Engineering topics

Savage, B. D.

Publications and source records attributed to Savage, B. D..

At least 19 records

NASA NTRS2003

The FUSE Survey of 0 VI in the Galactic Halo

This paper summarizes the results of the Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) program to study 0 VI in the Milky Way halo. Spectra of 100 extragalactic objects and two distant halo stars are analyzed to obtain measures of O VI absorption along paths through the Milky Way thick disk/halo. Strong O VI absorption over the velocity range from -100 to 100 km/s reveals a widespread but highly irregular distribution of O VI, implying the existence of substantial amounts of hot gas with T approx. 3 x 10(exp 5) K in the Milky Way thick disk/halo. The overall distribution of O VI is not well described by a symmetrical plane-parallel layer of patchy O VI absorption. The simplest departure from such a model that provides a reasonable fit to the observations is a plane-parallel patchy absorbing layer with an average O VI mid-plane density of n(sub 0)(O VI) = 1.7 x 10(exp -2)/cu cm, a scale height of approx. 2.3 kpc, and a approx. 0.25 dex excess of O VI in the northern Galactic polar region. The distribution of O VI over the sky is poorly correlated with other tracers of gas in the halo, including low and intermediate velocity H I, Ha emission from the warm ionized gas at approx. l0(exp 4) K, and hot X-ray emitting gas at approx. l0(exp 6) K . The O VI has an average velocity dispersion, b approx. 60 km/s and standard deviation of 15 km/s. Thermal broadening alone cannot explain the large observed profile widths. A combination of models involving the radiative cooling of hot fountain gas, the cooling of supernova bubbles in the halo, and the turbulent mixing of warm and hot halo gases is required to explain the presence of O VI and other highly ionized atoms found in the halo. The preferential venting of hot gas from local bubbles and superbubbles into the northern Galactic polar region may explain the enhancement of O VI in the North.

Sonneborn, George↗

NASA NTRS1996

The Hubble Space Telescope Quasar Absorption Line Key Project: The Unusual Absorption-Line System in the Spectrum of PG 2302+029--Ejected or Intervening?

We report the discovery of a high-ionization broad absorption line system at a redshift of z(sub abs) = 0.695 in the spectrum of the z(sub em) = 1.052 radio-quiet quasar PG 2302+029. Broad absorption with FWHM from 3000 to 5000 km/s is detected from C iv, N v, and O vi in Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Faint Object Spectrograph spectra of the quasar. A narrow-line system (FWHM approx. 250 km/s) at z(sub abs) = 0.7016 is resolved from the broad blend and includes absorption by Ly alpha and the C iv, N v, and O vi doublets. No absorption by low-ionization metal species (e.g., Si II and Mg II) is detected in the HST or ground-based spectra for either the broad or the narrow system. The centroids of the broad system lines are displaced by approx. 56,000 km/s to the blue of the quasar's broad emission lines. The reddest extent of the broad-line absorption is more than 50,000 km/s from the quasar. The properties of this system are unprecedented, whether it is an intervening or an ejected system.

Jannuzi, B. T.↗

NASA NTRS1993

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 lines toward 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 lines preferentially sample diffuse gas in the interstellar medium (ISM) along interarm, Galactic center, and high latitude directions. We measure equivalent widths, apparent column densities, and absorption component structure. The Ca II to Na I ratios presented as a function of velocity for each sight line exhibit variations due to elemental depletion, ionization, and density enhancements. Absorption along high latitude sight lines is kinematically simpler than it is along interarm and Galactic center sight lines. Galactic rotation noticeably broadens the absorption profiles of distant stars located in these latter directions. Along several sight lines, we see Ca II absorption at velocities corresponding to large distances (/z/ about 1 kpc) from the Galactic plane. The effects of differences in the Ca II and Na I scale heights and nonzero velocity dispersions are readily apparent in the data. Brief notes are given for several sight lines with interesting absorption properties.

Sembach, K. R.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Abundances of interstellar atoms from ultaviolet absorption lines

The equivalent widths of interstellar absorption lines of Mg II, P II, Cl I and II, Mn II, Fe II, Cu II, and Ni II, obtained in a Copernicus survey of Bohlin et al (1983) have been analyzed to yield column densities along the lines of sight. The measured depletions are clearly correlated with n sub H, the mean hydrogen column density along the line of sight. Depletions also seem to be weakly correlated with various ratios of hydrogen to extinction by dust grains and also variations of extinction with wavelength, although part of these effects are a secondary result of the correlation with n sub H. The apparent coupling of depletion to the mean density are interpreted in terms of an idealized model due to Spitzer (1985), where each element has one value of depletion in the low-density, warm, neutral gas and an enhanced, different value in cold clouds. The difference of apparent depletions for Mg, P, Cl, Mn, and Fe between warm and cold clouds averages 0.44 + or - 0.12 (rms) dex, and, after an allowance for observational errors is made, the scatter of individual depletions from the overall trend predicted by method is only about 0.10 dex. The identification of the observed apparent depletions with actual ones, while very likely, is not entirely secure, because of the possible presence of highly saturated compoents with very narrow profiles and the possible contamination of the results by H II regions.

Jenkins, E. B.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The HRS GTO program to study the neutral hydrogen column density and D/H ratio in the local interstellar medium

Theoretical line profiles are presented that demonstrate why 100,000 spectral resolution and high S/N are needed to derive accurate column densities from spectral lines that lie close to the flat part of the curve of growth and may contain multiple velocity components. The aim of the Space Telescope high-resolution-spectrograph observing program is to obtain column densities in the hydrogen and deuterium Lyman alpha lines along a variety of lines of sight within and extending beyond the local cloudlet, in which the sun is located near an edge. The broad chromospheric Lyman alpha emission lines of late-type stars are used as background sources against which to measure the interstellar absorption features. Profiles of interstellar absorption features in Mg II and Fe II lines will be obtained to derive the broadening parameter and/or identify possible multiple velocity components in the lines of sight.

Linsky, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS1985

The intrinsic ultraviolet continua of O stars

Low-resolution IUE spectra of O and B stars in open clusters have been obtained. The main-sequence B stars are used to derive UV extinction curves for the program clusters, and these curves are used to determine the intrinsic UV to visual colors of O stars in NGC 2244, Trumpler 14, and NGC 6231. These data are analyzed in conjunction with the dereddened colors of O stars with color excesses less than 0.15 mag to obtain a set of reliable UV colors for O3-9, class V-I stars. The results can be summarized as follows: none of the observed O stars have UV colors significantly bluer than a normal B0 V star, and the late O supergiants have significantly redder UV colors than main-sequence O stars, although this luminosity distinction appears to vanish for the early O stars. Several possible explanations for these unexpected results are considered, but none of the presently available nonstandard models are sufficiently developed to be definitively tested.

Massa, D.↗

NASA NTRS1985

A catalog of ultraviolet interstellar extinction excesses for 1415 stars

Ultraviolet interstellar extinction excesses are presented for 1415 stars with spectral types B7 and earlier. The excesses with respect to V are derived from Astronomical Netherlands Satellite (ANS) 5-channel UV photometry at central wavelengths of approximately 1550, 1800, 2500, and 3300 A. A measure of the excess extinction in the 2200-A extinction bump is also given. The data are valuable for investigating the systematics of peculiar interstellar extinction and for studying the character of UV interstellar extinction in the general direction of stars for which the extinction-curve shape is unknown.

Savage, B. D.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Abundances of O, Mg, S, Cr, Mn, Ti, Ni and Zn from absorption lines of neutral gas in the Large Magellanic Cloud in front of R136

Weak absorption lines of C I, O I, Mg I, Mg II, Si I, Si II, P I, Cl I, Cr II, Mn II, Fe I, Ni II, Zn II, CO and C2 are detected in neutral gas in front of the 30 Doradus H II region by IUE spectra of R 136. The Large Magellanic Cloud abundances from the absorption lines are a factor of 2 or 3 below those of the Milky Way, in agreement with emission line study results. Neutral gas density and temperature are estimated from the observed excitation and ionization to be about 300/cu cm and 100 K, respectively; this implies a gas pressure of 30,000/cu cm K.

De Boer, K. S.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Ultraviolet absorption by highly ionized halo gas near the Galactic center

Initial results are presented for a program to survey highly ionized gas in the Milky Way disk and halo. High-resolution IUE (International Ultraviolet Explorer) far-UV spectra were obtained for 12 stars at galactocentric distances less than 6 kpc. The stars are 0.7-2.2 kpc away from the plane. Most of the spectra contain exceedingly strong and broad interstellar absorption lines of weakly and highly ionized atoms. In addition to the normally strong lines of Si IV and C IV, strong interstellar NV lines have been detected in the spectra of eight stars. The detection of NV absorption (amounting to more than 10 times the predicted NV) provides an important new constraint on models for the origin of Galactic halo gas. A Galactic fountain operating in the presence of known UV and EUV radiation might explain the observations.

Savage, B. D.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Ultraviolet interstellar absorption toward stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud. IV - Highly ionized gas associated with the Small Magellanic Cloud

High-dispersion International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite spectra of seven stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) are examined to study the properties of interstellar C IV and Si IV absorption in the SMC. Absorption by C IV or Si IV or both is found near 160 km/s for all the stars. The velocity and the relative C IV and Si IV strengths suggest UV-photoionized nebular gas as the origin of this absorption. In addition, the stars show absorption by C IV and, sometimes, Si IV in the velocity range 100-130 km/s. This velocity is 30-60 km/s more negative than that expected for normal nebular gas, and the relative C IV and Si IV strengths indicate an ionization source other than stellar UV photoionization by normal Population I stars. Possible global origins are considered for this absorption, including a hot phase of the SMC interstellar medium and a circum-SMC distribution of highly ionized gas. The only detection of interstellar N V toward a SMC star is for HD 5980. The line is broad, possibly complex, and spans the velocity range of the nebular absorption and the 100-130 km/s absorption.

Fitzpatrick, E. L.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Local Interstellar Medium. International Astronomical Union Colloquium No. 81

Helium and hydrogen backscattering; ultraviolet and EUV absorption spectra; optical extinction and polarization; hot gases; soft X-ray observations; infrared and millimeter wavelengths; radio wavelengths and theoretical models of the interstellar matter within about 150 parsecs of the Sun were examined.

Kondo, Y.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Future Studies of the Local Interstellar Medium with Space Telescope and Columbus

The spectrographs aboard Space Telescope and Columbus which will provide important new information about the interstellar medium in the immediate vicinity of the sun are described. The space telescope's highest resolution is adequate to define the multicomponent nature of interstellar absorption lines and to measure thermal line widths exceeding 3 km/s. The Columbus spacecraft will contain spectrographs capable of resolutions of 3 x 10 to the 4th power between 912 and 1200 A and 500 between 100 and 900 A. In the short wavelength region, lines of He I and II, are observable. If the 3 x 10 to the 4th power resolution spectrograph provides extended wavelength coverage to 770 A, lines of Ne VIII which are expected from 8 x 10 to the 5th power K gas are accessible. The ST HRS and Columbus spectrographs enable the study of a wide range of problems relating to cold, warm, and hot gas in the local ISM.

Savage, B. D.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Inflow of halo gas from the direction of the Galactic north pole

A far-UV echelle spectrum has been obtained of the UV-bright star vZ1128 in the globular cluster M3. This cluster lies in a direction 11 deg off the Galactic north pole at a distance of about 10 kpc. Only the usually strong interstellar lines are recognizable in the faint spectrum, and they show absorption at velocities from near +40 km/s to -100 km/s. Since in the direction observed the line-of-sight component of the Milky Way rotation is negligible, the detected velocities demonstrate for this direction the motion of gas from the Milky Way halo toward the disk. Gas returning to the disk in a galactic fountainlike flow may explain the observations.

De Boer, K. S.↗

NASA NTRS1984

International Ultraviolet Explorer observations of stars in 30 Doradus - Extinction and stellar continua

A study of ultraviolet interstellar extinction in and near the core of the 30 Doradus nebula is presented. The pair method is used to determine the shape of the ultraviolet extinction curve, and reddened stars from within 80 pc of the core and unreddened stars from a variety of locations in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) are considered. All stars near the core appear to be reddened by E(B-V) = 0.09-0.16 with an extinction law similar to previous LMC extinction laws. Some stars, including R136a, R145, and R147, are additionally reddened by E(B-V) = 0.18 with a 'nebular-type' extinction law. A model consisting of a layer of 'LMC foreground dust' which affects all of the stars and a deeper layer of 'nebular dust' which affects some of the stars is used for an explanation of the extinction properties. The extinction curves are then applied to the ultraviolet energy distribution of R136a for a determination of its intrinsic continuum shape. Evidence showing that the brightest LMC OB supergiants have intrinsic (B-V) colors and UV-to-visual continuum slopes which are redder than expected is presented.

Fitzpatrick, E. L.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Ultraviolet observations of interstellar extinction near the Cepheus OB3 molecular cloud

New IUE observations and available data for O and B stars new Cep OB3 are presented, and extinction curves for the stars are derived. The differences in those curves are examined in detail, showing that while the level of the far-UV extinction differs greatly throughout the region, the shape of the 2175 A bump does not. The different curves form a family which can be parametrized by the strength of the bump per E(B-V). This suggests that some single physical process dominates the modification of the grains in the region. Evidence is presented which indicates that this process is related to the evolution of the grains once they emerge from the Cep OB3 molecular cloud. The practicality of using the strength of the bump per E(B-V) for dereddening stars in a region where the form of the UV extinction differs from place to place is demonstrated.

Massa, D.↗

NASA NTRS1983

The nature of R136a, the superluminous central object of the 30 Doradus nebula

UV data show R136a to be an extremely luminous object having spectral characteristics similar to that of O3 stars. It is suggested that the bright component of R136a is either a single, supermassive hydrogen-burning star, or a compact multiple system of supermassive stars. In the former case, the observational data imply a mass exceeding that of the most massive stars known by a factor of 20 and raise important theoretical problems concerning stellar formation and stability. Formation may occur through ordinary collapse in a region with peculiar dust properties, or through coalescence in the core of a compact cluster.

Cassinelli, J. P.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Ultraviolet interstellar absorption toward HD 5980 in the Small Magellanic Cloud

Individual high-dispersion International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) spectra of extragalactic stars are noisy because of the long exposure times required and the inherent limitations of the IUE detectors. A program has, therefore, been undertaken to obtain multiple ultraviolet spectra of the brightest Magellanic Cloud stars in order to produce composite spectra with higher signal-to-noise ratios than in individual spectra. The present investigation is concerned with results for HD 5980. The target star, HD 5980, is one of the brightest extragalactic far-ultraviolet sources in the sky. HD 5980 is located in the northeast quadrant of NGC 346, the largest H II region and OB star cluster in the SMC. The analysis of the interstellar line spectrum of HD 5980 provides a number of conclusions about the complex absorption characteristics of the interstellar gas toward the SMC.

Fitzpatrick, E. L.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Peculiar ultraviolet interstellar extinction

In connection with investigations of the physical characteristics of interstellar dust, a study of objects with peculiar extinction might provide new insights about the composition, size distribution, formation, and destruction of the particulate matter. Meyer and Savage (1981) have found that the dust toward many stars exhibits peculiar UV extinction. The present investigation is concerned with International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) spectrophotometric measurements for a sample of stars judged by Meyer and Savage to have highly anomalous UV extinction as inferred from the broad-band Astronomical Netherlands Satellite (ANS) data. The reported IUE measurements provide the opportunity to determine if the ANS photometry measurements of Meyer and Savage are anomalous because of peculiar extinction.

Massa, D.↗