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Barbieri, C.

Publications and source records attributed to Barbieri, C..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

Faint Object Camera imaging and spectroscopy of NGC 4151

We describe ultraviolet and optical imaging and spectroscopy within the central few arcseconds of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151, obtained with the Faint Object Camera on the Hubble Space Telescope. A narrowband image including (O III) lambda(5007) shows a bright nucleus centered on a complex biconical structure having apparent opening angle approximately 65 deg and axis at a position angle along 65 deg-245 deg; images in bands including Lyman-alpha and C IV lambda(1550) and in the optical continuum near 5500 A, show only the bright nucleus. In an off-nuclear optical long-slit spectrum we find a high and a low radial velocity component within the narrow emission lines. We identify the low-velocity component with the bright, extended, knotty structure within the cones, and the high-velocity component with more confined diffuse emission. Also present are strong continuum emission and broad Balmer emission line components, which we attribute to the extended point spread function arising from the intense nuclear emission. Adopting the geometry pointed out by Pedlar et al. (1993) to explain the observed misalignment of the radio jets and the main optical structure we model an ionizing radiation bicone, originating within a galactic disk, with apex at the active nucleus and axis centered on the extended radio jets. We confirm that through density bounding the gross spatial structure of the emission line region can be reproduced with a wide opening angle that includes the line of sight, consistent with the presence of a simple opaque torus allowing direct view of the nucleus. In particular, our modelling reproduces the observed decrease in position angle with distance from the nucleus, progressing initially from the direction of the extended radio jet, through our optical structure, and on to the extended narrow-line region. We explore the kinematics of the narrow-line low- and high-velocity components on the basis of our spectroscopy and adopted model structure.

Boksenberg, A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

High-resolution imaging of the Pluto-Charon system with the Faint Object Camera of the Hubble Space Telescope

Images of the Pluto-Charon system were obtained with the Faint Object Camera (FOC) of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) after the refurbishment of the telescope. The images are of superb quality, allowing the determination of radii, fluxes, and albedos. Attempts were made to improve the resolution of the already diffraction limited images by image restoration. These yielded indications of surface albedo distributions qualitatively consistent with models derived from observations of Pluto-Charon mutual eclipses.

Albrecht, R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

High resolution imaging of galaxy cores

Surface photometry data obtained with the Faint Object Camera of the Hubble Space Telescope in the cores of ten galaxies is presented. The major results are: (1) none of the galaxies show truly 'isothermal' cores, (2) galaxies with nuclear activity show very similar light profiles, (3) all objects show central mass densities above 10 exp 3 solar masses/cu pc3, and (4) four of the galaxies (M87, NGC 3862, NGC 4594, NGC 6251) show evidence for exceptional nuclear mass concentrations.

Crane, P.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Detection of an ultraviolet and visible counterpart of the NGC 6624 X-ray burster

We have detected, in images taken with the HST FOC, the UV and optical counterpart of the X-ray source 4U 1820-30 in the globular cluster NGC 6624. Astrometric measurements place this object 2 sigma from the X-ray position of 4U 1820-30. The source dominates a far-UV FOC image and has the same flux at 1400 A as was seen through the large IUE aperture by Rich et al. (1993). It has a B magnitude of 18.7 but is not detected in V. It is 0.66 arcsec from the center of NGC 6624, a fact that may change the interpretation of the P-average of the 11 minute binary orbit. The flux drops between 1400 and 4300 A at a rate that is nearly as steep as that of a Rayleigh-Jeans curve. The flux is far too large to come from the neutron star directly but could accord with radiation from a heated accretion disk and/or the heated side of the companion star.

King, I. R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Discovery of an optical synchrotron jet in 3C 264

Observations with the Faint Object Camera on board the Hubble Space Telescope have revealed a new optical jet in the core of the elliptical galaxy NGC 3862 (3C 264). Morphologically, this jet is similar to the synchrotron jets seen in other galaxies, as it shows knots and bifurcations. The optical spectral index is also similar to that found in other jets. Thus, the nucleus of NGC 3862 appears to contain the fifth known example of an optical synchrotron jet. Since NGC 3862 is a typical radio-loud elliptical galaxy, it seems likely that many nonthermal jets found in the radio continuum may also have optical counterparts.

Crane, P.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Imaging of four planetary nebulae in the Magellanic Clouds using the Hubble Space Telescope Faint Object Camera

Using the Faint Object Camera on-board the Hubble Space Telescope, we have obtained images of four planetary nebulae (PNe) in the Magellanic Clouds, namely N2 and N5 in the SMC and N66 and N201 in the LMC. Each nebula was imaged through two narrow-band filters isolating forbidden O III 5007 and H-beta, for a nominal exposure time of 1000 s in each filter. In forbidden O III, SMC N5 shows a circular ring structure, with a peak-to-peak diameter of 0.26 arcsec and a FWHM of 0.35 arcsec while SMC N2 shows an elliptical ring structure with a peak-to-peak diameter of 0.26 x 0.21. The expansion ages corresponding to the observed structures in SMC N2 and N5 are of the order of 3000 yr. LMC N201 is very compact, with a FWHM of 0.2 arcsec in H-beta. The Type I PN LMC N66 is a multipolar nebula, with the brightest part having an extent of about 2 arcsec and with fainter structures extending over 4 arcsec.

Blades, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Preliminary analysis of an ultraviolet Hubble Space Telescope faint object camera image of the center of M31

A 5161 s exposure was taken with the FOC on the central 44 arcsec of M31, through a filter centered at 1750 A. Much of the light is redleak from visible wavelengths, but nearly half of it is genuine UV. The image shows the same central peak found earlier by Stratoscope, with a somewhat steeper dropoff outside that peak. More than 100 individual objects are seen, some pointlike and some slightly extended. We identify them as post-asymptotic giant branch stars, some of them surrounded by a contribution from their accompanying planetary nebulae. These objects contribute almost a fifth of the total UV light, but fall far short of accounting for all of it. We suggest that the remainder may result from the corresponding evolutionary tracks in a population more metal-rich than solar.

King, I. R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Near-ultraviolet imaging of Jupiter's satellite Io with the Hubble Space Telescope

The surface of Jupiter's Galilean satellite Io has been resolved for the first time in the near ultraviolet at 2850 A by the Faint Object Camera (FOC) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The restored images reveal significant surface structure down to the resolution limit of the optical system corresponding to approximately 250 km at the sub-earth point.

Paresce, F.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Faint Object Camera observations of M87 - The jet and nucleus

UV and optical images of the central region and jet of the nearby elliptical galaxy M87 have been obtained with about 0.1 arcsec resolution in several spectral bands with the Faint Object Camera (FOC) on the HST, including polarization images. Deconvolution enhances the contrast of the complex structure and filamentary patterns in the jet already evident in the aberrated images. Morphologically there is close similarity between the FOC images of the extended jet and the best 2-cm radio maps obtained at similar resolution, and the magnetic field vectors from the UV and radio polarimetric data also correspond well. We observe structure in the inner jet within a few tenths arcsec of the nucleus which also has been well studied at radio wavelengths. Our UV and optical photometry of regions along the jet shows little variation in spectral index from the value 1.0 between markedly different regions and no trend to a steepening spectrum with distance along the jet.

Boksenberg, A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

First results from the faint object camera - High-resolution observations of the central object R136 in the 30 Doradus nebula

R136 is the luminous central object of the giant H II region 30 Doradus in the LMC. The first high-resolution observations of R136 with the Faint Object Camera on board the Hubble Space Telescope are reported. The physical nature of the brightest component R136a has been a matter of some controversy over the last few years. The UV images obtained show that R136a is a very compact star cluster consisting of more than eight stars within 0.7 arcsec diameter. From these high-resolution images a mass upper limit can be derived for the most luminous stars observed in R136.

Weigelt, G.↗
NASA NTRS1991

First results from the faint object camera - High-resolution imaging of the Pluto-Charon system

The first observations of a solar system target with the Faint Object Camera of the HST are reported. Observations of the Pluto-Charon system were obtained in f/96 and f/288 mode. Pluto and Charon were clearly resolved, and the observed separation and diameters are in accordance with expectations. The f/96 data were astrometrically and photometrically analyzed; preliminary results are presented.

Albrecht, R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

HST observations of 3C 66B - A double-stranded optical jet

The central region of the synchrotron jet in 3C 66B imaged with ultrahigh spatial resolution by the Faint Object Camera on the HST is discussed. A close correspondence between the general characteristics of the smoothed optical image and the radio map is observed, implying that the young and old relativistic particles occupy similar regions to within about 130 pc. Focus is placed on the double-stranded filamentary nature of the jet, and it is speculated that this could reflect edge-brightening effects due to enhanced radiation from a skinlike structure surrounding the jet. It is noted that the similarity of optical and radio morphologies points to the fact that localized particle acceleration occurs along the jet; however, the filamentary structure and a low filling factor of radiation agree with a model in which the electrons are accelerated within the nucleus and are transported along the jet in a channel having low magnetic field.

Macchetto, F.↗
NASA NTRS1991

First results from the Faint Object Camera - Observations of PKS 0521 - 36

The Faint Object Camera on the Hubble Space Telescope was used to observe the radio galaxy PKS 0521 - 36 which hosts a prominent radio jet. Images of the jet show spatial structure comparable to VLA data and significantly better than optical ground-based observations. The jet structure is resolved at FOC resolution. In addition to the radio knot, well resolved by the FOC, an extension of the jet toward the nucleus is apparent. The rest of the jet does not show much clumpiness, implying that the synchrotron electrons must be accelerated all along the jet to account for the extent in the optical region.

Macchetto, F.↗
NASA NTRS1991

First results from the Faint Object Camera - SN 1987A

The first images of SN 1987A taken on day 1278 after outburst with the Faint Object Camera on board the Hubble Space Telescope are presented. The supernova is well detected and resolved spatially in three broadband ultraviolet exposures spanning the 1500-3800 A range and in a narrow-band image centered on the forbidden O III 5007 line. Simple uniform disk fits to the profiles of SN 1987A yield an average angular diameter of 170 + or - 30 mas, corresponding to an average expansion velocity of 6000 km/s. The derived broadband ultraviolet fluxes, when corrected for interstellar absorption, indicate a blue ultraviolet spectrum corresponding to a color temperature near 13,000 K.

Jakobsen, P.↗
NASA NTRS1991

First results from the Faint Object Camera - Imaging the core of R Aquarii

The Faint Object Camera on the HST was pointed toward the symbiotic long-period M7e Mira variable R Aquarii, and very high resolution images of the inner core, mainly in the ionized oxygen emission lines in the optical, are reported. Both images show bright arcs, knots, and filaments superposed on a fainter, diffuse nebulosity extending in a general SW-NE direction from the variable to the edge of the field at 10 arcsec distance. The core is resolved in forbidden O III 5007 A and forbidden O II 3727 A into at least two bright knots of emission whose positions and structures are aligned with PA = 50 deg. The central knots appear to be the source of a continuous, well-collimated, stream of material extending out to 3-4 arcsec in the northern sector corresponding to a linear distance of about 1000 AU. The northern stream seems to bend around an opaque obstacle and form a spiral before breaking up into wisps and knots. The southern stream is composed of smaller, discrete parcels of emitting gas curving to the SE.

Paresce, F.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Observations by the Halley multicolor camera

The first image of comet Halley was taken by the multicolor camera (HMC) on 9 March from a distance of 23.6 million km. During the encounter HMC was switched on at 4:12 hr before closest approach CA. It took its first image at 3:06 h before CA. Overall 2043 images were taken in single sensor mode. The inner coma was observed using all 11 filters and polarizers. The transmission curves of the filters (except polarizers) are shown together with the sensitivity of the camera. At 6 min before CA HMC switched to multiple sensor mode taking 4 images almost simultaneously through the clear, blue, and red wideband filters. Only 2% of all data taken could be transmitted in 69 image sets. The last image showing details of the nuclear surface was taken from a slant distance of 1740 km and has a nominal resolution of 39 m per pixel.

Keller, H. U.↗