Engineering topics

Slovak, M. H.

Publications and source records attributed to Slovak, M. H..

11 records

NASA NTRS1985

Observational studies of the symbiotic stars. III High-dispersion IUE and H-alpha observations of EG Andromedae

High-dispersion IUE and optical spectra are presented for the symbiotic star EG Andromedae (HD 4174). Remarkable emission-line strength and profile variations are confirmed for the S IV, O IV, C IV, and He II ultraviolet lines as well as H-alpha. Accurate cross-correlation absorption-line velocities determined from Ti I, Ca I, and Fe I features convincingly demonstrate that EG And is a single-lined spectroscopic binary. The velocity curve suggests that the photometric ephemeris reported by Smith in 1980 should be revised by a redefinition of zero phase by about 0.08 of a period. The primary of the system may be similar to the central star of a planetary nebula embedded in a dense nebula with a mild stellar wind. The behavior of the emission lines is interpreted to indicate that the primary and its surrounding nebula suffer a partial eclipse by the cool giant secondary.

Oliversen, N. A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

An improved logarithmic amplifier circuit for PDS microdensitometers

A high speed logarithmic amplifier circuit for the Perkin-Elmer PDS microdensitometer is discussed. The circuit is designed around an Analog Devices 757p log-amp module. The amplifier produces undistorted profiles of rapidly changing, dense ( 4) images over the available range of scanning speeds. The circuit board was designed to replace directly the manufacturer supplied unit; neither electrical nor mechanical modifications of the basic PDS are required. The performance of the circuit is illustrated through its effects on the overall modulation transfer function of the instrument and by scans of a well exposed stellar image. Circuit diagrams and parts lists a mechanism for obtaining either circuit board layout art work or finished circuit boards are presented.

Anderson, C. M.↗

NASA NTRS1983

An improved logarithmic amplifier circuit for PDS microdensitometers

A high-speed logarithmic-amplifier circuit for a PDS microdensitometer is discussed. The circuit is designed around a 757P log-amp module which replaces the FMI 531 'Negative Log/Anti-log' device of the original. The new amplifier is capable of producing undistorted profiles of rapidly changing, dense images over the available range of scanning speeds. The circuit board has been designed to directly replace the manufacturer supplied unit; neither electrical nor mechanical modifications of the basic PDS are required. The performance of the circuit is illustrated through its effects on the overall Modulation Transfer Function of the instrument and by scans of a well-exposed stellar image. Circuit diagrams and parts lists are presented.

Anderson, C. M.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Physical conditions in the accretion disk of V603 Aquilae

Ultraviolet and optical spectra of the old nova V603 Aql are discussed. The UV-optical continuum is dominated by emission from the accretion disk. Emission lines from ions of H, He, C, N, and O are identified. These lines are probably formed in a circumstellar shell with radius comparable to the binary separation, density ten billion per cu cm, and a roughly solar chemical composition. This corona is probably heated by radiation emitted by the underlying accretion disk. Photoionization calculations of the structure and emission-line spectrum of the corona are presented, and the effects of this gas on the X-ray continuum are discussed.

Ferland, G. J.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Low resolution ultraviolet and optical spectrophotometry of symbiotic stars

Low resolution International Ultraviolet Explorer spectra combined with optical spectrophotometry provide absolute flux distributions for seven symbiotic variables from 1200 to 6450 A. For five stars (EG And, BF Cyg, CI Cyg, AG Peg, and Z And) the data are representative of the quiescent/out-of-eclipse energy distributions; for CH Cyg and AX Per, the observations were obtained following their atest outburst in 1977 and 1978, respectively. The de-reddened distributions reveal a remarkable diversity of both line spectra and continua. While the optical and near infrared regions lambda = 5500 A) are well represented by single component stellar models, multicomponent flux distributions are required to reproduce the ultraviolet continua.

Slovak, M. H.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Ultraviolet properties of the symbiotic stars

A general discussion of the UV spectra of symbiotic stars, including both the emission lines and the continua, is presented, with AG Pegasi considered as an illustrative example. It is noted that the IUE observations of the symbiotics have revealed UV properties which rival the diversity of the optical features. Nevertheless, the UV data have for the first time permitted the hot component to be studied relatively uncontaminated by the giant companion, which dominates the optical regime. The UV observations provide convincing evidence that many of the symbiotics have hot stellar companions embedded in the enshrouding nebula or accretion shell formed from the wind from one or possibly both of the components.

Slovak, M. H.↗

NASA NTRS1982

AR Pavonis - The Rosetta Stone of the symbiotics

AR Pav is considered with respect to the early history and observations, the light curve, spectroscopic properties, and recent observations. It is suggested that recent observations tend to confirm the validity of the binary model proposed for AR Pav by Thackeray and Hutchings (1974). The secondary appears as an M3 giant showing normal infrared properties. The nature of the hot primary, however, remains uncertain as it appears obscured by an accretion 'shell' both during and outside of eclipse.

Slovak, M. H.↗

NASA NTRS1981

The ultraviolet spectrum of the twin-degenerate interacting binary G61-29

A low-resolution IUE spectrum (1200 A-1900 A) of the twin-degenerate white-dwarf binary star G61-29 is presented. A comparison is made to similar IUE spectra of the old novae DQ Her and V603 Aql. G61-29 shows N V 1240 A and He II 1640 A in emission. Unlike the old novae, the C IV 1550 A doublet is not present. It is proposed that the mass-losing He white dwarf (with a mass of 0.02 solar mass) is the H-exhausted, He-rich core of an old star in which the original CNO nuclei have been converted to N-14 by the CNO-cycles.

Lambert, D. L.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Far-infrared observations of the Cepheus OB3 molecular cloud

The molecular cloud accompanying the Cepheus OB3 association is observed in the infrared at wavelengths of 10-400 microns. Far-infrared emission at 55 microns and 125 microns from the two CO hot spots, Cep A and Cep B, is mapped with a resolution of approximately one arcmin. Cep A is also mapped at 400 microns with a resolution of approximately one arcmin, and both hot spots are searched for 20-micron sources. It is noted that the Cep A hot spot appears to be heated by energy sources internal to the molecular cloud. The dust temperatures are considered sufficient to explain the gas temperatures provided the dust heats the gas by collisions. In marked contrast, the Cep B region appears to be heated from outside the cloud, with the strongest far-infrared emission arising near the interface between the molecular cloud and the S155 H II region. It is thought that the gas heating rate through collisions with dust may be insufficient to achieve the gas temperature observed in Cep B.

Evans, N. J., II↗

NASA NTRS1981

Ultraviolet spectroscopy of old novae and symbiotic stars

The IUE spectra are presented for two old novae and for two of the symbiotic variables. Prominent emission line spectra are revealed as a continuum whose appearance is effected by the system inclination. These data provide evidence for hot companions in the symbiotic stars, making plausible the binary model for these peculiar stars. Recent IUE spectra of dwarf novae provide additional support for the existence of optically thick accretion disks in active binary systems. The ultraviolet data of the eclipsing dwarf novae EX Hya and BV Cen appear flatter than for the noneclipsing systems, an effect which could be ascribed to the system inclination.

Lambert, D. L.↗

NASA NTRS1978

The infrared variability of the eruptive variable HM Sagittae

Recent near infrared observations have been obtained of the peculiar eruptive variable HM Sagittae which show a general decrease in the flux levels between 1 and 5 microns during 1977-1978. The existing data are yet too sparse to ascertain the nature of the variability; however, both the IR and visual observations confirm the close resemblance of HM Sge to V1016 Cyg. A model of a binary symbiotic system containing a late type variable may be consistent with the current data.

Slovak, M. H.↗