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A Unified Representation of Gas-Phase Element Depletions in the Interstellar Medium
A study of gas-phase element abundances reported in the literature for17 different elements sampled over 243 sight lines in the local part ofour Galaxy reveals that the depletions into solid form (dust grains) areextremely well characterized by trends that employ only three kinds ofparameters. One is an index that describes the overall level ofdepletion applicable to the gas in any particular sight line, and theother two represent linear coefficients that describe how to derive eachelement's depletion from this sight-line parameter. The information fromthis study reveals the relative proportions of different elements thatare incorporated into dust at different stages of grain growth. Anextremely simple scheme is proposed for deriving the dust contents andmetallicities of absorption-line systems that are seen in the spectra ofdistant quasars or the optical afterglows of gamma-ray bursts. Contraryto presently accepted thinking, the elements sulfur and krypton appearto show measurable changes in their depletions as the general levels ofdepletions of other elements increase, although more data are needed toascertain whether or not these findings are truly compelling. Nitrogenappears to show no such increase. The incorporation of oxygen into solidform in the densest gas regions far exceeds the amounts that can takethe form of silicates or metallic oxides; this conclusion is based ondifferential measurements of depletion and thus is unaffected byuncertainties in the solar abundance reference scale.Based in large part on published observations from (1) the NASA/ESAHubble Space Telescope obtained at the Space Telescope ScienceInstitute, which is operated by the Association of Universities forResearch in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555, (2) theFar Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) mission operated by JohnsHopkins University, supported by NASA contract NAS5-32985, and (3) TheCopernicus satellite, supported by NASA grant NAGW-77 to PrincetonUniversity.
| The Variation of Magnesium Depletion with Line-of-Sight Conditions
In this paper we report on the gas-phase abundance of singly ionizedmagnesium (Mg II) in 44 lines of sight, using data from the Hubble SpaceTelescope (HST). We measure Mg II column densities by analyzing medium-and high-resolution archival Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS)spectra of the 1240 Å doublet of Mg II. We find that Mg IIdepletion is correlated with many line-of-sight parameters [e.g.,f(H2), EB-V, EB-V/r, AV, andAV/r] in addition to the well-known correlation with. These parameters should be more directly relatedto dust content and thus have more physical significance with regard tothe depletion of elements such as magnesium. We examine the significanceof these additional correlations as compared to the known correlationbetween Mg II depletion and . While none of thecorrelations are better predictors of Mg II depletion than, some are statistically significant even assumingfixed . We discuss the ranges over which thesecorrelations are valid, their strength at fixed ,and physical interpretations.
| New Insights on Interstellar Gas-Phase Iron
In this paper we report on the gas-phase abundance of singly ionizediron (Fe II) for 51 lines of sight, using data from FUSE. Fe II columndensities are derived by measuring the equivalent widths of several UVabsorption lines and subsequently fitting those to a curve of growth.Our derivation of Fe II column densities and abundances creates thelargest sample of iron abundances in moderately to highly reddened linesof sight explored with FUSE, lines of sight that are on average morereddened than lines of sight in previous Copernicus studies. We presentthree major results. First, we observe the well-established correlationbetween iron depletion and and also find trendsbetween iron depletion and other line-of-sight parameters [e.g.,f(H2), EB-V, and AV], and we examinethe significance of these trends. Of note, a few of our lines of sightprobe larger densities than previously explored and we do not seesignificantly enhanced depletion effects. Second, we present twodetections of an extremely weak Fe II line at 1901.773 Å in thearchival STIS spectra of two lines of sight (HD 24534 and HD 93222). Wecompare these detections to the column densities derived through FUSEspectra and comment on the line's f-value and utility for future studiesof Fe II. Finally, we present strong anecdotal evidence that the Fe IIf-values derived empirically through FUSE data are more accurate thanprevious values that have been theoretically calculated, with theprobable exception of f1112.
| Observational Constraints on Interstellar Grain Alignment
We present new multicolor photopolarimetry of stars behind the SouthernCoalsack. Analyzed together with multiband polarization data from theliterature, probing the Chamaeleon I, Musca, ? Opiuchus, R CrA, andTaurus clouds, we show that the wavelength of maximum polarization(?max) is linearly correlated with the radiationenvironment of the grains. Using far-infrared emission data, we showthat the large scatter seen in previous studies of?max as a function of AV is primarily dueto line-of-sight effects causing some AV measurements to notbe a good tracer of the extinction (radiation field strength) seen bythe grains being probed. The derived slopes in ?maxversus AV, for the individual clouds, are consistent with acommon value, while the zero intercepts scale with the average values ofthe ratios of total to selective extinction (RV) for theindividual clouds. Within each cloud we do not find direct correlationsbetween ?max and RV. The positive slope isconsistent with recent developments in theory and indicating alignmentdriven by the radiation field. The present data cannot conclusivelydifferentiate between direct radiative torques and alignment driven byH2 formation. However, the small values of?max(AV=0), seen in several clouds, suggesta role for the latter, at least at the cloud surfaces. The scatter inthe ?max versus AV relation is found to beassociated with the characteristics of the embedded YSOs in the clouds.We propose that this is partially due to locally increased plasmadamping of the grain rotation caused by X-rays from the YSOs.
| Pulkovo compilation of radial velocities for 35495 stars in a common system.
Not Available
| New Estimates of the Solar-Neighborhood Massive Star Birthrate and the Galactic Supernova Rate
The birthrate of stars of masses >=10 Msolar is estimatedfrom a sample of just over 400 O3-B2 dwarfs within 1.5 kpc of the Sunand the result extrapolated to estimate the Galactic supernova ratecontributed by such stars. The solar-neighborhood Galactic-plane massivestar birthrate is estimated at ~176 stars kpc-3Myr-1. On the basis of a model in which the Galactic stellardensity distribution comprises a ``disk+central hole'' like that of thedust infrared emission (as proposed by Drimmel and Spergel), theGalactic supernova rate is estimated at probably not less than ~1 normore than ~2 per century and the number of O3-B2 dwarfs within the solarcircle at ~200,000.
| High-resolution spectroscopy of the old open cluster Collinder 261: abundances of iron and other elements
We present the analysis of high resolution spectra of six red giantstars in the old open cluster Collinder 261. Reddening values forindividual stars, derived from the relation between colours andtemperatures (deduced from our fully spectroscopic analysis) areconsistent with previous determinations based on photometry. For thiscluster we derive an iron abundance of [Fe/H] = - 0.03 ± 0.03. Wealso obtain the abundances of light metals (O, Na and Al),α-elements (Mg, Si, Ca, Ti), elements of the Fe-group (Sc, Cr, Mn,Co, Ni) and the neutron-capture element Ba. No intrinsic star-to-starscatter is present in any of these elements within our sample. Wecompare our findings with previous investigations on this cluster,discussing in detail differences in analysis methods and results.
| Catalog of Galactic OB Stars
An all-sky catalog of Galactic OB stars has been created by extendingthe Case-Hamburg Galactic plane luminous-stars surveys to include 5500additional objects drawn from the literature. This work brings the totalnumber of known or reasonably suspected OB stars to over 16,000.Companion databases of UBVβ photometry and MK classifications forthese objects include nearly 30,000 and 20,000 entries, respectively.
| The total-to-selective extinction ratio determined from near IR photometry of OB stars
The paper presents an extensive list of the total to selectiveextinction ratios R calculated from the infrared magnitudes of 597 O andB stars using the extrapolation method. The IR magnitudes of these starswere taken from the literature. The IR colour excesses are determinedwith the aid of "artificial standards" - Wegner (1994). The individualand mean values of total to selective extinction ratios R differ in mostcases from the average value R=3.10 +/-0.05 - Wegner (1993) in differentOB associations. The relation between total to selective extinctionratios R determined in this paper and those calculated using the "methodof variable extinction" and the Cardelli et al. (1989) formulae isdiscussed. The R values presented in this paper can be used to determineindividual absolute magnitudes of reddened OB stars with knowntrigonometric parallaxes.
| A New Measurement of the Average Far-Ultraviolet Extinction Curve
We have measured the extinction curve in the far-ultraviolet wavelengthregion of (900-1200 Å) using spectra obtained with the BerkeleyEUV/FUV spectrometer during the ORFEUS I and the ORFEUS II (Orbiting andRetrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer) missions in 1993and 1996. From the complete sample of early-type stars observed duringthese missions, we have selected pairs of stars with the same spectraltype but different reddenings to measure the differential FUVextinction. We model the effects of molecular hydrogen absorption andexclude affected regions of the spectrum to determine the extinctionfrom dust alone. We minimize errors from inaccuracies in the catalogedspectral types of the stars by making our own determinations of spectraltypes based on their IUE spectra. We find substantial scatter in thecurves of individual star pairs and present a detailed examination ofthe uncertainties and their effects on each extinction curve. We findthat, given the potentially large uncertainties inherent in using thepair method at FUV wavelengths, a careful analysis of measurementuncertainties is critical to assessing the true dust extinction. Wepresent a new measurement of the average far-ultraviolet extinctioncurve to the Lyman limit; our new measurement is consistent with anextrapolation of the standard extinction curve of Savage & Mathis.
| Atlas of Interstellar Extinction Curves of OB Stars Covering the Whole Available Wavelength Range
The paper presents a collection of 436 extinction curves covering thewhole available range of wavelengths from satellite UV to near-IR. Thedata were taken from the ANS photometric catalogue and from thecompilations of IR photometric measurements. The data curves have beenobtained with the aid of ``artificial standards": Papaj et al. (1993)and Wegner (1994, 1995). The visual magnitudes and spectralclassifications of O and B type stars with EB-V>= 0.05were taken from the SIMBAD database. The curves are given in the form ofplots and tables E{lambda - V} / EB-V versus1/λ. The observed variety of extinction laws among slightlyreddened stars is apparently due to the various physical parameters ofinterstellar clouds.
| The Distribution of Thermal Pressures in the Interstellar Medium from a Survey of C I Fine-Structure Excitation
We used the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) with itssmallest entrance aperture (0.03" wide slit) and highest resolutionechelle gratings (E140H and E230H) to record the interstellar absorptionfeatures for 10 different multiplets of neutral carbon at a resolvingpower of λ/Δλ=200,000 in the UV spectra of 21early-type stars. Our objective was to measure the amount of C I in eachof its three fine-structure levels of the ground electronic state, sothat we could determine the thermal pressures in the absorbing gas andhow much they vary in different regions. Our observations areprincipally along directions out to several kiloparsecs in the Galacticplane near longitudes l=120deg and 300°, with the moredistant stars penetrating nearby portions of the Perseus andSagittarius-Carina arms of the Galaxy. We devised a special analysistechnique to decipher the overlapping absorption features in thedifferent multiplets, each with different arrangements of the closelyspaced transitions. In order to derive internally consistent results forall multiplets, we found that we had to modify the relative transitionf-values in a way that made generally weak transitions stronger thanamounts indicated in the current literature. We compared our measuredrelative populations of the excited fine-structure levels to thoseexpected from equilibria calculated with collisional rate constants forvarious densities, temperatures, and compositions. The median thermalpressure for our entire sample was p/k=2240 cm-3 K, orslightly higher if the representative temperatures of the material aremuch above or below a most favorable temperature of 40 K for theexcitation of the first excited level at a given pressure. For gas thatis moving outside the range of radial velocities permitted bydifferential Galactic rotation between us and the targets, about 15% ofthe C I indicates a thermal pressure p/k>5000 cm-3 K. Forgas within the allowed velocities, this fraction is only 1.5%. Thiscontrast reveals a relationship between pressure enhancements and thekinematics of the gas. Regardless of velocity, we usually can registerthe presence of a very small proportion of the gas that seems to be atp/k>~105 cm-3 K. We interpret these ubiquitouswisps of high-pressure material to arise either from small-scale densityenhancements created by converging flows in a turbulent medium or fromwarm turbulent boundary layers on the surfaces of dense clouds movingthrough an intercloud medium. For turbulent compression, our C Iexcitations indicate that the barytropic indexγeff>~0.90 must apply if the unperturbed gas startsout with representative densities and temperatures n=10 cm-3and T=100 K. This value for γeff is larger than thatexpected for interstellar material that remains in thermal equilibriumafter it is compressed from the same initial n and T. However, ifregions of enhanced pressure reach a size smaller than ~0.01 pc, thedynamical time starts to become shorter than the cooling time, andγeff should start to approach the adiabatic valuecp/cv=5/3. Some of the excited C I may arise fromthe target stars' H II regions or by the effects of optical pumping fromthe submillimeter line radiation emitted by them. We argue that thesecontributions are small, and our comparisons of the velocities ofstrongly excited C I to those of excited Si II seem to support thisoutlook. For six stars in the survey, absorption features frominterstellar excited O I could be detected at velocities slightlyshifted from the persistent features of telluric origin. These O I* andO I** features were especially strong in the spectra of HD 93843 and HD210839, the same stars that show exceptionally large C I excitations. Inappendices of this paper, we present evidence that (1) the wavelengthresolving power of STIS in the E14OH mode is indeed about 200,000, and(2) the telluric O I* and O I** features exhibit some evidence formacroscopic motions, since their broadenings are in excess of thatexpected for thermal Doppler broadening at an exospheric temperatureT=1000 K. Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescopeobtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated bythe Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., underNASA contract NAS 5-26555.
| IUE Absorption-Line Observations of the Moderately and Highly Ionized Interstellar Medium toward 164 Early-Type Stars
We present measurements of Galactic interstellar Al III, Si IV, and C IVabsorption recorded in high-resolution archival ultraviolet spectra of164 hot early-type stars observed by the International UltravioletExplorer (IUE) satellite. The objects studied were drawn from the listof hot stars scheduled to be observed with the Far UltravioletSpectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite as part of observing programsdesigned to investigate absorption by O VI in the Galactic disk andhalo. Multiple IUE echelle-mode integrations have been combined toproduce a single ultraviolet (1150-1900 Å) spectrum of each starwith a spectral resolution of ~25 km s-1 (FWHM). Selectedabsorption-line profiles are presented for each star along with plots ofthe apparent column density per unit velocity for each line of the AlIII, Si IV, and C IV doublets. We report absorption-line equivalentwidths, absorption velocities, and integrated column densities based onthe apparent optical depth method of examining interstellar absorptionlines. We also determine column densities and Doppler parameters fromsingle-component curve-of-growth analyses. The scientific analysis ofthese observations will be undertaken after the FUSE satellite producessimilar measurements for absorption by interstellar O IV, Fe III, S III,and other ions. Based on archival data from observations obtained withthe International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite sponsored byNASA, SERC, and ESA.
| Five-colour photometry of OB-stars in the Southern Hemisphere
Observations of OB-stars, made in 1959 and 1960 at the Leiden SouthernStation near Hartebeespoortdam, South Africa, with the VBLUW photometerattached to the 90 cm light-collector, are given in this paper. They arecompared with photometry obtained by \cite[Graham (1968),]{gra68}\cite[Walraven & Walraven (1977),]{wal77} \cite[Lub & Pel(1977)]{lub77} and \cite[Van Genderen et al. (1984).]{gen84} Formulaefor the transformation of the present observations to those of\cite[Walraven & Walraven (1977)]{wal77} and \cite[Lub & Pel(1977)]{lub77} are given. Table 4 is only available in electronic format the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) orvia http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| UBV beta Database for Case-Hamburg Northern and Southern Luminous Stars
A database of photoelectric UBV beta photometry for stars listed in theCase-Hamburg northern and southern Milky Way luminous stars surveys hasbeen compiled from the original research literature. Consisting of over16,000 observations of some 7300 stars from over 500 sources, thisdatabase constitutes the most complete compilation of such photometryavailable for intrinsically luminous stars around the Galactic plane.Over 5000 stars listed in the Case-Hamburg surveys still lackfundamental photometric data.
| Red and infrared colours of B stars and the reddening law in the Galaxy
The red and infrared intrinsic colours of B stars are derived fromphotometric observations through the UBV(RI)_CJHK and Hβ filters of257 early-type stars. Those stars for which the UBV and Hβmeasurements match the published spectral class, and which show no othersigns of peculiarity, are used to determine the intrinsic photometriccolours of B stars in the red and infrared. From these intrinsic coloursthe interstellar reddening relationships for the red and infraredcolours are evaluated, and the results are compared with previousestimates of these quantities. The values of R, E(B-V) and the distanceare then determined for the individual stars. R is confirmed to be closeto 3.1 in most cases, but was found to be much larger in somedirections. The relationship between R and the location of a star in theGalaxy is investigated. Usually the abnormally reddened stars seemed tobe associated with known regions of star formation. The paper alsoidentifies seven likely variable stars and a number of stars withpossible dust shells.
| A Radial Velocity Database for Stephenson-Sanduleak Southern Luminous Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1997AJ....113..823R&db_key=AST
| Cross-correlation characteristics of OB stars from IUE spectroscopy
We present a catalogue of homogeneous measures of the linewidthparameter, v_esin i, for 373 O-type stars and early B supergiants(including the separate components of 25 binary and three triplesystems), produced by cross-correlating high-resolution,short-wavelength IUE spectra against a `template' spectrum of tauSco. Wealso tabulate terminal velocities. There are no O supergiants in oursample with v_esin i<65 km s^-1, and only one supergiant earlier thanB5 has v_esin i<50 km s^-1, confirming that an important linebroadening mechanism in addition to rotation must be present in theseobjects. A calibration of the area under the cross-correlation peakagainst spectral type is used to obtain estimates of continuum intensityratios of the components in 28 spectroscopically binary or multiplesystems. At least seven SB2 systems show evidence for the `Struve-Sahadeeffect', a systematic variation in relative line strength as a functionof orbital phase. The stellar wind profiles of the most rapid rotator inour sample, the O9III:n* star HD 191423 (v_esin i=436km s^-1), show itto have a `wind-compressed disc' similar to that of HD 93521; this starand other rapid rotators are good candidates for studies of non-radialpulsation.
| Coronal Gas in the Halo. II. ORFEUS Observations of Galactic Halo Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1996ApJ...465..296H&db_key=AST
| Vitesses radiales. Catalogue WEB: Wilson Evans Batten. Subtittle: Radial velocities: The Wilson-Evans-Batten catalogue.
We give a common version of the two catalogues of Mean Radial Velocitiesby Wilson (1963) and Evans (1978) to which we have added the catalogueof spectroscopic binary systems (Batten et al. 1989). For each star,when possible, we give: 1) an acronym to enter SIMBAD (Set ofIdentifications Measurements and Bibliography for Astronomical Data) ofthe CDS (Centre de Donnees Astronomiques de Strasbourg). 2) the numberHIC of the HIPPARCOS catalogue (Turon 1992). 3) the CCDM number(Catalogue des Composantes des etoiles Doubles et Multiples) byDommanget & Nys (1994). For the cluster stars, a precise study hasbeen done, on the identificator numbers. Numerous remarks point out theproblems we have had to deal with.
| A spectroscopic database for Stephenson-Sanduleak Southern Luminous Stars
A database of published spectral classifications for objects in theStepenson-Sanduleak Luminous Stars in the Southern Milky Way catalog hasbeen compiled from the literature. A total of 6182 classifications for2562 stars from 139 sources are incorporated.
| The distribution of neutral hydrogen in the interstellar medium. 1: The data
We compile, from the existing literature, the largest sample to date(842 data points) of hydrogen column density measurements, N(H I), ofthe gas in the interstellar medium. We include only results obtainedfrom absorption measurements toward individual stars (594 in our sample)in an effort to construct a three-dimensional picture of theinterstellar gas. We derive hydrogen column densities toward a fractionof the stars in the sample from published column density measurements ofmetal ions. A three-dimensional physical model derived from this dataset will be presented in a companion paper. The observed stars spandistances from a few parsecs to a few thousand parsecs, and more thanhalf of the sample serves to describe the local interstellar mediumwithin a few hundred parsecs of the Sun. Hydrogen column densities rangefrom 1017 to 1022/sq cm. We describe here thevarious observational methods used to estimate the hydrogen columndensities and present the table with the stellar and hydrogen columndensity data. The provided table is intended as a global reference work,not to introduce new results.
| An IUE survey of interstellar H I LY alpha absorption. 1: Column densities
We measure Galactic interstellar neutral hydrogen column densities byanalyzing archival interstellar Ly alpha absorption line data toward 554B2 and hotter stars observed at high resolution with the IUE satellite.This study more than doubles the number of lines of sight with measuresof N(H I) based on Ly alpha. We have included the scattered lightbackground correction algorithm of Bianchi and Bohlin in our datareduction. We use the correlation between the Balmer discontinuity(c1) index and the stellar Ly alpha absorption in order toassess the effects of stellar Ly alpha contamination. Approximately 40%of the B stars with measured (c1) index, exhibit seriousstellar Ly alpha contamination. One table contains the derived values ofthe interstellar N(H I) for 393 stars with at most small amounts ofstellar contamination. Another lists the observed values of total N(H I)for 161 stars with suspected stellar Ly alpha contamination and/oruncertain stellar parameters.
| Multicolour Polarization and Co/ Observations Towards a Dark Filament in Musca
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1993MNRAS.265....1A&db_key=AST
| Photospheric Absorption Lines in the Ultraviolet Spectra of O-Stars and B-Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1990MNRAS.246..392P&db_key=AST
| Terminal velocities for a large sample of O stars, B supergiants, and Wolf-Rayet stars
It is argued that easily measured, reliable estimates of terminalvelocities for early-type stars are provided by the central velocityasymptotically approached by narrow absorption features and by theviolet limit of zero residual intensity in saturated P Cygni profiles.These estimators are used to determine terminal velocities, v(infinity),for 181 O stars, 70 early B supergiants, and 35 Wolf-Rayet stars. For OBstars, the values are typically 15-20 percent smaller than the extremeviolet edge velocities, v(edge), while for WR stars v(infinity) = 0.76v(edge) on average. New mass-loss rates for WR stars which are thermalradio emitters are given, taking into account the new terminalvelocities and recent revisions to estimates of distances and to themean nuclear mass per electron. The relationships between v(infinity),the surface escape velocities, and effective temperatures are examined.
| The distribution of interstellar AL III away from the Galactic plane
IUE spectra are analyzed to study the density distribution ofinterstellar Al III away from the Galactic plane. In most cases, themeasured values of the relative line strengths are consistent with onlymodest levels of line saturation. Al III is found to have an exponentialscale height and 1 sigma errors of 1.02(+0.36, -0.24) kpc. For the sameset of 70 stars, the scale height and 1 sigma errors for H I are0.67(+0.21, -0.16) kpc. The Al III scale height is similar to the valueobtained for free electrons from pulsar dispersion measures. The ionizedgas traced by Al III is somewhat more extended than the neutral gastraced by H I but less extended than the very highly ionized gas tracedby Si IV, C IV, and N V.
| The spectral energy distribution of early-type stars. II - The extinction law towards O-type stars
Photometric measurements through different pass-bands are used todetermine the color-excess E(B-V) for O-type stars in the UV and IRspectral regions. The results are used to examine the extinctioncharacter of the stars. It is found that, in the UV, each O-type starhas its own extinction character. In general, the visual and NIRextinction in the direction of O-type stars are normal.
| The density distribution of refractory elements away from the Galactic plane
The density distributions of the three refractory elements Ti II, Ca II,and Fe II away from the Galactic plane are compared with thedistribution of hydrogen and dust by examining plots of N s in b versusz. It is found that Ti II and Ca II are considerably more extended in zthan the H I and dust and that Fe II has an intermediate extension.Although the results are strongly influenced by sample bias, theindicated exponential scale heights for the data sample are h(Ti II) notless than 2 kpc, h(Ca II) = 1 kpc, h(Fe II) = 0.5 kpc, H(H I) = 0.3 kpc,and h(E/B-V) = 0.1 kpc. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that Ti II andCa II are much more smoothly distributed in space than the hydrogen ordust. The large scale heights for Ti II and Ca II and their smoothdistributions are most easily understood as the effect of a mixturealong the line of sight of two H I phases namely, a diffuse cloud phase,in which nearly all of the Ti and Ca are tied up in dust, and anintercloud medium, where refractory elements are less depleted. It isfound that Ti II and Ca II mostly trace the smoothly distributedintercloud medium. The smoothness of the distributions of Ti II and CaII makes them candidates for use as distance indicators.
| Highly ionized interstellar gas located in the Galactic disk and halo
High-resolution IUE absorption line spectra have been obtained for 40distant stars in order to study the distribution of interstellar H I, SiIV, C IV, and N V in the Galactic disk and lower halo. Respectivemidplane densities of 2 x 10 to the -9th, 7 x 10 to the -9th, and 3 x 10to the -9th are found for Si IV, C IV, and Ni V. Both column density andvelocity data indicate that the highly ionized gas (HIG) is considerablymore extended in directions away from the Galactic plane than is H I orSi II. The absorption-line velocities for the halo HIG are consistentwith the notion that halo gas in the inner Galaxy rotates more slowlythan gas in the underlying disk. The derived column densities suggest anexponential scale height for the HIG of about 3 kpc; however, a simpleexponential distribution is a poor representation of the distribution ofthe gas. It is concluded that a full explanation of the origin of thehalo HIG will probably require a blending of ideas from the Galacticfountain and the photoionized halo models.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Musca |
| Right ascension: | 12h35m16.53s |
| Declination: | -72°43'00.8" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 7.631 |
| Distance: | 952.381 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | -5.1 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -3.1 |
| B-T magnitude: | 7.593 |
| V-T magnitude: | 7.628 |
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