The Homogeneity of Interstellar Elemental Abundances in the Galactic Disk
We present interstellar elemental abundance measurements derived fromSpace Telescope Imaging Spectrograph echelle observations of 47 sightlines extending up to 6.5 kpc through the Galactic disk. These pathsprobe a variety of interstellar environments, covering ranges of nearly4 orders of magnitude in molecular hydrogen fraction f(H2)and more than 2 in mean hydrogen sight-line density. Coupling the current data with Goddard HighResolution Spectrograph data from 17 additional sight lines and thecorresponding Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer and Copernicusobservations of H2 absorption features, we explore magnesium,phosphorus, manganese, nickel, copper, and germanium gas-phase abundancevariations as a function of : density-dependentdepletion is noted for each element, consistent with a smooth transitionbetween two abundance plateaus identified with warm and cold neutralinterstellar medium depletion levels. The observed scatter with respectto an analytic description of these transitions implies that totalelemental abundances are homogeneous on length scales of hundreds ofparsecs, to the limits of abundance measurement uncertainty. Theprobable upper limit we determine for intrinsic variability at any is 0.04 dex, aside from an apparent 0.10 dexdeficit in copper (and oxygen) abundances within 800 pc of the Sun.Magnesium dust abundances are shown to scale with the amount of siliconin dust, and in combination with a similar relationship between iron andsilicon, these data appear to favor the young F and G star values ofSofia & Meyer as an elemental abundance standard for the Galaxy.Based on observations with the NASA/ESA.
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Reddening and the Extinction Law at High Galactic Latitude
We present near-infrared (JHKL) photometry of 103 southern stars locatedbehind translucent interstellar clouds at high Galactic latitude. Ourdata are combined with visual photometry and spectral type informationfrom the literature in a detailed analysis of the wavelength dependenceof interstellar extinction by dust in these high-latitude clouds. Weinvestigate the shape of the near-infrared extinction curve and evaluatethe total line-of-sight extinction (AV) and ratio oftotal-to-selective extinction (RV) in each line of sight.Sources of uncertainty in RV arising from photometric errorsand spectral classification errors are carefully assessed and quantifiedas functions of the line-of-sight reddening. We detect appreciabledifferences in our results compared with the average extinction curvefor dust in the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) close to the Galacticplane. Assuming a power-law form in the near-infrared, we find the meanfor high-latitude clouds to be well described by~λ-2.3, somewhat steeperthan that for the diffuse ISM(~λ-1.8). Our sampleincludes a substantial number of lines of sight with low RVvalues (47% with RV<2.8) relative to the diffuse ISMaverage of 3.05+/-0.15. We conclude that many high-latitude clouds haveenhanced abundances of relatively small grains.
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The Homogeneity of Interstellar Oxygen in the Galactic Disk
We present an analysis of high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope (HST)Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) observations of O Iλ1356 and H I Lyα absorption in 36 sight lines that probe avariety of Galactic disk environments and include paths that range overnearly 4 orders of magnitude in f(H2), over 2 orders ofmagnitude in , and that extend up to 6.5 kpc inlength. Since the majority of these sight lines have also been observedby the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE), we have undertakenthe study of gas-phase O/H abundance ratio homogeneity using the currentsample and previously published Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph(GHRS) results. Two distinct trends are identified in the 56 sight linesample: an apparent decrease in gas-phase oxygen abundance withincreasing mean sight-line density () and a gapbetween the mean O/H ratio for sight lines shorter and longer than about800 pc. The first effect is a smooth transition between two depletionlevels associated with large mean density intervals; it is centered near=1.5cm-3 and is similar to trendsevident in gas-phase abundances of other elements. Paths less dense thanthe central value exhibit a mean O/H ratio of log10(O/H)=-3.41+/-0.01 (or 390+/-10ppm), which is consistent with averages determined for several longlow-density paths observed by STIS (André et al. 2003) and shortlow-density paths observed by FUSE (Moos et al. 2002). Sight lines ofhigher mean density exhibit an average O/H value of log10(O/H)=-3.55+/-0.02 (284+/-12ppm). The data points for low- paths are scatteredmore widely than those for denser sight lines, because O/H ratios forsuch paths shorter than 800 pc are generally about 0.10 dex lower thanthe values for longer ones. Scenarios that would be consistent withthese results include a recent infall of metal-poor gas onto the localGalactic disk and an interstellar environment toward Orion that isconducive to reducing the apparent gas-phase oxygen abundance.Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope (HST) andthe NASA-CNES-CSA Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE). HSTspectra were obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which isoperated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy,Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555 FUSE is operated for NASA by theJohns Hopkins University under NASA contract NAS5-32985.
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The Homogeneity of Interstellar Krypton in the Galactic Disk
We present an analysis of high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope SpaceTelescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) observations of Kr I λ1236absorption in seven sight lines that probe a variety of interstellarenvironments. In combination with krypton and hydrogen column densitiesderived from current and archival STIS and Far-Ultraviolet SpectroscopicExplorer data, the number of sight lines with reliable Kr/H ISMabundance ratios has been increased by 50% to 26-including paths thatsample a range of nearly 5 orders of magnitude in f(H2) andover 2 orders of magnitude in , and extend up to4.8 kpc in length. For sight lines contained entirely within the localspiral arm (the Orion spur), the spread of Kr/H ratios about the mean oflog10[N(Kr)/N(H)]ISM=-9.02+/-0.02is remarkably tight (0.06 dex), less than the typical data-pointuncertainty. Intriguingly, the only two sight lines that extend throughneighboring structures, in particular gas associated with theCarina/Sagittarius arm, exhibit relatively large, near-solar kryptonabundances (log10[N(Kr)/N(H)]combined=-8.75+0.09-0.11).Although these deviations are only measured at the 2 σ level, theysuggest the possibility that krypton abundances beyond the Orion spurmay differ from the local value.Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope (HST) andthe NASA-CNES-CSA Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE). HSTspectra were obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which isoperated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy,Inc. under NASA contract NAS5-26555 FUSE is operated for NASA by theJohns Hopkins University under NASA contract NAS-32985.
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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.
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Grey extinction in the solar neighbourhood?
Some of the close O and B dwarfs appear to be fainter than indicated bytheir Hipparcos distances, intrinsic absolute magnitudes attributed totheir spectral types, and estimated selective interstellar extinction.This discrepancy is explained in the paper by the grey (neutral)interstellar extinction in the visual range of spectrum. The measure ofsuch an effect is related to discrete features of the interstellarmatter.
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Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph Observations of Interstellar Oxygen and Krypton in Translucent Clouds
We have obtained high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope (HST) SpaceTelescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) observations of O I λ1356and Kr I λ1236 absorption in 11 sight lines characterized by highextinction, large H I column densities, and/or long path lengths.Previous Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) measurements ofthese weak features in seven relatively nearby diffuse clouds have shownno evidence for density-dependent depletion of either oxygen or kryptonand have yielded a weighted mean gas-phase abundance ratio oflog[N(O)/N(Kr)]GHRS=5.56+/-0.04. Our STIS measurements yielda lower weighted mean of log[N(O)/N(Kr)]STIS=5.48 thedifference is due primarily to several translucent sight lines in theSTIS data set that diverge from the GHRS value. These translucent cloudsight lines pass near dense, star-forming regions, notably the ρOph, Orion, and Taurus molecular clouds. Since Kr, as a noble gas,should not be depleted much into grains, these cases suggest a trendtoward the enhanced oxygen depletion predicted for denser ISM clouds.Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtainedat the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by theAssociation of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under NASAcontract NAS 5-26555.
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Catalogue of Apparent Diameters and Absolute Radii of Stars (CADARS) - Third edition - Comments and statistics
The Catalogue, available at the Centre de Données Stellaires deStrasbourg, consists of 13 573 records concerning the results obtainedfrom different methods for 7778 stars, reported in the literature. Thefollowing data are listed for each star: identifications, apparentmagnitude, spectral type, apparent diameter in arcsec, absolute radiusin solar units, method of determination, reference, remarks. Commentsand statistics obtained from CADARS are given. The Catalogue isavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcar?J/A+A/367/521
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NaI and HI 3-D density distribution in the solar neighbourhood
A study of the local interstellar medium (LISM) using a robust inversionmethod, similar to current tomography techniques, is applied to compileddata on neutral interstellar absorbers and Hipparcos parallaxes. Wepresent here the 3-D distribution of two neutral species, NaI and HI.Our analysis enables us to obtain a reliable 3-D density distribution ofthe IS matter in the solar neighbourhood, providing a new basis for thediscussion of origin, present state and evolution of the LISM. We showthat neutral IS matter is distributed in compact clouds or in cloudcomplexes with cavities between them. It is now easy to distinguish theso-called Local Bubble and the Loop I cavities and also two tunnelslinking the Local Bubble to the outer regions of the galaxy, away fromthe galactic plane. Better accuracy is achieved for NaI, as to a largernumber of lines-of-sight and target stars than are available for HI. Arather detailed NaI 3-D density distribution is obtained with a 40 pcsmoothing length. The extended high-density regions in the NaI and HImaps are correlated which is not the case for the diffuse regions. Thedensity ratio rho_HI /rho_NaI is lower or equal to 9.1.108+/- 3.108 for extended high density clouds. Usingobservations from the ESA Hipparcos space astrometry mission.
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Sixth Catalogue of Fundamental Stars (FK6). Part III. Additional fundamental stars with direct solutions
The FK6 is a suitable combination of the results of the HIPPARCOSastrometry satellite with ground-based data, measured over a longinterval of time and summarized mainly in the FK5. Part III of the FK6(abbreviated FK6(III)) contains additional fundamental stars with directsolutions. Such direct solutions are appropriate for single stars or forobjects which can be treated like single stars. Part III of the FK6contains in total 3272 stars. Their ground-based data stem from thebright extension of the FK5 (735 stars), from the catalogue of remainingSup stars (RSup, 732 stars), and from the faint extension of the FK5(1805 stars). From the 3272 stars in Part III, we have selected 1928objects as "astrometrically excellent stars", since their instantaneousproper motions and their mean (time-averaged) ones do not differsignificantly. Hence most of the astrometrically excellent stars arewell-behaving "single-star candidates" with good astrometric data. Thesestars are most suited for high-precision astrometry. On the other hand,354 of the stars in Part III are Δμ binaries in the sense ofWielen et al. (1999). Many of them are newly discovered probablebinaries with no other hitherto known indication of binarity. The FK6gives, besides the classical "single-star mode" solutions (SI mode),other solutions which take into account the fact that hidden astrometricbinaries among "apparently single-stars" introduce sizable "cosmicerrors" into the quasi-instantaneously measured HIPPARCOS proper motionsand positions. The FK6 gives, in addition to the SI mode, the "long-termprediction (LTP) mode" and the "short-term prediction (STP) mode". TheseLTP and STP modes are on average the most precise solutions forapparently single stars, depending on the epoch difference with respectto the HIPPARCOS epoch of about 1991. The typical mean error of anFK6(III) proper motion in the single-star mode is 0.59 mas/year. This isa factor of 1.34 better than the typical HIPPARCOS errors for thesestars of 0.79 mas/year. In the long-term prediction mode, in whichcosmic errors are taken into account, the FK6(III) proper motions have atypical mean error of 0.93 mas/year, which is by a factor of about 2better than the corresponding error for the HIPPARCOS values of 1.83mas/year (cosmic errors included).
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The Size Distribution of Dust toward HD 210121 as Determined from Extinction
Several observations suggest that the molecular cloud toward HD 210121contains an enhanced relative abundance of small dust grains. Inparticular, the value of the ratio of total-to-selective extinction(RV) is unusually low. In this paper, we estimate the sizedistribution of dust grains in this line of sight from the extinctioncurve observed in the near-infrared through the ultraviolet. We use themaximum entropy method (MEM) to find the smoothest possible sizedistribution consistent within a χ2 confidence level fitto the extinction data. While MEM has been shown to be a powerful toolin modeling average extinction curves, we show in this paper that MEMcan also be a useful technique in modeling individual lines of sightthat differ significantly from Galactic averages. We review existingdata for HD 210121 and calculate the dust-to-gas ratio in order toconstrain the amount of material used in the grain model. We presentsize distributions for both two-component models of silicate andgraphite and three-component models that include amorphous carbon. Wecompare HD 210121 with the average diffuse interstellar medium and withthree other high-latitude lines of sight. The grain-size distributiontoward HD 210121 contains a relative excess of grains with radiusa<0.1 μm as well as a relative deficiency of grains with radiusa>0.1 μm as compared with the average diffuse interstellar mediumand other clouds at high latitude.
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The ROSAT all-sky survey catalogue of optically bright OB-type stars.
For the detailed statistical analysis of the X-ray emission of hot starswe selected all stars of spectral type O and B listed in the Yale BrightStar Catalogue and searched for them in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey. Inthis paper we describe the selection and preparation of the data andpresent a compilation of the derived X-ray data for a complete sample ofbright OB stars.
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Improved Mean Positions and Proper Motions for the 995 FK4 Sup Stars not Included in the FK5 Extension
Not Available
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The distribution of interstellar dust in the solar neighborhood
We surveyed the IRAS data base at the positions of the 1808 O6-B9.5stars in The Bright Star Catalog for extended objects with excessemission at 60 microns, indicating the presence of interstellar dust atthe location of the star. Within 400 pc the filling factor of theinterstellar medium, for dust clouds with a density greater than 0.5/cucm is 14.6 + or - 2.4%. Above a density of 1.0/cu cm, the densitydistribution function appears to follow a power law index - 1.25. Whenthe dust clouds are mapped onto the galactic plane, the sun appears tobe located in a low-density region of the interstellar medium of widthabout 60 pc extending at least 500 pc in the direction of longitudes 80deg - 260 deg, a feature we call the 'local trough'.
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Atlas of extinction curves derived from ultraviolet spectra of the TD-1 satellite
The collection of 166 extinction curves derived from the publishedlow-resolution spectra acquired with the aid of the spectrometer onboard the TD-1 satellite is presented. The observed variety ofextinction laws is apparently due to the varied physical parameters ofinterstellar clouds; for example, the bright stars, included in thesample of TD-1 material, are very likely to be obscured by single clouds(interstellar or circumstellar). The system of standards constructedwith the aid of a special procedure allowing the possible effects ofspectral mismatch to be avoided and making possible the derivation ofextinction curves even in cases of very small E(B-V)S, was applied. Thecurves are presented in the form of plots, normalized to E(B-V) = 1.
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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.
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Empirical temperature calibrations for early-type stars
Three temperature calibrations of suitable photometric quantities havebeen derived for O and B stars. A sample of 120 stars with reliableT(eff.) determinations has been used for establishing each calibration.The different calibrations have been critically discussed and compared.Temperature determinations for 1009 program stars have been obtainedwith an accuracy of the order of 10 percent.
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Merged log of IUE observations.
Not Available
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On the relationship between optical polarization and extinction
A sample of stars including lines of sight within various dense cloudsand stars in the diffuse interstellar medium are examined in order toinvestigate the relationship between various color ratios and thewavelength of the maximum of the interstellar polarization, lambda(max).The correlation of Serkowski (1975) is confirmed. The extinction lawshave been fitted by minimizing the square deviations from the observedcolors and the derived law. The results suggest that variations inlambda(max) are caused by differences in particle size distributions.Stars with large lambda(max) are noted in the outer regions of denseclouds, regions which are probably disturbed.
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The variation of interstellar extinction in the ultraviolet
One hundred and fifty-four reddened stars that are apparently normal inthe visible were selected from the S2/68 Ultraviolet Sky Survey. Theultraviolet data for 92 of these cannot be explained in terms of a fixedinterstellar extinction law. Between 1400 and 2740 A, the extinctioncurve for each star can be well represented by two parts; astraight-line scattering component and a Lorentzian 2200 A absorptionfeature. Independent variations are found in both parts and these cannotbe explained by photometric or spectral classification errors. Bothparts vary smoothly, implying that there is no fixed extinction law, andone star in three is found to depart from the mean law by more than 1mag at either 1500 or 2200 A. The two variations allow not only all 154stars to be explained but also anomalous stars reported by otherauthors. These are not special but merely situated towards the limits ofthe variations. A variation in the relative proportions of graphite andsilicate grains goes some way towards explaining the observations. Theprofile of the 2200 A feature is determined, the symmetrical shape isconfirmed, and the profile fits a Lorentzian very closely.
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The spectral energy distribution of early type stars. I - A catalogue of photometric data of 259 stars from 0.15 to 4.8 microns
For the derivation of physical parameters (e.g., effective temperatureand radius) of early-type stars from their intrinsic spectral-energydistribution, and for the study of foreground interstellar and/orcircumstellar matter, a sample of 237 O, B, and A stars was chosen fromthe ANS catalog (Wesselius et al., 1982). The ANS ultraviolet and theJohnson UBV data (mostly from Nicolet's catalog, 1978) of these starswere supplemented with visual Walraven WULBV, red VRI, and near-infraredJHKLM measurements. All these data are given in the present catalog.Data for 22 stars of spectral type later than A are also included.
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A catalog of ultraviolet interstellar extinction excesses for 1415 stars
Ultraviolet interstellar extinction excesses are presented for 1415stars with spectral types B7 and earlier. The excesses with respect to Vare derived from Astronomical Netherlands Satellite (ANS) 5-channel UVphotometry at central wavelengths of approximately 1550, 1800, 2500, and3300 A. A measure of the excess extinction in the 2200-A extinction bumpis also given. The data are valuable for investigating the systematicsof peculiar interstellar extinction and for studying the character of UVinterstellar extinction in the general direction of stars for which theextinction-curve shape is unknown.
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The local system of early type stars - Spatial extent and kinematics
Published uvby and H-beta photometric data and proper motions arecompiled and analyzed to characterize the structure and kinematics ofthe bright early-type O-A0 stars in the solar vicinity, with a focus onthe Gould belt. The selection and calibration techniques are explained,and the data are presented in extensive tables and graphs and discussedin detail. The Gould belt stars of age less than 20 Myr are shown togive belt inclination 19 deg to the Galactic plane and node-lineorientation in the direction of Galactic rotation, while the symmetricaldistribution about the Galactic plane and kinematic properties (purecircular differential rotation) of the belt stars over 60 Myr oldresemble those of fainter nonbelt stars of all ages. The unresolveddiscrepancy between the expansion observed in the youngest nearby starsand the predictions of simple models of expansion from a point isattributed to the inhomogeneous distribution of interstellar matter.
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The interstellar 2200 A band - A catalogue of equivalent widths
Not Available
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Starlight polarization in the direction of two H I complexes
Upper limits to the gas/dust ratio in the direction of two complexes arederived based on 21-cm line observations and starlight polarizationmeasurements. Elongated H I structures parallel to the galactic magneticfield suggest that the gas and dust comprise a common cloud or cloudsystem. Dust producing the starlight polarization is mixed with the H Igas, aiding in estimating the distance for the two H I complexes.Distances of 100 pc for the filament at low velocities and of 200 pc foran intermediate-velocity cloud complex (IVC) are established frompolarimetric data, and possible origins for the filaments and IVC aresuggested.
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Infrared photometry of southern early-type stars
The paper presents infrared photometry tied to the JHKL (1.2-3.5microns) broadband photometric system for 229 southern early-type stars.To determine data for stars of low reddening intrinsic visual-IR colorindices were used; the E(V-K)/E(B-V) diagram was applied to evaluate theratio of total selective extinction. A mean value of R = 3.12 plus orminus 0.05 was found for stars close to the galactic plane, but a highervalue of R (about 4.0) applies to the Orion and Sco-Oph regions.Infrared two-color diagrams were used to investigate the occurrence ofinfrared excess emission in different classes of shell star; no excesseswere found for supergiants or Of stars. It is concluded that theanomalous position HD 164740 in the two-color diagrams is produced bystrong infrared excess and not by a peculiar extinction law.
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Space velocities and ages of nearby early-type stars
Photometric distances and space velocities have been calculated for 458B0-A0 stars with apparent magnitudes not exceeding 6.5. UsingStromgren's ubvy-beta photometry the effective temperature and theposition in bolometric magnitude over the zero-age main sequence of thestars were derived. These quantities were used to obtain age and massfor 423 of the stars by interpolation in the models of stellar evolutionfor the chemical composition (X Z) = (0.7, 0.03). A relation forderiving interstellar reddening for normal stars in the intermediategroup is given.
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The correlation of the interstellar extinction law with the wavelength of maximum polarization
Results are reported for IR photometry of 56 southern stars for whichvalues of the wavelength of maximum polarization (lambdamax)are available. Lambdamax is plotted against EV-K/Esub B-V for each star, and previously published IR data are combinedwith these results, bringing the total number of stars for analysis to98. The plots are evaluated separately for a group of 73 stars withapparently normal spectra and a group of 25 stars with spectralpeculiarities associated with circumstellar shells. It is deduced thatthe ratio (R) of total to selective extinction and lambdamaxare related by the formula R = 5.6 times lambdamax (inmicrons). It is concluded that lambdamax is generally a morereliable grain-size parameter than R and that the most reliable methodof determining the visual absorption for individual stars is currentlythe relation AV = 5.6 (lambdamax) E sub B-V.
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Intermediate band photometry of early-type stars.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1977PASP...89..205E&db_key=AST
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Wavelength dependence of interstellar polarization and ratio of total to selective extinction
A multichannel polarimeter-photometer which uses dichroic filters toseparate the (UBVR) spectral regions is described. The instrument wasused with a 24-inch rotatable tube telescope for polarimetricobservation of nearby stars. Polarization data for 364 nearby stars aretabulated, together with the wavelength dependence of linear andinterstellar polarization.
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