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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 91 records · Page 5
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DOE OSTI2020

Additional Calibration of the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope on Board AstroSat

Results of the initial calibration of the Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) were reported earlier by Tandon et al. The results reported earlier were based on the ground calibration as well as the first observations in orbit. Some additional data from the ground calibration and data from more in-orbit observations have been used to improve the results. In particular, extensive new data from in-orbit observations have been used to obtain (a) new photometric calibration that includes (i) zero points, (ii) flat fields, and (iii) saturation; (b) sensitivity variations; (c) spectral calibration for the near ultraviolet (NUV; 2000–3000 Å) and far ultraviolet (FUV; 1300–1800 Å) gratings; (d) point-spread function; and (e) astrometric calibration including distortion. Data acquired over the last three years show continued good performance of UVIT with no reduction in sensitivity in both UV channels.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Implications of Abiotic Oxygen Buildup for Earth-like Complex Life

One of the chief paradoxes of molecular oxygen (O{sub 2}) is that it is an essential requirement for multicellular eukaryotes on Earth while simultaneously posing a threat to their survival via the formation of reactive oxygen species. In this paper, the constraints imposed by O{sub 2} on Earth-like complex life are invoked to explore whether worlds with abiotic O{sub 2} inventories can harbor such organisms. By taking the major O{sub 2} sources and sinks of Earth-like planets into account using a simple model, it is suggested that worlds that receive time-averaged X-ray and extreme ultraviolet fluxes that are ≳10 times higher than Earth might not be capable of hosting complex lifeforms because the photolysis of molecules such as water may lead to significant O{sub 2} buildup. Methods for testing this hypothesis by searching for anticorrelations between biosignatures and indicators of abiotic O{sub 2} atmospheres are described. In the event, however, that life successfully adapts to high-oxygen environments, these worlds could permit the evolution of large and complex organisms.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

An Analysis of the Statistics and Systematics of Limb Anomaly Detections in HST/STIS Transit Images of Europa

Several recent studies derived the existence of plumes on Jupiter’s moon Europa. The only technique that provided multiple detections is the far-ultraviolet imaging observations of Europa in transit of Jupiter taken by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). In this study, we reanalyze the three HST/STIS transit images in which Sparks et al. identified limb anomalies as evidence for Europa’s plume activity. After reproducing the results of Sparks et al., we find that positive outliers are similarly present in the images as the negative outliers that were attributed to plume absorption. A physical explanation for the positive outliers is missing. We then investigate the systematic uncertainties and statistics in the images and identify two factors that are crucial when searching for anomalies around the limb. One factor is the alignment between the actual and assumed locations of Europa on the detector. A misalignment introduces distorted statistics, most strongly affecting the limb above the darker trailing hemisphere where the plumes were detected. The second factor is a discrepancy between the observation and the model used for comparison, adding uncertainty in the statistics. When accounting for these two factors, the limb minima (and maxima) are consistent with random statistical occurrence in a sample size given by the number of pixels in the analyzed limb region. The plume candidate features in the three analyzed images can be explained by purely statistical fluctuations and do not provide evidence for absorption by plumes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Into the UV: A Precise Transmission Spectrum of HAT-P-41b Using Hubble’s WFC3/UVIS G280 Grism

The ultraviolet–visible wavelength range holds critical spectral diagnostics for the chemistry and physics at work in planetary atmospheres. To date, time-series studies of exoplanets to characterize their atmospheres have relied on several combinations of modes on the Hubble Space Telescope’s STIS/COS instruments to access this wavelength regime. Here for the first time, we apply the Hubble WFC3/UVIS G280 grism mode to obtain exoplanet spectroscopy from 200 to 800 nm in a single observation. We test the G280 grism mode on the hot Jupiter HAT-P-41b over two consecutive transits to determine its viability for the characterization of exoplanet atmospheres. We obtain a broadband transit depth precision of 29–33 ppm and a precision of on average 200 ppm in 10 nm spectroscopic bins. Spectral information from the G280 grism can be extracted from both the positive and negative first-order spectra, resulting in a 60% increase in the measurable flux. Additionally, the first Hubble Space Telescope orbit can be fully utilized in the time-series analysis. We present detailed extraction and reduction methods for use by future investigations with this mode, testing multiple techniques. We find the results to be fully consistent with STIS measurements of HAT-P-41b from 310 to 800 nm, with the G280 results representing a more observationally efficient and precise spectrum. HAT-P-41b’s transmission spectrum is best fit with a model with T {sub eq} = 2091 K, high metallicity, and significant scattering and cloud opacity. With these first-of-their-kind observations, we demonstrate that WFC3/UVIS G280 is a powerful new tool to obtain UV–optical spectra of exoplanet atmospheres, adding to the UV legacy of Hubble and complementing future observations with the James Webb Space Telescope.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Statistical Search for Star–Planet Interaction in the Ultraviolet Using GALEX

Most (∼82%) of the over 4000 confirmed exoplanets known today orbit very close to their host stars, within 0.5 au. Planets at such small orbital distances can result in significant interactions with their host stars, which can induce increased activity levels in them. In this work, we have searched for statistical evidence for star–planet interactions in the ultraviolet (UV) using the largest sample of 1355 Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) detected host stars with confirmed exoplanets and making use of the improved host-star parameters from Gaia DR2. From our analysis, we do not find any significant correlation between the UV activity of the host stars and their planetary properties. We further compared the UV properties of planet host stars to that of chromospherically active stars from the RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) survey. Our results indicate that the enhancement in chromospheric activity of host stars due to star–planet interactions may not be significant enough to reflect in their near- and far-UV broadband flux.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Radial Star Formation Histories in 32 Nearby Galaxies

The spatially resolved star formation histories are studied for 32 normal star-forming galaxies drawn from the Spitzer Extended Disk Galaxy Exploration Science survey. At surface brightness sensitivities fainter than 28 mag arcsec{sup −2}, the new optical photometry is deep enough to complement archival ultraviolet and infrared imaging and to explore the properties of the emission well beyond the traditional optical extents of these nearby galaxies. Fits to the spectral energy distributions using a delayed star formation history model indicate a subtle but interesting average radial trend for the spiral galaxies: the inner stellar systems decrease in age with increasing radius, consistent with inside-out disk formation, but the trend reverses in the outermost regions with the stellar age nearly as old as the innermost stars. These results suggest an old stellar outer disk population formed through radial migration and/or the cumulative history of minor mergers and accretions of satellite dwarf galaxies. The subset of S0 galaxies studied here show the opposite trend compared to what is inferred for spirals: characteristic stellar ages that are increasingly older with radius for the inner portions of the galaxies, and increasingly younger stellar ages for the outer portions. This result suggests that either S0 galaxies are not well modeled by a delayed-τ model, and/or that S0 galaxies have a more complicated formation history than spiral galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Intrinsic Color Indices of Early-type Dwarf Stars

Early-type stars are short lived and scarce in comparison with other types. Based on the recently released catalogs of early-type stars from the largest Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope spectroscopic survey, the intrinsic colors of the stars with effective temperature up to 32,000 K are determined for the bands from ultraviolet to infrared using the blue-edge method. Analytic relations are derived for the intrinsic color index with the effective temperature for the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Two Micron All Sky Survey, Gaia, AAVSO Photometric All-Sky Survey, Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System 1, and Galaxy Evolution Explorer bands. The results are generally consistent with previous works. In addition, the intrinsic colors of O-type dwarfs and OB supergiants are roughly estimated.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Pluto's Ultraviolet Spectrum, Surface Reflectance, and Airglow Emissions

During the New Horizons spacecraft’s encounter with Pluto, the Alice ultraviolet spectrograph conducted a series of observations that detected emissions from both the interplanetary medium (IPM) and Pluto. In the direction of Pluto, the IPM was found to be 133.4 ± 0.6 R at Lyα, 0.24 ± 0.02 R at Lyβ, and <0.10 R at He i 584 Å. We analyzed 3900 s of data obtained shortly before closest approach to Pluto and detect airglow emissions from H i, N i, N ii, N{sub 2}, and CO above the disk of Pluto. We find Pluto’s brightness at Lyα to be 29.3 ± 1.9 R, in good agreement with preencounter estimates. The detection of the N ii multiplet at 1085 Å marks the first direct detection of ions in Pluto’s atmosphere. We do not detect any emissions from noble gases and place a 3σ upper limit of 0.14 R on the brightness of the Ar i 1048 Å line. We compare preencounter model predictions and predictions from our own airglow model, based on atmospheric profiles derived from the solar occultation observed by New Horizons, to the observed brightness of Pluto’s airglow. Although completely opaque at Lyα, Pluto’s atmosphere is optically thin at wavelengths longer than 1425 Å. Consequently, a significant amount of solar far-UV light reaches the surface, where it can participate in space weathering processes. From the brightness of sunlight reflected from Pluto, we find the surface has a reflectance factor (I/F) of 17% between 1400 and 1850 Å. We also report the first detection of a C{sub 3} hydrocarbon molecule, methylacetylene, in absorption, at a column density of ∼5 × 10{sup 15} cm{sup −2}, corresponding to a column-integrated mixing ratio of 1.6 × 10{sup −6}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Coupled Analysis of Atmospheric Mass Loss and Tidal Evolution in XUV Irradiated Exoplanets: The TRAPPIST-1 Case Study

Exoplanets residing close to their stars can experience evolution of both their physical structures and their orbits due to the influence of their host stars. In this work, we present a coupled analysis of dynamical tidal dissipation and atmospheric mass loss for exoplanets in X-ray and ultraviolet (XUV) irradiated environments. As our primary application, we use this model to study the TRAPPIST-1 system and place constraints on the interior structure and orbital evolution of the planets. We start by reporting on an ultraviolet continuum flux measurement (centered around ∼1900 Å) for the star TRAPPIST-1, based on 300 ks of Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory data, and which enables an estimate of the XUV-driven thermal escape arising from XUV photodissociation for each planet. We find that the X-ray flaring luminosity, measured from our X-ray detections, of TRAPPIST-1 is 5.6 × 10{sup −4} L {sub *}, while the full flux including non-flaring periods is 6.1 × 10{sup −5} L {sub *}, when L {sub *} is TRAPPIST-1's bolometric luminosity. We then construct a model that includes both atmospheric mass loss and tidal evolution and requires the planets to attain their present-day orbital elements during this coupled evolution. We use this model to constrain the ratio Q{sup ′}=3Q/2k{sub 2} for each planet. Finally, we use additional numerical models implemented with the Virtual Planet Simulator VPLanet to study ocean retention for these planets using our derived system parameters.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Rotationally Driven Ultraviolet Emission of Red Giant Stars

Main-sequence stars exhibit a clear rotation-activity relationship, in which rapidly rotating stars drive strong chromospheric/coronal ultraviolet and X-ray emission. While the vast majority of red giant stars are inactive, a few percent exhibit strong ultraviolet emission. Here we use a sample of 133 red giant stars observed by Sloan Digital Sky Survey APOGEE and Galaxy Evolution Explorer to demonstrate an empirical relationship between near-UV (NUV) excess and rotational velocity (v sin i). Beyond this simple relationship, we find that NUV excess also correlates with rotation period and with Rossby number in a manner that shares broadly similar trends to those found in M dwarfs, including activity saturation among rapid rotators. Our data also suggest that the most extremely rapidly rotating giants may exhibit so-called supersaturation, which could be caused by centrifugal stripping of these stars rotating at a high fraction of breakup speed. As an example application of our empirical rotation-activity relation, we demonstrate that the NUV emission observed from a recently reported system comprising a red giant with a black hole companion is fully consistent with arising from the rapidly rotating red giant in that system. Most fundamentally, our findings suggest a common origin of chromospheric activity in rotation and convection for cool stars from main sequence to red giant stages of evolution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Hubble Space Telescope's Near-UV and Optical Transmission Spectrum of Earth as an Exoplanet

We observed the 2019 January total lunar eclipse with the Hubble Space Telescope’s STIS spectrograph to obtain the first near-UV (1700–3200 Å) observation of Earth as a transiting exoplanet. The observatories and instruments that will be able to perform transmission spectroscopy of exo-Earths are beginning to be planned, and characterizing the transmission spectrum of Earth is vital to ensuring that key spectral features (e.g., ozone, or O{sub 3}) are appropriately captured in mission concept studies. O{sub 3} is photochemically produced from O{sub 2}, a product of the dominant metabolism on Earth today, and it will be sought in future observations as critical evidence for life on exoplanets. Ground-based observations of lunar eclipses have provided the Earth’s transmission spectrum at optical and near-IR wavelengths, but the strongest O{sub 3} signatures are in the near-UV. We describe the observations and methods used to extract a transmission spectrum from Hubble lunar eclipse spectra, and identify spectral features of O{sub 3} and Rayleigh scattering in the 3000–5500 Å region in Earth’s transmission spectrum by comparing to Earth models that include refraction effects in the terrestrial atmosphere during a lunar eclipse. Our near-UV spectra are featureless, a consequence of missing the narrow time span during the eclipse when near-UV sunlight is not completely attenuated through Earth’s atmosphere due to extremely strong O{sub 3} absorption and when sunlight is transmitted to the lunar surface at altitudes where it passes through the O{sub 3} layer rather than above it.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Estimating the Ages of FGK Dwarf Stars through the Use of GALEX FUV Magnitudes

Stellar age cannot be directly measured, yet age determinations are fundamental to understanding the evolution of stars, planets, and galaxies. The work presented here builds upon the idea of a stellar-activity age. We utilized far-ultraviolet (FUV) photometry acquired by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) space telescope as an indicator of chromospheric activity to infer ages of late-F, G, and K type dwarf stars. We derived a purely empirical correlation between FUV magnitudes and stellar age in conjunction with (B − V) color. Our attention is restricted to Sun-like stars with color range 0.55⩽(B−V)⩽0.71 and absolute magnitude range 4.3 ≤ M {sub V} ≤ 5.3. The correlation is defined in terms of a FUV-excess parameter Q(FUV−B,B−V). We related stellar age, τ, to Q through the relation log{sub e}(τ)=log{sub e}(a)+bQ, where a and b are fit parameters and functions of (B − V). This correlation is functional up to 6 Gyr for FGK dwarfs. With such a correlation, one only needs Johnson (B − V) and FUV measurements to estimate the stellar age for Population i dwarf stars of solar-like temperature and metallicity. Such a calibration has utility in population studies of FGK dwarfs for further understanding of the chemical evolution of the Milky Way. As an illustration of one such application, we have constructed activity and FUV–age distributions for a sample of thin and thick disk stars, as distinguished by their chemical abundances. Considerable overlap is found between the activity distribution and age range of the two populations. We discuss the possibility that some high-[α/Fe] thick disk stars were formed as a result of the accretion of dwarf galaxies as recently as 4 Gyr ago.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Nondetection of Helium in the Upper Atmospheres of Three Sub-Neptune Exoplanets

We present a search for helium in the upper atmospheres of three sub-Neptune-sized planets to investigate the origins of these ubiquitous objects. The detection of helium for a low-density planet would be strong evidence for the presence of a primary atmosphere accreted from the protoplanetary nebula because large amounts of helium are not expected in the secondary atmospheres of rocky planets. We used Keck+NIRSPEC to obtain high-resolution transit spectroscopy of the planets GJ 1214b, GJ 9827d, and HD 97658b around the 10833 Å He triplet feature. We did not detect helium absorption for any of the planets despite achieving a high level of sensitivity. We used the nondetections to set limits on the planets’ thermosphere temperatures and atmospheric loss rates by comparing grids of 1D models to the data. We also performed coupled interior structure and atmospheric loss calculations, which suggest that the bulk atmospheres (winds) of the planets would be at most modestly enhanced (depleted) in helium relative to their primordial composition. Our lack of detections of the helium triplet for GJ 1214b and GJ 9827d is highly inconsistent with the predictions of models for the present-day mass loss on these planets. Higher signal-to-noise data would be needed to detect the helium feature predicted for HD 97658b. We identify uncertainties in the extreme-ultraviolet fluxes of the host stars and the lack of detailed mass-loss models specifically for cool and metal-enhanced atmospheres as the main limitations to the interpretation of our results. Ultimately, our results suggest that the upper atmospheres of sub-Neptune planets are fundamentally different from those of gas giant planets.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Estimating the Ultraviolet Emission of M Dwarfs with Exoplanets from Ca ii and Hα

M dwarf stars are excellent candidates around which to search for exoplanets, including temperate, Earth-sized planets. To evaluate the photochemistry of the planetary atmosphere, it is essential to characterize the UV spectral energy distribution of the planet’s host star. This wavelength regime is important because molecules in the planetary atmosphere such as oxygen and ozone have highly wavelength-dependent absorption cross sections that peak in the UV (900–3200 Å). We seek to provide a broadly applicable method of estimating the UV emission of an M dwarf, without direct UV data, by identifying a relationship between noncontemporaneous optical and UV observations. Our work uses the largest sample of M dwarf star far- and near-UV observations yet assembled. We evaluate three commonly observed optical chromospheric activity indices—Hα equivalent widths and log{sub 10} L Hα /L bol , and the Mount Wilson Ca ii H&K S and R HK ' indices—using optical spectra from the HARPS, UVES, and HIRES archives and new HIRES spectra. Archival and new Hubble Space Telescope COS and STIS spectra are used to measure line fluxes for the brightest chromospheric and transition region emission lines between 1200 and 2800 Å. Our results show a correlation between UV emission-line luminosity normalized to the stellar bolometric luminosity and Ca ii R HK ' with standard deviations of 0.31–0.61 dex (factors of ~2–4) about the best-fit lines. We also find correlations between normalized UV line luminosity and Hα log 10 L Hα /L bol and the S index. These relationships allow one to estimate the average UV emission from M0 to M9 dwarfs when UV data are not available.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

The ALFALFA-SDSS Galaxy Catalog

We present a H i optical catalog of ~30,000 galaxies based on the 100% complete Arecibo Legacy Fast Arecibo L-band Feed Array (ALFALFA) survey combined with data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Our goal is to facilitate the public use of the completed ALFALFA catalog by providing carefully determined matches to SDSS counterparts, including matches for ~10,000 galaxies that do not have SDSS spectra. These identifications can provide a basis for further crossmatching with other surveys using SDSS photometric IDs as a reference point. We derive absolute magnitudes and stellar masses for each galaxy using optical colors combined with an internal reddening correction designed for small- and intermediate-mass galaxies with active star formation. We also provide measures of stellar masses and star formation rates based on infrared and/or ultraviolet photometry for galaxies that are detected by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and/or the Galaxy Evolution Explorer. Finally, we compare the galaxy population in the ALFALFA-SDSS sample with the populations in several other publicly available galaxy catalogs and confirm that ALFALFA galaxies typically have lower masses and bluer colors.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Method to Extract Spatially Resolved Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Emission from Spitzer Spectra: Application to M51

The mid-infrared spectrum contains rich diagnostics to probe the physical properties of galaxies, among which the pervasive emission features from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) offer promising means of estimating the star formation rate (SFR) relatively immune from dust extinction. This paper investigates the effectiveness of PAH emission as a SFR indicator on subkiloparsec scales by studying the Spitzer/IRS mapping-mode observations of the nearby grand-design spiral galaxy M51. We present a new approach of analyzing the spatial elements of the spectral data cube that simultaneously maximizes spatial resolution and spatial coverage, while yielding reliable measurements of the total, integrated 5–20 μm PAH emission. We devise a strategy of extracting robust PAH emission using spectra with only partial spectral coverage, complementing missing spectral regions with properly combined mid-infrared photometry. We find that in M51 the PAH emission correlates tightly with the extinction-corrected far-ultraviolet, near-ultraviolet, and Hα emission, from scales of ∼0.4 kpc close to the nucleus to 6 kpc out in the disk of the galaxy, indicating that PAH serves as an excellent tracer of SFR over a wide range of galactic environments. But regional differences exist. Close to the active nucleus of M51 the 6.2 μm feature is weaker, and the overall level of PAH emission is suppressed. The spiral arms and the central star-forming region of the galaxy emit stronger 7.7 and 8.6 μm PAH features than the inter-arm regions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Probing the Capability of Future Direct-imaging Missions to Spectrally Constrain the Frequency of Earth-like Planets

A critical question in astrobiology is whether exo-Earth candidates (EECs) are Earth-like, in that they originate life that progressively oxygenates their atmospheres similarly to Earth. We propose answering this question statistically by searching for O{sub 2} and O{sub 3} on EECs with missions such as HabEx or LUVOIR. We explore the ability of these missions to constrain the fraction, f {sub E}, of EECs that are Earth-like in the event of a null detection of O{sub 2} or O{sub 3} on all observed EECs. We use the Planetary Spectrum Generator to simulate observations of EECs with O{sub 2} and O{sub 3} levels based on Earth’s history. We consider four instrument designs—LUVOIR-A (15 m), LUVOIR-B (8 m), HabEx with a starshade (4 m, “HabEx/SS”), and HabEx without a starshade (4 m, “HabEx/no-SS”)—as well as three estimates of the occurrence rate of EECs (η {sub earth}): 24%, 5%, and 0.5%. In the case of a null detection, we find that for η {sub earth} = 24%, LUVOIR-A, LUVOIR-B, and HabEx/SS would constrain f {sub E} to ≤0.094, ≤0.18, and ≤0.56, respectively. This also indicates that if f {sub E} is greater than these upper limits, we are likely to detect O{sub 3} on at least one EEC. Conversely, we find that HabEx/no-SS cannot constrain f {sub E}, due to the lack of a coronagraph ultraviolet channel. For η {sub earth} = 5%, only LUVOIR-A and LUVOIR-B would be able to constrain f {sub E}, to ≤0.45 and ≤0.85, respectively. For η {sub earth} = 0.5%, none of the missions would allow us to constrain f {sub E}, due to the low number of detectable EECs. We conclude that the ability to constrain f {sub E} is more robust to uncertainties in η {sub earth} for missions with larger aperture mirrors. However, all missions are susceptible to an inconclusive null detection if η {sub earth} is sufficiently low.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Far-ultraviolet Variable Sources in M31

The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) on board the AstroSat observatory has imaged the Andromeda galaxy (M31) from 2017 to 2019 in the far- and near-UV (FUV and NUV) with the high spatial resolution of ≃1″. The survey covered the large sky area of M31 with a set of observations (Fields), each 28′ in diameter. Field 1 was observed in two epochs with the F148W filter, separated by ≃1133 days (≃3.10 yr). The 6.4 kpc diameter Field 1 (at the distance of M31) includes a substantial part of the inner spiral arms of the galaxy. We identify UVIT sources in both epochs of Field 1 and obtain catalogs of sources that are variable in FUV at >3σ and >5σ confidence level. The fraction of FUV-variable sources is higher for brighter sources, and the fraction is higher in the two main spiral arms compared to other areas. This is evidence that a significant fraction of the FUV variables are associated with hot young stars. Source counterparts are found for 42 of the 86 >5σ FUV variables using existing catalogs. The counterparts include 10 star clusters, 6 H II regions, 5 regular or semiregular variables, 6 other variables, and 6 nova or nova candidates. The UVIT FUV–NUV and FUV–FUV color–magnitude diagrams confirm the association of most of the FUV variables with hot young stars. A catalog of UVIT photometry for the variable sources is presented.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗