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High-Resolution Observations of Interstellar Ca I Absorption-Implications for Depletions and Electron Densities in Diffuse Clouds
We present high-resolution (FWHM~0.3-1.5 km s-1) spectra,obtained with the AAT UHRF, the McDonald Observatory 2.7 m coudéspectrograph, and/or the KPNO coudé feed, of interstellar Ca Iabsorption toward 30 Galactic stars. Comparisons of the column densitiesof Ca I, Ca II, K I, and other species-for individual componentsidentified in the line profiles and also when integrated over entirelines of sight-yield information on relative electron densities anddepletions (dependent on assumptions regarding the ionizationequilibrium). There is no obvious relationship between the ratio N(CaI)/N(Ca II) [equal to ne/(Γ/αr) forphotoionization equilibrium] and the fraction of hydrogen in molecularform f(H2) (often taken to be indicative of the local densitynH). For a smaller sample of sight lines for which thethermal pressure (nHT) and local density can be estimated viaanalysis of the C I fine-structure excitation, the average electrondensity inferred from C, Na, and K (assuming photoionizationequilibrium) seems to be independent of nH andnHT. While the electron density (ne) obtained fromthe ratio N(Ca I)/N(Ca II) is often significantly higher than the valuesderived from other elements, the patterns of relative nederived from different elements show both similarities and differencesfor different lines of sight-suggesting that additional processesbesides photoionization and radiative recombination commonly andsignificantly affect the ionization balance of heavy elements in diffuseinterstellar clouds. Such additional processes may also contribute tothe (apparently) larger than expected fractional ionizations(ne/nH) found for some lines of sight withindependent determinations of nH. In general, inclusion of``grain-assisted'' recombination does reduce the inferred ne,but it does not reconcile the ne estimated from differentelements; it may, however, suggest some dependence of ne onnH. The depletion of calcium may have a much weakerdependence on density than was suggested by earlier comparisons with CHand CN. Two appendices present similar high-resolution spectra of Fe Ifor a few stars and give a compilation of column density data for Ca I,Ca II, Fe I, and S I.
| A study of the behaviour of the NaI/KI column density ratio in the interstellar medium using the Na ultraviolet doublet
Here we make a new study of the behaviour of the NaI/KI column densityratio in the interstellar medium, using a sample of new observations of28 stars obtained at the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) in 1996 and1997, and previously published observations (obtained by some of theauthors) of 21 stars. The sightlines cover a range of distances anddirections, including into the Galactic halo. We make use of newobservations of the NaI ultraviolet (UV) doublet for some 18 stars. Thisdoublet is much weaker than the NaI D doublet and so is less susceptibleto saturation effects, and it is well known that it can be used toobtain more accurate NaI column densities with a smaller error range. Wefind an average N(NaI)/N(KI) ratio from the NaI UV data of about 90,which is rather higher than that found previously by Hobbs and Lequeux.The Na UV-KI ratio shows a small increase in value with increasingcolumn density, while we also find a sample of low N(NaI)/N(KI) ratioclouds generally seen towards distant objects on high-latitudesightlines that reach into the halo, so that the ratio decreases moresharply at lower column densities. As the values of the ratio for thesehalo clouds (10-20) bracket the cosmic Na/K abundance ratio, we suggestthat these ratios result from a harder radiation field in the lowerhalo, such that the ionized fractions of NaI and KI become similar.Clearly caution needs to be applied in using any kind of `standardvalue' for the NaI/KI column density ratio.
| Mapping the contours of the Local bubble: preliminary results
We present preliminary results from a long-term program of mapping theneutral absorption characteristics of the local interstellar medium,taking advantage of Hipparcos stellar distances. Equivalent widths ofthe NaI D-line doublet at 5890 Å are presented for thelines-of-sight towards some 143 new target stars lying within 300 pc ofthe Sun. Using these data which were obtained at the Observatoire deHaute Provence, together with previously published NaI absorptionmeasurements towards a further 313 nearby targets, we present absorptionmaps of the distribution of neutral gas in the local interstellar mediumas viewed from 3 different galactic projections. In particular, thesemaps reveal the Local Bubble region as a low neutral densityinterstellar cavity in the galactic plane with radii between 65-250 pcthat is surrounded by a (dense) neutral gas boundary (or ``wall''). Wehave compared our iso-column contours with the contours derived bySnowden et al. (\cite{snowden98}) using ROSAT soft X-ray emission data.Consistency in the global dimensions derived for both sets of contoursis found for the case of a million degree hot LB plasma of emissivity0.0023 cm(-6) pc with an electron density of 0.005 cm(-2) . We havedetected only one relatively dense accumulation of cold, neutral gaswithin 60 pc of the Sun that surrounds the star delta Cyg, and note thatthe nearest molecular cloud complex of MBM 12 probably resides at thevery edge of the Local Bubble at a distance of ~ 90 pc. Our observationsmay also explain the very different physical properties of the columnsof interstellar gas in the line-of-sight to the two hot stars epsilonCMa and beta CMa as being due to their locations with respect to theBubble contours. Finally, in the meridian plane the LB cavity is foundto be elongated perpendicularly to the Gould's Belt plane, possiblybeing ``squeezed'' by the expanding shells of the Sco-Cen andPerseus-Taurus OB associations. Tables 1 and 2 are also available inelectronic form at the CDS (Strasbourg) via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| Atomic and Molecular Interstellar Absorption Lines toward the High Galactic Latitude Stars HD 141569 and HD 157841 at Ultra-High Resolution
We present ultra-high-resolution (0.32 km s-1) spectra obtained with the3.9 m Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) and Ultra-High-ResolutionFacility (UHRF) of interstellar Na I D1, Na I D2, Ca II K, K I, and CHabsorption toward two high Galactic latitude stars HD 141569 and HD157841. We have compared our data with 21 cm observations obtained fromthe Leiden/Dwingeloo H I survey. We derive the velocity structure andcolumn densities of the clouds represented by the various components andidentify the clouds with ISM structures seen in the region at otherwavelengths. We further derive abundances, linear depletions, and H2fractional abundances for these clouds wherever possible. Both stars arelocated in regions of IRAS 100 mu m emission associated with highGalactic latitude molecular clouds (HLCs): HD 141569 lies, inprojection, close to MBM 37 and the Lynds dark cloud L134N, whereas HD157841 is in the vicinity of the MBM 151. Toward HD 141569 we detect twocomponents in our UHRF spectra: a weak, broad b = 4.5 km s-1 componentat -15 km s-1, seen only in Ca II K absorption, and another component at0 km s-1, seen in Na I D1, Na I D2, Ca II K, K I, and CH absorption. Thecloud represented by the -15 km s-1 component is warm and may be locatedin a region close to the star. The cloud represented by the 0 km s-1component has a Ca linear depletion delta (Ca) = 1.4 x 10-4 and showsevidence for the presence of dust, consistent with strong 100 mu memission seen in this region. The H2 fractional abundance f(H2) derivedfor this cloud is 0.4, which is typically what is observed toward HLCs.We conclude that this 0 km s-1 cloud is associated with MBM 37 and L134Nbased on the presence of dust and molecular gas (CH) and good velocityagreement with CO emission from these two clouds. This places HD 141569beyond MBM 37 and L134N, which are estimated to be at ~110 pc. In thecase of the HD 157841 sight line, a total of six components are seen onour UHRF spectra in Na I D1, Na I D2, Ca II K, K I, and CH absorption.Two of these six components are seen only in a single species. The cloudrepresented by the components at 1.85 km s-1 has a Ca linear depletiondelta (Ca) = 2.8 x 10-4, indicating the presence of dust. The f(H2)derived for this cloud is 0.45, and there is good velocity agreementwith CO emission from MBM 151. To the best of our knowledge, this 1.85km s-1 component toward HD 157841 is the first one found to haverelative line widths that are consistent with pure thermal broadeningonly. We associate the 1.85 km s-1 cloud seen in our UHRF spectra withMBM 151 and conclude that HD 157841 must lie beyond ~200 pc, theestimated distance to MBM 151.
| Photometric and spectroscopic analysis of high galactic latitude molecular clouds. II - High-resolution spectroscopic observations of NA I, CA II, CA I, CH, and CH(+1)
High-resolution spectroscopic observations in the wavelengths of thespecies Na I, Ca II, and Ca I and the molecular species CH and CH(+)have been performed toward stars behind a variety of high galacticlatitude molecular clouds (HLCs). Seventeen new detections of molecularabsorption are reported. The sizes, densities, and molecular contentfound for the HLCs are consistent with an interpretation of HLCmolecular cores as extremely compact structures of enhanced molecularcontent which may have evolved from larger H I shells.
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Observation and Astrometry data
| Constellation: | Ophiucus |
| Right ascension: | 17h25m59.46s |
| Declination: | -06°34'54.6" |
| Apparent magnitude: | 6.97 |
| Distance: | 175.439 parsecs |
| Proper motion RA: | -1.2 |
| Proper motion Dec: | -13 |
| B-T magnitude: | 7.226 |
| V-T magnitude: | 6.992 |
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