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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 163 records · Page 9
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NASA NTRS1975

Ultraviolet observations of cool stars. IV - Intensities of Lyman-alpha and Mg II in epsilon Pegasi and epsilon Eridani, and line width-luminosity correlations

A spectrometer on the Copernicus satellite has been used to confirm the existence of a line width-luminosity relation for the Ly-alpha and Mg II 2800-A chromospheric emission lines in K-type stars by observation of a K2 dwarf (epsilon Eri) and a K2 supergiant (epsilon Peg). Combined with previously reported observations of lines in three K giants (alpha Boo, alpha Tau, and beta Gem), the data are consistent with an identical dependence of line width on absolute visual magnitude for the Ca II K, Ly-alpha, and Mg II 2795-A lines. Surface fluxes of Ly-alpha, Mg II 2800-A, and O V 1218-A (upper limit) for epsilon Eri, and of Mg II 2800-A for epsilon Peg are also compared with values reported previously for the three giant stars.

Mcclintock, W.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Chromospheres and coronae in binary systems

Recent observations and spectral analysis of chromospheres and coronae are discussed for various types of binary systems containing cool stars. These include the W UMa-type systems, the RS CVn variables, and selected widely separated binary systems such as VV Cephei and the giant stars in the Hyades cluster. In many cases evidence for extreme examples of solar activity are found. Radiative losses in ultraviolet resonance lines can be at least one or two orders of magnitude larger than those found in the quiet sun. In lambda And, a RS CVn type system, there is evidence for inhomogeneous structure in the chromosphere and transition region. Rotation appears to be a determinant in the energy losses of these atmospheres although not the only one.

Dupree, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Outer atmospheres of cool stars. XIV - A model for the chromosphere and transition region of Beta Ceti (G9.5 III)

In the present chromospheric and transition region model for Beta Ceti, which is consistent with IUE spectra of the Mg II, C II, and C IV resonance lines, the Mg II h and k lines are treated in partial redistribution and the C II and C IV lines in complete redistribution. Computed line fluxes are presented for a range of models to show the range of permitted temperature structures. A comparison of the Beta Ceti model to models previously computed in a similar way for other stars shows a trend of decreasing chromospheric pressures and increasing geometric scales as single stars evolve across the transition region boundary. The present analysis also suggests that transition region pressures drastically decrease and geometric scales rapidly increase as single giant stars evolve to the right, toward the boudnary. Beta Ceti's exceptional X-ray brightness is discussed.

Eriksson, K.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Theoretical studies of the RS Canum Venaticorum stars

The activity in RS Canum Venaticorum (CVn) is investigated. Models for chromospheric structure are developed and the role of magnetic fields both in the photosphere as well as in the chromosphere and upper atmosphere are examined. T Tau stars are also studied from the same points of view. The properties of magnetic field loops are used to help understand the atmospheric structure in RS CVn stars. The concepts developed in the case of these stars appear to be applicable over a much broader region of the HR diagram. The absence of stable magnetic loops in the atmospheres of late type giant stars suggests that the atmospheres of RS CVn active components are qualitatively distinct from the solar atmosphere.

Mullan, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Measurement of the sizes of circumstellar dust shells around evolved stars with high mass loss rates

The research supported by the NASA ADP contract NAG5-1153 has been completed. The attached paper, which will be submitted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal in January 1992, presents the results of this work. Here is a summary of the project and its results. A set of computer programs was developed to process the raw 60 micron and 100 micron IRAS survey data. The programs were designed to detect faint extended emission surrounding a bright unresolved source. Candidate objects were chosen from a list of red giant stars and young planetary nebulae which have been detected in millimeter/submillimeter lines of CO. Of the 279 stars examined, 55 were resolved at 60 microns. The principle results of the study are given. The average age for the shells surrounding the 9 Mira-type stars which are extended is 6 x 10(exp 4) yr. This suggests that the period during which these stars lose mass lasts for approx 10(exp 5) yr. The oldest shell found surrounds U Ori, and the youngest surrounds Mira itself. Some shells appear to be detached from the central star. This phenomenon is more common among older stars, suggesting that the mass loss becomes more episodic as the star sheds its envelope. Although all 8 stars less distant than 200 pc are resolved in the IRAS 60 micron data, 29 stars within 500 pc were not. These stars probably have younger circumstellar shells than those which were resolved. Almost all the carbon stars with distances of 500 pc or less have resolved shells, while only 1/2 of the oxygen-rich stars do. The resolved carbon star shells also are older on average than the oxygen-rich ones. These facts imply that carbon stars have been losing mass for a longer period, on average, than oxygen-rich red giants. Large circumstellar shells tend to be found at large distances from the galactic plane, confirming that the ISM density limits the size to which a dust shell can grow. Surprisingly, even very large shells seem to be nearly spherical, and do not appear to be distorted by ram-pressure caused by the star's motion with respect to the ISM. Radiative transfer models and the value of I sub 60 microns/I sub 100 microns allow the average dust temperature in the outer regions of a circumstellar shell to be estimated. The typical value obtained in about 35 K.

Phillips, T. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Formation of the H-alpha absorption line in the chromospheres of cool stars

The theory of the formation of the H-alpha absorption line in the chromospheres of cool stars is discussed and a number of results are presented which demonstrate that observations of this line can provide valuable information on certain properties of stellar chromospheres. It is shown that the widespread existence of strong H-alpha absorption in cool stars indicates the equally widespread existence of stellar chromospheres. The calculations also reinforce the idea that the great widths of H-alpha absorption lines in late-type giant stars are due to nonthermal chromospheric velocity fields.

Cram, L. E.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Mass loss from warm giants: Magnetic effects

Among warm giant stars, rapid mass loss sets in along a well defined velocity dividing line (VDL). Hot corona also disappear close to the VDL and thermal pressure cannot drive the observed rapid mass loss in these stars. The VDL may be associated with magnetic fields changing from closed to open. Such a change is consistent with the lack of X-rays from late-type giants. A magnetic transition locus based on Pneuman's work on helmet streamer stability agrees well with the empirical VDL. The change from closed to open fields not only makes rapid mass loss possible, but also contributes to energizing the mass loss in the form of discrete bubbles.

Mullan, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

High-resolution 12.4 micron images of the starburst region in M82

We present 12.4 micron images, made with 1" resolution, of the intense star-forming region in the galaxy M82. Considerable small-scale structure is evident, including several bright clumps less than about 20 pc in size which may be embedded with giant star clusters more massive than 3 x 100,000 solar mass. No correlation is seen between the infrared emission and the bright radio/X-ray point sources which are thought to be very young supernova remnants. We propose that high values of the ratio of nonthermal and infrared emission near the nucleus, and of the ratio LIR/LCO at one of the starburst lobes, can be attributed to disruption of the central region by supernova activity. However, we argue that the midinfrared-emitting dust is heated by young stars and not, as recently proposed, by supernova shocks.

Telesco, C. M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Infrared observations of the galactic center. III - 2.2 micron spectroscopy

Observations of the B-gamma line at 2.17 microns are presented for the central few parsecs of the galactic-center region. The surface-brightness distribution of the line with 3.3- and 6.6-arcsec resolution has been sampled in 25 locations. The results show that the ionized gas is concentrated within the central parsec of the galactic-center region; the fine-scale structure seen at 10 microns does not appear to be present in the ionized gas. For the central parsec (20 arcsec) the equivalent width of the B-gamma line is, within large uncertainties, independent of the 2-micron continuum flux; for radial distances of the order of 30 arcsec the line equivalent width drops significantly. A comparison of the B-gamma line strength with radio observations shows that the 2.2-micron extinction is consistent with the 2.7 mag determined from the reddening of late-type stars. Observations of the CO band at 2.3 microns in the central 30 arcsec are also presented; they strengthen the interpretation that the 2-micron flux arises from late-type giant stars.

Neugebauer, G.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The metallicity of M4: Accurate spectroscopic fundamental parameters for four giants

High-quality spectra, covering the wavelength range 5480 to 7080 A, have been obtained for four giant stars in the intermediate-metallicity CN-bimodal globular cluster M4 (NGC 6121). We have employed a model atmosphere analysis that is entirely independent from cluster parameters, such as distance, age, and reddening, in order to derive accurate values for the stellar parameters effective temperature, surface gravity, and microturbulence, and for the abundance of iron relative to the Sun, (Fe/H), and of calcium, Ca/H, for each of the four stars. Detailed radiative transfer and statistical equilibrium calculations carried out for iron and calcium suggest that departures from local thermodynamic equilibrium are not significant for the purposes of our analysis. The spectroscopically derived effective temperatures for our program stars are hotter by about 200 K than existing photometric calibrations suggest. We conclude that this is due partly to the uncertain reddening of M4 and to the existing photometric temperature calibration for red giants being too cool by about 100 K. Comparison of our spectroscopic and existing photometric temperatures supports the prognosis of a significant east-west gradient in the reddening across M4. Our derived iron abundances are slightly higher than previous high-resolution studies suggested; the differences are most probably due to the different temperature scale and choice of microturbulent velocities adopted by earlier workers. The resulting value for the metallicity of M4 is (Fe/H )(sub M4) = -1.05 + or - 0.15. Based on this result, we suggest that metallicities derived in previous high-dispersion globular cluster abundance analyses could be too low by 0.2 to 0.3 dex. Our calcium abundances suggest an enhancement of calcium, an alpha element, over iron, relative to the Sun, in M4 of (Ca/H) = 0.23.

Drake, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Ultraviolet observations of weak-helium stars

Ultraviolet filter photometry aboard OAO-2 has been carried out for the weak helium stars 3 Cen A, 3 Sco, HD 144334, HD 21699, HD 144844, alpha Scl, HR 8535, HR 8770 and HD 144661. The flux distribution is compared with that of B3 to B8 main sequence and giant stars in terms of color-color diagrams. When allowance is made for line blocking shortward of 2800 A that most of the weak helium stars have normal fluxes in good agreement with their ground-based colors. The star alpha Scl is a light and spectrum variable. The strengthening of Ti II and Sr II lines around 2400 A appears to redistribute flux longward of the Balmer discontinuity. The flux distribution indicates an effective temperature about 1500 K higher than previously determined.

Bernacca, P. L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Infrared images of merging galaxies

Infrared imaging of interacting galaxies is especially interesting because their optical appearance is often so chaotic due to extinction by dust and emission from star formation regions, that it is impossible to locate the nuclei or determine the true stellar distribution. However, at near-infrared wavelengths extinction is considerably reduced, and most of the flux from galaxies originates from red giant stars that comprise the dominant stellar component by mass. Thus near infrared images offer the opportunity to study directly components of galactic structure which are otherwise inaccessible. Such images may ultimately provide the framework in which to understand the activity taking place in many of the mergers with high Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) luminosities. Infrared images have been useful in identifying double structures in the nuclei of interacting galaxies which have not even been hinted at by optical observations. A striking example of this is given by the K images of Arp 220. Graham et al. (1990) have used high resolution imaging to show that it has a double nucleus coincident with the radio sources in the middle of the dust lane. The results suggest that caution should be applied in the identification of optical bright spots as multiple nuclei in the absence of other evidence. They also illustrate the advantages of using infrared imaging to study the underlying structure in merging galaxies. The authors have begun a program to take near infrared images of galaxies which are believed to be mergers of disk galaxies because they have tidal tails and filaments. In many of these the merger is thought to have induced exceptionally luminous infrared emission (cf. Joseph and Wright 1985, Sanders et al. 1988). Although the optical images of the galaxies show spectacular dust lanes and filaments, the K images all have a very smooth distribution of light with an apparently single nucleus.

Wright, G. S.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Spectral irradiance calibration in the infrared. III - The influence of CO and SiO

Efforts are described to establish a network of calibrated infrared spectra of 'standard stars' suitable for calibration of at least low-resolution infrared spectrometers using ground-based, airborne, and satellite-borne broadband sensors. Emphasis is given to the crucial 5-8 micron region in K and M giants, where the fundamental bands of CO and SiO cause substantial departures from featureless pseudocontinua. The invalidity of the blackbody assumption in the thermal infrared regime is pointed out by demonstrating the importance of these molecular features in cold giants stars in the airborne infrared regime and illustrating their influence on spectra calibrated using blackbody assumptions.

Cohen, Martin↗
NASA NTRS1994

Globular cluster photometry with the Hubble Space Telescope. 2: U, V, and I measurements of M15

The projected density distribution of resolved stars near the center of M15 is shown to be consistent with either a power-law cusp N(r) approximately r(exp alpha), with alpha approximately -0.85 +/- 0.2, or with a King model with a core of radius approximately less than 2 sec. The inferred slope is in agreement with the theoretical value, alpha = -0.75, calculated by Bahcall and Wolf for the distribution of equal-mass stars surrounding a massive black hole and is also consistent with the radial profile expected from core collapse without a central black hole. The object AC 214 is a candidate for the central density cusp. Analysis of Monte Carlo simulations of the diffuse light indicates that, using current analysis techniques and available data, the residual light is not a reliable indicator of the true density distribution. This is contrary to earlier work. Photometric measurements in V and I of more than 5 x 10(exp 3) stars (and in U, V, and I of approximately greater than 1500 stars) are used to construct color-magnitude diagrams in the central 1 min of M15. Fourteen blue straggler candidates are identified in the inner 20 sec. The central color gradient noticed by previous researchers is caused by a central depletion of bright red giant stars rather than an excess of blue stragglers or blue horizontal branch stars.

Yanny, Brian↗
NASA NTRS1994

Chromospheric heating and metal deficiency in cool giants: Theoretical results versus observations

We compute acoustic shock wave-heated chromosphere models for moderately cool giant stars which differ greatly in metallicity. Subsequently, we simulate the emerging Mg II k lines assuming partial redistribution. The initial acoustic energy fluxes and the wave periods are taken from acoustic wave generation calculations based on traditional convection zone models. We find that the Mg II and Ca II core emissions are close to the observed basal flux limits which are common for giants and dwarfs. In addition, we find that the Mg II core emission is independent of the metallicity, in agreement with observations. We argue that these results should be considered as further evidence that the basal flux limits are indeed due to acoustic shock heating. The acoustic heating mechanism seems to be dominant in all nonmagnetic nonpulsating late-type stars.

Cuntz, M.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The cool half of the H-R diagram in soft X-rays

The results of an Einstein Observatory program to map the occurrence of hot coronae (T greater than 1 million K) in the cool half of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram are reported. F-M dwarfs, and late F through early K star giants characterized by 10,000 K chromospheric and 20,000-200,000 K FUV emission lines were studied in one region, while a second region study included red giants later than K2 III and supergiants later than G5 Ib with weaker chromospheric emission and no high temperature species. Program goals comprised determination of the C IV division as seen in soft X-rays, and identification of stellar parameters which distinguish strong from weak coronal X-ray sources. A summary of target stars, X-ray fluxes, and UV emission profiles is provided, and coronal emissions, comparisons of C IV and wind boundaries, hybrid-spectrum supergiants, the energy balance of stellar outer atmospheres, stellar rotation and coronae, and evolutionary considerations are discussed, along with lines of future research.

Ayres, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Spectroscopic investigation of cool giants and the authenticity of their reported microwave emission

Surface velocities and metal abundances for 19 red giant stars in the spectral range G5 to M3 are derived on the basis of AAT echelle spectroscopy data. Attention is given to the question of whether the stars reported to emit radio bursts had different physical properties (rotation rate, macroturbulence, microturbulence, and metal abundance) from those without the radio bursts, which might explain why they were radio emitters. The various velocities had values consistent with those previously found for other similar stars. There was an observed increase in both macroturbulent and, less definitely, microturbulent velocities with lateness of spectral type at K3 and later. A weak correlation between surface velocities and 8.4-GHz radio surface fluxes was found. No connection between iron abundances and radio surface fluxes was detected. It is concluded that few, if any, of the cool giants are radio emitters.

Jones, K. L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Infrared emission and mass loss from evolved stars in elliptical galaxies

Small aperture 10.2-micron measurements of normal elliptical galaxies show that for almost all of these galaxies the 12-micron emission seen by IRAS is extended on the scale of the galaxy. NGC 1052 and NGC 3998 are exceptions to this; much of their 10-12-micron emission comes from the inner regions of the galaxies and may be associated with their active nuclei, as is the case for many radio galaxies. The distribution of the IR light and the IR colors of elliptical galaxies suggest that the most plausible source of the 12-micron emission is photospheric and circumstellear emission from cool evolved red giant stars. The 12-micron emission is well in excess of that expected from photospheric emission alone; about 40 percent of it probably comes from circumstellar dust.

Knapp, G. R.↗