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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 271 records · Page 15
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NASA NTRS1983

Observationally determined Fe II oscillator strengths

Absorption oscillator strengths for 21 Fe II resonance lines, have been determined using a curve-of-growth analysis of interstellar data from the Copernicus and International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellites. In addition to slight changes in strengths of the far-UV lines, new f-values are reported for wavelength 1608.45, a prominent line in interstellar and quasar absorption spectra, and for wavelength 2260.08, a weak, newly identified linen in IUE interstellar spectra. An upper limit on the strength of the undetected line at 2366.867 A (UV multiplet 2) is set. Using revised oscillator strengths, Fe II column densities toward 13 OB stars are derived. The interstellar depletions, (Fe/H), relative to solar values range between factors of 10 and 120.

Van Steenberg, M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Neutral interstellar gas in the lower galactic halo

The optical interstellar absorption lines of Ti II, Ca II, Na I, and the 21 cm emission line of H I were observed at high resolution and high detection sensitivity toward none pairs of nearly aligned distant halo stars and foreground disk stars with well determined distances. Analysis of the column densities, velocities, and the directly determined variation of the titanium abundances with z-distance leads to a general picture of the neutral interstellar material in the lower galactic halo. Two types of gas with distinct distribution, kinematics, and abundances are found, a thick, low velocity disk (type I) extending from the plane to well beyond the thin disk of OB stars, and a high velocity, much less strongly depleted gas (type II) observed only at high z-distances, which constitutes at least 24 percent of the mass of the halo gas. The implications of this model for the observed neutral gas are discussed both in terms of the possible origins of the observed gas and in its comparison with quasi stellar object absorption lines. Previously announced in STAR as N82-29246

Albert, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1983

International Ultraviolet Explorer Observations of Wolf-Rayet Binaries: Wind Structures

Spectra of six WN + OB Wolf-Rayet systems obtained with the IUE are analyzed for phase-dependent variations. Periodic variability at emission-line frequencies is detected in V444 Cyg, HD 90657, HD 211853, HD 186943 and HD 94546 on low dispersion SWP images. No changes in the low dispersion spectra of HD 193077 are apparent. We find the variations in the UV to be similar in nature to those observed in optical spectra of various WR sources. That is, there is a strengthening of absorption components in P Cygni-type features at orbital phases in which the O-star is behind the WR wind. With the aid of a computer code which models this type of variations, and through a comparison with HD 193077, the dominant mechanism producing the variations is shown to be selective atmospheric eclipses of the O-star by the WR wind. Based on this interpretation, a straightforward technique is applied to the line of N IV 1718, by which an optical depth distribution in the WN winds of the form tau varies as r(-1) is derived for 16 r 66 solar radii. Phase-dependent variations in the width of the C IV 1550 absorption component in V444 Cyg, HD 90657 and HD 211853 are interpretated as wind-wind collision effects.

Koenigsberger, G.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Far-infrared observations of the evolved H II region M16

The results of far infrared (FIR) observations of the larger H II region M16, associated with the young open star cluster NGC 6611, are discussed. Three FIR sources detected on an extended ridge of FIR emission within the scanned region are described. The observations confirm that M16 is an H II region in a late stage of evolution. The H II region has expanded and is now extremely density bounded, consisting of an extended region of ionized gas and a series of ionization fronts located at the surrounding molecular cloud boundaries nearest to the exciting OB star cluster. The FIR radiation arises from heated dust at these boundaries.

Mcbreen, B.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Optical identification of 2S 1417-62

The 17 s X-ray pulsar 2S 1417-62 has been identified with a V of approximately 16.9 mag OB star on the basis of an X-ray position obtained with the Einstein X-Ray Observatory and spectrophotometry with the 4-m telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. Strong H-alpha emission is observed as well as significant changes in X-ray luminosity. The optical counterpart may be either a Be or a B I star, but the H-alpha emission strength and galactic position suggest that a Be star is more likely. A Be star identification also further supports the limit of approximately 15 days or more on the system binary period obtained by Kelley et al. (1981) from pulse timing studies.

Grindlay, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Spiral structure and star formation. I - Formation mechanisms and mean free paths

The wide variety of optical appearances observed in spiral galaxies has encouraged the growth of two theoretical approaches to explain the spiral patterns exhibited by such young objects as OB associations, giant H II regions, and dark dust lanes. These approaches are related to the density wave theory of spiral structure and 'stochastic, self-propagating star formation'. Levinson and Roberts (1981) tried to reconcile these two theoretical approaches, and considered a disk filled with discrete gas clouds. The present investigation is concerned with refinements and extensions of the model of Levinson and Roberts. Attention is given to gravitational forces and dynamical propagation, cloud-cloud collisions, supernova interactions, computational models, a theory concerning the interactions of the gas cloud and stellar association systems, the time evolution of the gas cloud-stellar association systems, and aspects of collisionally triggered star formation.

Roberts, W. W., Jr.↗
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

Far-ultraviolet spectrophotometry of two very hot O type subdwarfs

As a result of a spectroscopic survey of stars classified as nonemission OB+, Drilling (1983) has detected 12 new subluminous O stars. It was found that these stars are the hottest known O type subdwarfs. The effective temperatures of the stars are 60,000 K or higher. It has been possible to observe two of these stars with Voyager 1, taking into account LSE 21 and LS IV +10.9 deg. LSE 21 is one of the hottest of the new subdwarfs, with an effective temperature of at least 100,000 K. The optical spectrum indicates a hydrogen-rich atmosphere of high surface gravity. LX IV +10.9 deg is one of the cooler objects with an effective temperature of 65,000 K. The optical spectrum indicates an extremely helium-rich atmosphere and a somewhat lower surface gravity than LSE 21. The Voyager 1 observations confirm the temperature scale set up by Schoenberger and Drilling (1984) for the hottest O type subdwarfs.

Drilling, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Radio and UV Observations of High Latitude HI

Interstellar Lyman alpha observations toward high latitude stars, which give the column density of H I between Earth and the star, and 21 cm radio observations, which give the total H I column density to and beyond the star, can be combined to map out the amount of neutral gas as a function of distance from the Sun. Observations of the 21 cm and Lyman alpha lines made toward approximately 50 high latitude OB stars are presented. These data are used to discuss the distribution of H I in the solar neighborhood.

Lockman, F. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Large-scale Bubble Structure of the Intersteller Medium (ISM) and Properties of the Local Spiral Arm (LSA)

Bubbles which are very common structure units in the Galaxy and galaxies were examined. Collection of radio, optical, infrared and X-ray observations of the Cyg superbubble (CSB) region of the sky show that the CSB is not a single bubble object. Between 50 to 75 percent of its X-ray emission is ascribed to discrete sources. The other 25 to 50% X-ray emission, probably originates from bubbles around 8 OB associations of the region. All bubbles located within the spiral structure of Galaxy, M31 and M33 have diameter 300 pc. The large distance of stellar association from the galactic plane (GP) combined with picture of the gas distribution within the LSA shows that a Reyleigh-Taylor instability in the LSA can develop and give use to the formation of compact stellar clusters, such as the Cyg OB2 association. Development stages of the Reyleigh-Taylor instability, some peculiarities of the dust distribution and departures of the local structure from the galactic grand design suggest the absence of a spiral shockwave in the LSA.

Bochkarev, N. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Observations of Nonthermal Radio Emission from Early-type Stars

As a part of a wider survey of radio emission from O, B, and Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars, five new stars whose radio emission is dominated by a nonthermal mechanism of unknown origin were discovered. From statistics of distance-limited samples of stars, it is estimated that the minimum fraction of stars which are nonthermal emitters is 25% for the OB stars and 10% for the WR stars. The characteristics of this new class of nonthermal radio emitter are investigated.

Abbott, D. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Corotating Interaction Regions in Stellar Winds: Particle Acceleration and Non-thermal Radio Emission in Hot Stars

A co-rotating interaction region (CIR) forms in a stellar wind when a fast stream from a rotating star overtakes a slow stream. The CIR's were studied in detail in the solar wind over the past decade primarily because they are efficient sources of particle acceleration. Here, CIR's in OB star winds are used to explain two properties of such winds: deposition of non-radiative energy in the wind far from the stellar surfaces and acceleration of non-thermal particles.

Mullan, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Studies of hot B subdwarfs. Part 2: Energy distributions of three bright sdB/sdOB stars in the 950-5500 angstrom range

Voyager ultraviolet spectrometer observations of the subdwarf B or OB stars HD 205805, UV 1758+36 and Feige 66 are presented. All three objects display the H I Layman series in absorption. These observations are combined with low dispersion IUE spectrophotometry and with Stroemgren photometry to construct virtually complete energy distributions, which extend over the range 950-5500 angstroms. Effective temperatures based on model atmosphere calculations for high gravity, hydrogen rich stars are determined. Our analyses yield T Sub e 28,200 + or - 1300 K for HD 205805, T sub e 31, 800 + or - 1100 K for UV 1758+36, and T sub e 35,700 + or - 1500 K for Feige 66. The importance of far ultraviolet observations below L sub alpha in reducing the uncertainties associated with the interstellar extinction and the degradation of the IUE sensitivity is emphasized.

Wesemael, F.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The extent of the local hi halo

Forty-five high-latitude, OB stars have been observed in the Ly alpha and 21 cm lines of HI in an effort to map out the vertical distribution and extent of the local HI halo. The 25 stars for which a reliable HI colum density can be obtained from Ly alpha lie between 60 and 3100 pc from the plane. The principal result is that the total column density of HI at z 1 kpc is, on the average, 5 + or - 3 x 10 the 19th power/sq cm, or 15% of the total sub HI. At relatively low z the data toward some stars suggest a low effective scale height and fairly high average foreground density, while toward others the effective scale height is large and the average density is low. This can be understood as the result of irregularities in the interstellar medium. A model with half of the HI mass in clouds having radii of a few pc and a Gaussian vertical distribution with sigma sub 2 = 135 pc, and half of the mass in an exponential component with a scale height of 500 pc, gives a satisfactory fit to the data. The technique of comparing Ly alpha and 21 cm column densities is also used to discuss the problem of estimating the distance to several possibly subluminous stars.

Lockman, F. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Bursting star formation and the overabundance of Wolf-Rayet stars

The ratio of the number of WR-stars to their OB progenitors appears to be significantly higher in some extragalactic systems than in our Galaxy. This overabundance of Wolf-Rayet-stars can be explained as a consequence of a recent burst of star formation. It is suggested that this burst is the manifestation of a long period nonlinear oscillation in the star formation process, produced by positive feedback effects between young stars and the interstellar medium. Star burst galaxies with large numbers of WR-stars must generate gamma - fluxes but due to the distance, all of them are beyond the reach of present-day ray detectors, except probably 30 Dor.

Bodigfee, G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Far-infrared observations of two southern H II regions - RCW 122 and G 351.6-1.3

The luminosities in excess of 1,000,000 solar luminosities obtained in the present 1-arcmin resolution mapping of the two southern H II regions RCW 122 and G 351.6-1.3 requires the presence of OB star clusters. A luminosity/unit mass of the associated cloud of about 6 solar luminosities/solar mass is obtained by combining near-IR, far-IR, and CO-emission properties for RCW 122, and it is determined that the emitting dust grains are amorphous silicate-like. G 351.6-1.3 has very similar properties, although the fraction of 1-25 micron luminosity corrected for silicate absorption is about five times less than for RCW 122.

Mcbreen, B.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The H-R diagram of O-type subdwarfs

A spectroscopic survey by Drilling (1983) of nonemission OB+ stars in the Case-Hamburg survey and its extension to b = + or - 30 deg for l = + or - 60 deg has turned up 12 hot, relatively bright O-type subdwarfs (V less than 13). The color temperatures of the subdwarf O stars are estimated at 60,000 to over 100,000 K. The loci or these objects are shown in the H-R diagram together with those of previously analyzed subdwarf O stars. The new hot subdwarfs occupy a previously empty region in the H-R diagram, filling the luminosity range from central stars to white dwarfs. This spread in luminosity is in agreement with their spectral appearance and indicates differences in their origin. The possible origins of these stars are briefly discussed.

Drilling, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Molecular clouds in Orion and Monoceros

About one-eighth of a well-sampled 850 deg. sq. region of Orion and Monoceros shows CO emission coming from either local clouds (d < 1 kpc) lying as much as 25 deg. from the galactic plane or from more distant objects located within a few degrees of the plane. Local giant clouds associated with Orion A and B have enhanced temperatures and densities near their western edges possibly due to compression by a high pressure region created by approx.10 supernovae that occurred in the Orion OB association. Another giant cloud associated with Mon R2 may be related to the Orion clouds. Two filamentary clouds (one possibly 300 pc long but 10 pc wide) may represent a new class of object. An expanding ring of clouds concentric with the H II region ionized by lambda Ori probably constitute fragments of the original cloud from which lambda Ori formed; the gas pressure of the H II region and the rocket effect probably disrupted the original cloud. At a distance of 3 kpc, a large (250 x 100 pc) and massive (7-11x10 to the 5th power solar mass) cloud was found with the unusual combination of low temperatures (T sub R < 2.7 K) and wide spectral lines (approx. 7 km /sec). Most of the signs of star formation expected for such a massive cloud being absent, this may be a young cloud that has not yet started to form stars. The approx. 15 large clouds found in the outer galaxy (1 approx. 206 deg. - 220 deg.) probably lie in two spiral arms. The distribution of outer galaxy clouds and a comparison of the properties of these clouds and those of local clouds are given.

Maddalena, R. J.↗