Gas-Phase Iron Abundances and Depletions in Translucent Interstellar Lines of Sight from Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer Observations of Fe II Lines
Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) wavelength coverageincludes several weak- to moderate-strength lines of Fe II, allowing thedetermination, through curve-of-growth analysis, of accurate Fe IIabundances and hence iron depletions. We have analyzed Fe II absorptionlines toward 18 of the reddened stars included in the FUSE survey ofmolecular hydrogen abundances in translucent clouds. Our analysis isbased on equivalent width measurements and curves of growth, aided bythe fact that some of the observed lines are weak enough to be on thelinear part of the curve of growth. In interpreting our abundance anddepletion results, we have combined our data with those of an earliersurvey of interstellar iron abundances and depletions in diffuse clouds,based on Copernicus data. The principal result of our survey is thatiron depletions, known from earlier work to increase with averageline-of-sight density for diffuse clouds, do not continue to increasewith either density or extinction in translucent clouds; i.e., there isno significant trend of increasing depletion with increasing extinctionor molecular fraction. This may be due to the fact that our data setdoes not probe lines of sight with greater average volume densities thanthose that were covered by the previous Copernicus-based survey of irondepletions. We conclude by reevaluating the definition of translucentclouds, based on the lack of enhanced iron depletions in our sample.
| Hydrocarbons, Ices, and ``XCN'' in the Line of Sight toward the Galactic Center
We discuss 2.8-3.9 μm spectra from the United Kingdom InfraredTelescope of seven sight lines toward IR sources near Sagittarius A* inthe Galactic center (GC). In all lines of sight, the 3.0 μmH2O ice feature is present with optical depths in the range0.33-1.52. By constructing a simple ice model, we show that the iceprofile is not fully accounted for by pure H2O ice mantles.Residual absorption is present at 2.95 and 3.2-3.6 μm. Aliphatichydrocarbon absorption at 3.4 μm is shown to vary by a factor of 1.7,indicating significant changes in the foreground extinction across thesmall field. By determining the true ice profile for the GC line ofsight, we reveal an additional broad absorption component around ~3.3μm, which partially underlies the 3.4 μm aliphatic hydrocarbonfeature. Its carrier resides in the diffuse interstellar medium. Thewidth of this absorption is deduced to be at least ~100 cm-1,much broader than individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon moleculesproduced in the laboratory or unidentified infrared emission featuresobserved in the interstellar medium. The 4.62 μm ``XCN'' feature isdetected in the molecular clouds along the line of sight toward IRS 19.In the solar neighborhood, this feature is seen only toward some deeplyembedded protostars. Toward the GC, it may indicate the serendipitouspresence of such an object in the line of sight to IRS 19, or it mightconceivably arise from the processing of ices in the circumnuclear ringof the GC itself.
| The accretion/diffusion theory for lambda Bootis stars in the light of spectroscopic data
Most of the current theories suggest the lambda Bootis phenomenon tooriginate from an interaction between the stellar surface and its localenvironment. In this paper, we compare the abundance pattern of thelambda Bootis stars to that of the interstellar medium and find largerdeficiencies for Mg, Si, Mn and Zn than in the interstellar medium. Acomparison with metal poor post-AGB stars showing evidence forcircumstellar material indicates a similar physical process possiblybeing at work for some of the lambda Bootis stars, but not for all ofthem. Despite the fact that the number of spectroscopically analysedlambda Bootis stars has considerably increased in the past, a test ofpredicted effects with observations shows current abundance andtemperature data to be still controversial.
| Far-ultraviolet extinction and diffuse interstellar bands
We relate the equivalent widths of the major diffuse interstellar bands(DIBs) near 5797 and 5780Å with different colour excesses,normalized by E(B-V), which characterize the growth of interstellarextinction in different wavelength ranges. It is demonstrated that thetwo DIBs correlate best with different parts of the extinction curve,and the ratio of these diffuse bands is best correlated with thefar-ultraviolet (UV) rise. A number of peculiar lines of sight are alsofound, indicating that the carriers of some DIBs and the far-UVextinction can be separated in certain environments, e.g. towards thePer OB2 association.
| A High-Resolution Survey of Interstellar K I Absorption
We present high-resolution (FWHM ~0.4-1.8 km s-1) spectra,obtained with the AAT UHRF, the McDonald Observatory 2.7 m coudéspectrograph, and/or the KPNO coudé feed, of interstellar K Iabsorption toward 54 Galactic stars. These new K I spectra revealcomplex structure and narrow, closely blended components in many linesof sight. Multicomponent fits to the line profiles yield estimates forthe column densities, line widths, and velocities for 319 individualinterstellar cloud components. The median component width (FWHM) and thetrue median separation between adjacent components are both <~1.2 kms-1. The median and maximum individual component K I columndensities, about 4×1010 and 1012cm-2, correspond to individual component hydrogen columndensities of about 2×1020 and 1021cm-2 and E(B-V)~0.03 and 0.17, respectively. If T istypically ~100 K, then at least half the individual components havesubsonic internal turbulent velocities. We also reexamine therelationships between the column densities of K I, Na I, C I, Li I,Htot, H2, and CH. The four trace neutral speciesexhibit essentially linear relationships with each other over wideranges in overall column density. If C is uniformly depleted by 0.4 dex,then Li, Na, and K are each typically depleted by 0.6-0.7 dex. The totalline of sight values for N(K I) and N(Na I) show roughly quadraticdependences on N(Htot), but the relationships for theensemble of individual clouds could be significantly steeper. Thesequadratic (or steeper) dependences appear to rule out significantcontributions to the ionization from cosmic rays, X-rays, and/or chargeexchange with C II in most cases. Charge exchange with negativelycharged large molecules may often be more important than radiativerecombination in neutralizing most singly ionized atomic species in coolH I clouds, however-suggesting that the true ne,nH, and thermal pressures may be significantly smaller thanthe values estimated by considering only radiative recombination. BothN(CH) and N(H2) are nearly linearly proportional to N(K I)and N(Na I) [except for 1015cm-2<~N(H2)<~1019cm-2, over which H2 makes the transition to theself-shielded regime]. Those relationships appear also to hold for manyindividual components and component groups, suggesting thathigh-resolution spectra of K I and Na I can be very useful forinterpreting lower resolution molecular data. The scatter about allthese mean relationships is generally small (<~0.1-0.2 dex), ifcertain consistently ``discrepant'' sight lines are excluded-suggestingthat both the relative depletions and the relative ionization of Li, C,Na, and K are generally within factors of 2 of their mean values.Differences noted for sight lines in Sco-Oph, in the Pleiades, near theOrion Trapezium, and in the LMC and SMC may be due to differences in thestrength and/or shape of the ambient radiation fields, perhaps amplifiedby the effects of charge transfer with large molecules.
| Atomic Oxygen Abundance in Molecular Clouds: Absorption toward Sagittarius B2
We have obtained high-resolution (~35 km s-1) spectra towardthe molecular cloud Sgr B2 at 63 μm, the wavelength of theground-state fine-structure line of atomic oxygen (O I), using theISO-LWS instrument. Four separate velocity components are seen in thedeconvolved spectrum, in absorption against the dust continuum emissionof Sgr B2. Three of these components, corresponding to foregroundclouds, are used to study the O I content of the cool molecular gasalong the line of sight. In principle, the atomic oxygen that produces aparticular velocity component could exist in any, or all, of threephysically distinct regions: inside a dense molecular cloud, in the UVilluminated surface layer (PDR) of a cloud, and in an atomic (H I) gas.For each of the three foreground clouds, we estimate, and subtract fromthe observed O I column density, the oxygen content of the H I gas, byscaling from a published high-resolution 21 cm spectrum. We find thatthe remaining O I column density is correlated with the observed13CO column density. From the slope of this correlation, anaverage [O I]/[13CO] ratio of 270+/-120 (3 σ) isderived, which corresponds to [O I]/[CO]~9 for a CO to 13COabundance ratio of 30. Assuming a 13CO abundance of1×10-6 with respect to H nuclei, we derive an atomicoxygen abundance of 2.7×10-4 in the dense gas phase,corresponding to a 15% oxygen depletion compared to the diffuse ISM inour Galactic neighborhood. The presence of multiple, spectrally resolvedvelocity components in the Sgr B2 absorption spectrum allows, for thefirst time, a direct determination of the PDR contribution to the O Icolumn density. The PDR regions should contain O I but not13CO, and would thus be expected to produce an offset in theO I-13CO correlation. Our data do not show such an offset,suggesting that within our beam O I is spatially coexistent with themolecular gas, as traced by 13CO. This may be a result of theinhomogeneous nature of the clouds.
| A Search for Interstellar CH2 toward HD 154368 and ζ Ophiuchi
We have searched for molecular CH2 in the interstellar gas inthe line of sight to HD 154368 and ζ Oph to constrain further thegas-phase chemistry of carbon-bearing molecules in the cool, translucentclouds toward these stars. We report tentative detection ofCH2 in the interstellar spectra of both stars. In ζ Oph,slight depressions in the stellar continuum are seen near 1410.1 and1415.8 Å corresponding to band structure in CH2, whilein HD 154368 a single, narrow feature is found at 1410 Å that maybe due to CH2. Assuming that these features are produced byCH2, the column densities of CH2 toward HD 154368and ζ Oph are (5.9+/-3.1)×1013 cm-2(Wλ1410.1=5.2 mÅ) and(3.3+/-1.9)×1013 cm-2(Wλ1415.8=29 mÅ), respectively. Although theoscillator strengths for the relevant electronic transitions aresomewhat problematic, our deduced column densities are within a factorof 2-5 of those predicted by the model chemistry. These observations mayrepresent the first detection of CH2 interstellar absorptionin any astronomical object. Additional theoretical estimates andlaboratory measurements of relevant oscillator strengths are needed toprovide more accurate estimates of CH2 column densities andstronger constraints on the carbon chemistry in these interstellarmolecular clouds.
| Catalogue of Apparent Diameters and Absolute Radii of Stars (CADARS) - Third edition - Comments and statistics
The Catalogue, available at the Centre de Données Stellaires deStrasbourg, consists of 13 573 records concerning the results obtainedfrom different methods for 7778 stars, reported in the literature. Thefollowing data are listed for each star: identifications, apparentmagnitude, spectral type, apparent diameter in arcsec, absolute radiusin solar units, method of determination, reference, remarks. Commentsand statistics obtained from CADARS are given. The Catalogue isavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcar?J/A+A/367/521
| Fundamental parameters of Galactic luminous OB stars. V. The effect of microturbulence
We study the effect of microturbulence in the line formationcalculations of H and He lines, in the parameter range typical for O andearly B stars. We are specially interested in its effect on thedetermination of stellar parameters: Teff, log g andspecially on the He abundance. We first analyze the behaviour of H andHe model lines between 4 000 and 5 000 Äwith microturbulence andfind that for O stars only He I lines and He Ii lambda 4686 are sensiblyaffected by microturbulence, and that models with lower gravities, theones suitable for supergiants, are more sensitive to it. Using a testprocedure we show that the expected changes in Teff, log gand Helium abundance due to the inclusion of microturbulence in theanalysis, are small. We analyze five stars (two late, one intermediateand two early O stars) using microturbulence velocities of 0 and 15kms-1 and confirm the result of the previous test. Theparameters obtained for 15 kms-1 differ from the ones at 0kms-1 within the limits of the standard error box of ouranalysis. Only later types reduce their He abundance, by 0.02 in epsilon. Comparing with values in the literature we find that the range of ourchanges agree with previous results. In some cases other effects can addto microturbulence, and further reduce the He abundance up to 0.04. Thequality of the line fits only improves for He I lambda 4471, but not tothe extent of completely solving the so-called dilution effect.Therefore our conclusion is that microturbulence is affecting thederivation of stellar parameters, but its effect is comparable to theadopted uncertainties. Thus it can reduce moderate He overabundances andsolve line fit quality differences, but it cannot explain by itselflarge He overabundances in O stars. The INT is operated on the island ofLa Palma by the RGO in the Spanish Obervatorio de El Roque de losMuchachos of the Instituto de Astrof\'\i sica de Canarias.
| The 74th Special Name-list of Variable Stars
We present the Name-list introducing GCVS names for 3153 variable starsdiscovered by the Hipparcos mission.
| CO and C_2 Absorption toward W40 IRS 1A
The H II region W40 harbors a small group of young, hot stars behindroughly 9 mag of visual extinction. We have detected gaseous carbonmonoxide (CO) and diatomic carbon (C_2) in absorption toward the starW40 IRS 1a. The J=2-0 R0, R1, and R2 lines of ^12CO at 2.3 μm weremeasured using the CSHELL on the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (withupper limits placed on R3, R4, and R5) yielding an N_CO of(1.1+/-0.2)x10^18 cm^-2. Excitation analysis indicates T_kin>7 K. ThePhillips system of C_2 transitions near 8775 Å was measured usingthe Kitt Peak 4 m telescope and echelle spectrometer. Radiative pumpingmodels indicate a total C_2 column density of (7.0+/-0.4)x10^14 cm^-2,two excitation temperatures (39 and 126 K), and a total gas density ofn~250 cm^-3. The CO ice band at 4.7 μm was not detected, placing anupper limit on the CO depletion of delta<1%. We postulate that thesight line has multiple translucent components and is associated withthe W40 molecular cloud. Our data for W40 IRS 1a, coupled with othersight lines, shows that the ratio of CO/C_2 increases from diffusethrough translucent environs. Finally, we show that the hydrogen-to-dustratio seems to remain constant from diffuse to dense environments,whereas the CO-to-dust ratio apparently does not.
| Five-colour photometry of OB-stars in the Southern Hemisphere
Observations of OB-stars, made in 1959 and 1960 at the Leiden SouthernStation near Hartebeespoortdam, South Africa, with the VBLUW photometerattached to the 90 cm light-collector, are given in this paper. They arecompared with photometry obtained by \cite[Graham (1968),]{gra68}\cite[Walraven & Walraven (1977),]{wal77} \cite[Lub & Pel(1977)]{lub77} and \cite[Van Genderen et al. (1984).]{gen84} Formulaefor the transformation of the present observations to those of\cite[Walraven & Walraven (1977)]{wal77} and \cite[Lub & Pel(1977)]{lub77} are given. Table 4 is only available in electronic format the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) orvia http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| 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.
| Search for Interstellar Water in the Translucent Molecular Cloud toward HD 154368
We report an upper limit of 9 x 1012 cm-2 on the column density of waterin the translucent cloud along the line of sight toward HD 154368. Thisresult is based on a search for the C-X band of water near 1240Angstroms carried out using the Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph(GHRS) of the Hubble Space Telescope. Our observational limit on thewater abundance, together with detailed chemical models of translucentclouds and previous measurements of OH along the line of sight,constrains the branching ratio in the dissociative recombination of H3O+to form water. We find at the 3 sigma level that no more than 30% ofdissociative recombinations of H3O+ can lead to H2O. The observedspectrum also yielded high-resolution observations of the Mg II doubletat 1239.9 Angstroms and 1240.4 Angstroms, allowing the velocitystructure of the dominant ionization state of magnesium to be studiedalong the line of sight. The Mg II spectrum is consistent with GHRSobservations at lower spectral resolution that were obtained previouslybut allow an additional velocity component to be identified.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Σκορπιός |
| Right ascension: | 17h06m28.40s |
| Declination: | -35°27'04.0" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 6.13 |
| Distance: | 366.3 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | 3.9 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -1.2 |
| B-T magnitude: | 6.673 |
| V-T magnitude: | 6.212 |
Catalogs and designations:
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