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NASA NTRS2004

Predicting the Atmospheric Composition of Extrasolar Giant Planets

To date, approximately 120 planet-sized objects have been discovered around other stars, mostly through the radial-velocity technique. This technique can provide information about a planet s minimum mass and its orbital period and distance; however, few other planetary data can be obtained at this point in time unless we are fortunate enough to find an extrasolar giant planet that transits its parent star (i.e., the orbit is edge-on as seen from Earth). In that situation, many physical properties of the planet and its parent star can be determined, including some compositional information. Our prospects of directly obtaining spectra from extrasolar planets may improve in the near future, through missions like NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder. Most of the extrasolar giant planets (EGPs) discovered so far have masses equal to or greater than Jupiter's mass, and roughly 16% have orbital radii less than 0.1 AU - extremely close to the parent star by our own Solar-System standards (note that Mercury is located at a mean distance of 0.39 AU and Jupiter at 5.2 AU from the Sun). Although all EGPs are expected to have hydrogen-dominated atmospheres similar to Jupiter, the orbital distance can strongly affect the planet's temperature, physical, chemical, and spectral properties, and the abundance of minor, detectable atmospheric constituents. Thermochemical equilibrium models can provide good zero-order predictions for the atmospheric composition of EGPs. However, both the composition and spectral properties will depend in large part on disequilibrium processes like photochemistry, chemical kinetics, atmospheric transport, and haze formation. We have developed a photochemical kinetics, radiative transfer, and 1-D vertical transport model to study the atmospheric composition of EGPs. The chemical reaction list contains H-, C-, O-, and N-bearing species and is designed to be valid for atmospheric temperatures ranging from 100-3000 K and pressures up to 50 bar. Here we examine the effect of stellar distance (e.g., incident ultraviolet flux, atmospheric temperature) on the chemical properties of EGPs. The model is applied to two generic Class II and III intermediate temperature EGPs located at 3.3 and 0.27 AU from a solar-like parent star, and the results are compared with a model for Jupiter at 5.2 AU.

Sharp, A. G.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Photospheres of hot stars. IV - Spectral type O4

The basic stellar parameters of a supergiant (Zeta Pup) and two main-sequence stars, 9 Sgr and HD 46223, at spectral class O4 are determined using line profile analysis. The stellar parameters are determined by comparing high signal-to-noise hydrogen and helium line profiles with those from stellar atmosphere models which include the effect of radiation scattered back onto the photosphere from an overlying stellar wind, an effect referred to as wind blanketing. At spectral class O4, the inclusion of wind-blanketing in the model atmosphere reduces the effective temperature by an average of 10 percent. This shift in effective temperature is also reflected by shifts in several other stellar parameters relative to previous O4 spectral-type calibrations. It is also shown through the analysis of the two O4 V stars that scatter in spectral type calibrations is introduced by assuming that the observed line profile reflects the photospheric stellar parameters.

Bohannan, Bruce↗

NASA NTRS1994

The CO/SiO radiative instability in cool star atmospheres revisited

We revisit the formation of radiative instabilities in cool star atmospheres and compare our results with those given by Muchmore, Nuth, & Stencel. We have considered the combined influence of CO and SiO molecules and have computed models for a grid of effective temperatures and geometrical dilution factors for the stellar radiation. Our results are based on the analysis of the energy balance of gas elements with prescribed thermodynamic properties. Our results show that radiative instabilities are most likely primarily caused by CO, whereas SiO is expected to play only a minor role, except when the CO density is reduced compared to Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE) values or the CO band can be assumed to be optically thick. The onset of radiative instabilities is expected to be strongly modified when dynamic phenomena such as stochastic shocks are present. Our results provide strong evidence that dust formation can most likely occur via a radiative instability alone. Therefore, we present a revised version of the Muchmore et al. dust formation paradigm, which also considers hydrodynamic cooling. The new paradigm is particularly relevant in cases where dust is formed relatively close to the stellar photosphere.

Cuntz, M.↗

NASA NTRS2010

First Detection of the [O(sub III)] 88 Micrometers Line at High Redshifts: Characterizing the Starburst and Narrow-Line Regions in Extreme Luminosity Systems

We have made the first detections of the 88 micrometers [O(sub III)] line from galaxies in the early universe, detecting the line from the lensed active galactic nucleus (AGN)/starburst composite systems APM 08279+5255 at z 3.911 and SMM J02399-0136 at z = 2.8076. The line is exceptionally bright from both systems, with apparent (lensed) luminosities approx.10(exp 11) Solar Luminosity, For APM 08279, the [O(sub III)] line flux can be modeled in a star formation paradigm, with the stellar radiation field dominated by stars with effective temperatures, T(sub eff) > 36,000 K, similar to the starburst found in M82. The model implies approx.35% of the total far-IR luminosity of the system is generated by the starburst, with the remainder arising from dust heated by the AGN. The 881,tm line can also be generated in the narrow-line region of the AGN if gas densities are around a few 1000 cu cm. For SMM J02399, the [O(sub III)] line likely arises from HII regions formed by hot (T(sub eff) > 40,000 K) young stars in a massive starburst that dominates the far-IR luminosity of the system. The present work demonstrates the utility of the [O(sub III)] line for characterizing starbursts and AGN within galaxies in the early universe. These are the first detections of this astrophysically important line from galaxies beyond a redshift of 0.05.s

Ferkinhoff, C.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Narrow components in the profiles of ultraviolet resonance lines - Evidence for a two-component stellar wind for O and B stars

The presence of narrow, shifted absorption features superposed on the wide P Cygni profiles of the UV resonance lines in the spectra of O and B stars is studied and possible explanations of the narrow components are discussed. Spectra from 26 stars of spectral types O4f to B1 Ib were examined for the presence of narrow components in the absorption part of the profiles, and positive evidence was detected in 17. The central velocities of the features are found to be similar for different ions of the same star, and typically equal to 0.75 times the terminal velocity of the stellar wind. The width of the narrow absorptions is about 18% of the terminal stellar wind velocity, with a column density generally not correlated with the effective temperature or mass loss rate. Possible explanations for the narrow components include peaks in the degree of ionization, a stationary stellar shell, a plateau in the stellar wind velocity law, a decelerating stellar wind, a variable mass loss rate or a two component stellar wind with low-velocity, low-density material found at a distance greater than 2 stellar radii, which explanation appears most likely.

Lamers, H. J. G. L. M.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Second Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars, Stellar Systems, and the Sun, volume 1

Solar and stellar atmospheric phenomena and their fundamental physical properties such as gravity, effective temperature and rotation rate, which provides the range in parameter space required to test various theoretical models were investigated. The similarity between solar activity and stellar activity is documented. Some of the topics discussed are: atmospheric structure, magnetic fields, solar and stellar activity, and evolution.

Giampapa, M. S.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Stellar chromospheric and coronal heating by magnetohydrodynamic waves

An investigation is presented on the way in which the generation of magnetohydrodynamic waves by turbulent motions in stellar convection zones depends on the star's effective temperature, surface gravity, and magnetic field strength. It is shown that the emitted Alfven wave flux (and acoustic slow wave flux in a very strong magnetic field) is in reasonable agreement with the general trend of observed chromospheric radiative losses in stars, and with the observations of three stars for which magnetic field strength, surface area covered by strong fields, and radiative losses have all been measured.

Stein, R. F.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Physical implications of the eclipsing binary pulsar

The observed characteristics of the msec pulsar P1957+20, discovered in an eclipsing binary by Fruchter et al. (1988), are considered theoretically. Model equations for the stellar wind and optical emission are derived and used to estimate the effective temperature and optical luminosity associated with wind excitation; then the energy levels required to generate such winds are investigated. The color temperature of the pulsar-heated stellar surface calculated under the assumption of adiabatic expansion is 1000-10,000 K, in good agreement with the observational estimate of 5500 K.

Wasserman, Ira↗

NASA NTRS1993

New limb-darkening coefficients for modeling binary star light curves

We present monochromatic, passband-specific, and bolometric limb-darkening coefficients for a linear as well as nonlinear logarithmic and square root limb-darkening laws. These coefficients, including the bolometric ones, are needed when modeling binary star light curves with the latest version of the Wilson-Devinney light curve progam. We base our calculations on the most recent ATLAS stellar atmosphere models for solar chemical composition stars with a wide range of effective temperatures and surface gravitites. We examine how well various limb-darkening approximations represent the variation of the emerging specific intensity across a stellar surface as computed according to the model. For binary star light curve modeling purposes, we propose the use of a logarithmic or a square root law. We design our tables in such a manner that the relative quality of either law with respect to another can be easily compared. Since the computation of bolometric limb-darkening coefficients first requires monochromatic coefficients, we also offer tables of these coefficients (at 1221 wavelength values between 9.09 nm and 160 micrometer) and tables of passband-specific coefficients for commonly used photometric filters.

Van Hamme, W.↗

NASA NTRS1991

CO fundamental bands in late-type stars. II - Spectrum simulations for F-K stars

The procedure of Ayres and Wiedemann (1989) was applied to a range of stellar-atmosphere models to study the CO Delta-v = 1 spectrum and to establish its use as a remote sensor of thermal conditions in late-type stars. Spectra were computed to examine the sensitivity of the CO Delta-v = 1 to fundamental stellar parameters and to assess the errors introduced into the spectrum intepretation by uncertain input parameters and non-LTE effects. Results of the sensitivity study demonstrate that CO fundamental spectra are useful probes for the temperature structure of the outer layers of cool stellar atmospheres, but that their value is limited by the uncertainties introduced by non-LTE effects. However, in stars with surface gravities of log g of about 1.5 and greater, the values of these uncertainties are reasonably small.

Wiedemann, Guenter↗

NASA NTRS1994

Cool zero-metallicity stellar atmospheres

Very low mass stars and brown dwarfs have low effective temperatures and their atmospheric opacities are provided by heavy elements which form a host of strongly absorbing molecules. We present a study of the atmospheres and emergent spectra of these objects in the limiting case of zero metallicity. A grid of atmosphere models is presented, based on updated opacities for H/He mixtues, in particular for the collision-induced absorption by H2 which plays an important role in these atmospheres. The emergent spectra bear little resemblance to the corresponding blackbody emission and become bluer as the effective temperature is lowered. The atmosphere models are coupled with interior calculations to obtain accurate physical and photometric characteristics for the low-mass end of the zero-metallicity main sequence. This provides a useful boundary in the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram to interpret observations of low-metallicity stars.

Saumon, D.↗

NASA NTRS1972

The effects of recent opacity corrections on a main-sequence stellar model of 2.25 solar masses.

Comparison of models calculated with the opacities of Carson et al. (1968) and the electron-scattering corrections of Watson with models based on the opacities of Cox et al. (1965). The models have a mass of 2.25 solar masses and a chemical composition with X = 0.596 and Z = 0.02. With the adopted formulas representing the new opacities, it is found that the percentage changes with respect to the model based on the opacities of Cox et al. can be as large as +11 for the stellar radius, -42 for the luminosity, -15 for the effective temperature, -30 for the mass of the convective core, -8 for the central pressure, and -4 for both the central density and the central temperature.

Novotny, E.↗

NASA NTRS1981

On the mass of the Cepheid X Cygni

Using a new non-Lagrangian hydrodynamic radiation transport code, models of the Cepheid X Cygni have been calculated and compared with new observations. Adopting an effective temperature of 5300 K, the luminosity was varied for stellar masses of 6, 8, and 9 solar masses in order to obtain a period of 16.4d. The results indicate that in order to find reasonable agreement between the light curves as calculated and observed, the mass used in the models must be nearly the evolutionary mass, not some 60% less as found in earlier work for Cepheids with periods from 7d to 10d. In addition, the new observations support the physical reality of the so-called 'artificial viscosity dip'.

Davis, C. G.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Unsolved problems

The level of understanding of the physics of single, isolated B stars is assessed and unresolved problems are defined. The significant observational results concerning the effective temperatures, radii, masses and mantles are summarized. The results of the theory of the evolution of massive stars are confronted with the observed luminosities and effective temperatures of B stars. In addition the implications of stellar spectra theory are compared with observed spectra and a heuristic model for a mantle is developed. The chief unresolved problems for B stars concern developing detailed models for (1) the internal structure of massive stars which are beginning to evolve rapidly as they complete burning hydrogen in their cores; (2) mantles; and (3) the transfer of radiation in high temperature inhomogeneous moving bodies of gas.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1989

Ionization effects in the radiative driving of stellar winds in massive X ray binary systems

Massive X ray binaries consist of an early type primary lossing mass via a strong stellar wind driven by the stars radiation field, and an accreting neutron star companion. The X rays from the neutron star affect the wind dynamics by changing the temperature and ionization structure. The effect of the accretion powered X rays on the radiative line force that drives the stellar wind is calculated. The consequences of these calculations for the wind dynamics in massive X ray binaries is discussed.

Stevens, Ian R.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Surface temperature of a magnetized neutron star and interpretation of the ROSAT data. 1: Dipole fields

We model the temperature distribution at the surface of a magnetized neutron star and study the effects on the observed X-ray spectra and light curves. Generalrelativistic effects, i.e., redshift and lensing, are fully taken into account. Atmospheric effects on the emitted spectral flux are not included: we consider only blackbody emission at the local effective temperature. In this first paper we restrict ourselves to dipole fields. General features are studied and compared with the ROSAT data from the pulsars 0833 - 45 (Vela), 0656 + 14, 0630 + 178 (Geminga), and 1055 - 52, the four cases for which there is strong evidence that thermal radiation from the stellar surface is detected. The composite spectra we obtain are not very different from a blackbody spectrum at the star's effective temperature. We conclude that, as far as blackbody spectra are considered, temperature estimates using single-temperature models give results practically identical to our composite models. The change of the (composite blackbody) spectrum with the star's rotational phase is also not very large and may be unobservable inmost cases. Gravitational lensing strongly suppresses the light curve pulsations. If a dipole field is assumed, pulsed fractions comparable to the observed ones can be obtained only with stellar radii larger than those which are predicted by current models of neutron star struture, or with low stellar masses. Moreover, the shapes of the theoretical light curves with dipole fields do not correspond to the observations. The use of magnetic spectra may raise the pulsed fraction sufficiently but will certainly make the discrepancy with the light curve shapes worse: dipole fields are not sufficient to interpret the data. Many neutron star models with a meson condensate or hypersons predict very small radii, and hence very strong lensing, which will require highly nondipolar fields to be able to reproduce the observed pulsed fractions, if possible at all: this may be a new tool to constrain the size of neutron stars. The pulsed fractions obtained in all our models increase with photon energy: the strong decrease observed in Geminga at energies 0.3-0.5 keV is definitely a genuine effect of the magnetic field on the spectrum in contradistinction to the magnetic effects on the surface temperature considered her. Thus, a detailed analysis of thermal emission from the four pulsars we consider will require both complex surface field configurations and the inclusion of magnetic effects in the atmosphere (i.e., on the emitted spectrum).

Page, Dany↗

NASA NTRS1974

Molecular column densities in selected model atmospheres

From an examination of predicted column densities, the following conclusions were drawn: (1) The SiO ought to be visible in carbon stars which were generated from triple alpha burning, but absent from carbon stars generated from the CNO bi-cycle. (2) Variation in the observed relative strengths of TiO and ZrO is indicative of real differences in the ratio Ti/Zr. (3) The TiO/ZrO ratio shows a small variation as C/O and effective temperature is changed. (4) Column density of silicon dicarbide (SiC2) is sensitive to abundance, temperature, and gravity; hence all relationships between the strength of SiC2 and other stellar parameters will show appreciable scatter. There is however, a substantial luminosity effect present in the SiC2 column densities. (5) Unexpectedly, SiC2 is anti-correlated with C2. (6) The presence of SiC2 in a carbon star eliminates the possibility of these stars having temperatures greater than or equal to 3000 K, or being produced through the CNO bi-cycle.

Johnson, H. R.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Outer atmospheres of cool stars. II - Mg II flux profiles and chromospheric radiative loss rates

International Ultraviolet Explorer high-resolution spectra of the Mg II lines at 2796, 2803 A in 15 stars of spectral type G2-M2 including a wide range of luminosities are presented. These spectra are calibrated in absolute flux units at earth and at the stellar surface, and the chromospheric radiative loss rates in the Mg II lines are compared with corresponding rates in the Ca II H, K, and 8542 lines. The ratio of Mg II surface flux to total surface flux is found to be independent of stellar luminosity and thus gravity; may decrease slowly with decreasing effective temperature, and increases with decreasing period among RS Canum Venaticorum binaries. The factor of 10 range in this ratio at each effective temperature may be due to differences in the fractional surface area covered by plages and may indicate that stars of all luminosity classes have chromospheric plages. In this small data sample no evidence is found that the Mg II line surface fluxes indicate whether a star possesses a transition region and hot corona.

Basri, G. S.↗