Steven N. Shore

Sub-surface convection zones in hot massive stars and their observable consequences

Context. We study the convection zones in the outer envelope of hot massive stars which are caused by opacity peaks associated with iron and helium ionization. Aims. We determine the occurrence and properties of these convection zones as function of the stellar parameters. We then confront our results with observations of OB stars. Methods. A stellar evolution code is used to compute a grid of massive star models at different metallicities. In these models, the mixing length theory is used to characterize the envelope convection zones. Results. We find the iron convection zone (FeCZ) to be more prominent fo r lower surface gravity, higher luminosity and higher initi al metallicity. It is absent for luminosities below about 10 3.2 L⊙, 10 3.9 L⊙, and 10 4.2 L⊙ for the Galaxy, LMC and SMC, respectively. We map the strength of the FeCZ on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for three metallicities, and compare this with the occurrence of observational phenomena in O stars: microturbulence, non-radial pulsations, wind clumping, and line profile variabil ity. Conclusions. The confirmation of all three trends for the FeCZ as function o f stellar parameters by empirical microturbulent velociti es argues for a physical connection between sub-photospheric convective motions and small scale stochastic velocities i n the photosphere of O- and B-type stars. We further suggest that clumping in the inner parts of the winds of OB stars could be caused by the same mechanism, and that magnetic fields produced in the FeCZ coul d appear at the surface of OB stars as diagnosed by discrete absorption components in ultraviolet absorption lines.

Goddard high-resolution spectrograph observations of the local interstellar medium and the deuterium/hydrogen ratio along the line of sight toward Capella

HST Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph observations of the 1216, 2600, and 2800 A spectral regions are analyzed for the spectroscopic binary system Capella, obtained at orbital phase 0.26 with 3.27-3.57 km/s resolution and high SNR. The column densities of H I, D I, Mg II, and Fe II for the local interstellar medium along this 12.5 pc line of sight, together with estimates of the temperature and turbulent velocity are inferred. It is inferred that the atomic deuterium/hydrogen ratio by number is 1.65(+0.07, -0.18) x 10 exp -5 for this line of sight. Galactic evolution calculations indicate that the primordial D/H ratio probably lies in the range of (1.5-3) x (D/H)LISM. If H0 = 80 km/s Mpc, as recent evidence suggests, then the baryonic density in units of the Einstein-de Sitter closure density is 0.023-0.031. Thus the universe is argued to expand forever, unless nonbaryonic matter greatly exceeds the amount of baryonic matter.

Magnetically controlled circumstellar matter in the helium-strong stars

This paper reports the observation and interpretation of the ultraviolet spectrum variations of nine helium-strong stars: HD 36485, 37017, 37479, 37776, 58260, 60344, 64740, 96446, and 133518. A unified model is developed to account for the observed correlation among three stellar properties: the line profile characteristics of the C IV and Si IV resonance doublets, the variations in the strength of these lines, and the inferred magnetic field geometry. It is proposed that circumstellar plasma is trapped in the stellar magnetosphere near the magnetic equator or is channeled to form jetlike outflows from the magnetic polar regions. These results, together with those of a previous study of the helium-weak sn stars, show that both helium-weak and helium-strong stars can possess magnetospherically trapped plasma, notwithstanding their different photospheric properties. New results for radii and temperatures of the helium-strong stars in Ori OB 1 and for HD 64740 from low-dispersion IUE spectra are also presented. 45 refs.

Photoionized and Photodissociated Regions around Main-Sequence Stars

Within a molecular cloud, the strong ultraviolet radiation field produced by newly formed stars dissociates and ionizes the surrounding molecular gas. The radiative flux depends on the effective temperature and metallicity of the star. Using the most recent line-blanketed atmosphere models from Kurucz, we obtain the rates of ionizing and dissociating photons from stars with effective temperatures of 7.5 × 103 to 5 × 104 K, and for metallicities between 0.01 times solar and solar. With a radiative transfer model, we then compute the basic structures and sizes of the photoionized and photodissociated regions produced by stars embedded in a molecular gas with uniform densities. Absorption of the UV flux by dust decreases the mass of H II and H I produced within the cloud, and its effects are taken into account in our model. We also discuss the constraints imposed by photodissociated regions on the number of intermediate- and high-mass stars that can form in molecular clouds.

On the massive star-forming capacity of molecular clouds

Assuming that photoionization is the self-limiting process for continued star formation, we estimate the maximum number of massive (OB) stars that can form within a molecular cloud. The most efficient cloud destruction mechanism in the early stages of H II region evolution is the evaporation of the cloud by stars located near the cloud boundary. The maximum number of OB stars is of order 1 per 10(exp 4) solar mass of average molecular gas, or 10 per 10(exp 4) solar mass of dense molecular gas. The resulting star-forming efficiencies within cloud complexes range from 2% to 16% depending on both the location of the stars in the cloud and the details of the initial mass function, with an overall value of about 5% for average molecular gas.

3D simulations of RS Ophiuchi : from accretion to nova blast

Context. The binary star system RS Ophiuchi is a recurrent nova, with outbursts occurring about every 22 years. It consists of a red giant star (RG) and a wind accreting white dwarf close to the Chandrasekhar limit. This system is considered a prime candidate for evolving into an SNIa. For its most recent outbursts in 1985 and 2006, exquisite multiwavelength observational data are available. Aims. Deeper physical insight is needed regarding the inter-outburst accretion phase and the dynamical effects of the subsequent nova explosion in order to improve the interpretation of the observed data and to shed light on whether the system is an SNIa progenitor. Methods. We present a 3D hydrodynamic simulation of the quiescent accretion with the subsequent explosive phase. Results. The computed circumstellar mass distribution in the quiescent phase is highly structured with a mass enhancement in the orbital plane of about a factor of 2 as compared to the poleward directions. The simulated nova remnant evolves aspherically, propagating faster toward the poles. The shock velocities derived from the simulations agree with those derived from observations. For vRG = 20 km s −1 and for nearly isothermal flows, we find that 10% of the mass lost by the RG is transfered to the WD. For an RG mass

The Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph: In-orbit performance

The in-orbit performance of the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph onboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is presented. This report covers the pre-COSTAR period, when instrument performance was limited by the effects of spherical aberration of the telescopes primary mirror. The digicon detectors provide a linear response to count rates spanning over six orders of magnitude, ranging from the normal background flux of 0.01 counts diode -1 s-1 to values larger than 104 counts diode-1 s-1. Scattered light from the first-order gratings is small and can be removed by standard background subtraction techniques. Scattered light in the echelle mode is more complex in origin, but it also can be accurately removed. Data have been obtained over a wavelength range from below 1100 A to 3300 A, at spectral resolutions as high as R = lambda/delta-lambda = 90,000. The wavelength scale is influenced by spectrograph temperature, outgassing of the optical bench, and interaction of the magnetic field within the detector with the earths magnetic field. Models of these effects lead to a default wavelength scale with an accuracy better than 1 diode, corresponding to 3 km s-1 in the echelle mode. With care, the wavelength scale can be determined to an accuracy of 0.2 diodes. Calibration of the instrument sensitivity functions is tied into the HST flux calibration through observations of spectrophotometric standard stars. The measurements of vignetting and the echelle blaze function provide relative photometric precision to about 5% or better. The effects of fixed-pattern noise have been investigated, and techniques have been devised for recognizing and removing it from the data. The ultimate signal-to-noise ratio achievable with the spectrograph is essentially limited only by counting statistics, and values approaching 1000:1 have been obtained.

The Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph: Instrument, goals, and science results

The Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS), currently in Earth orbit on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), operates in the wavelength range of 1150-3200A with spectral resolutions (lambda/delta-lambda) of approximately 2 X 103, 2 X 104, and 1 X 105. This paper describes the instrument and its development from inception, its current status, the approach to operations, representative results in the major areas of the scientific goals, and prospects for the future.

Recovering the star formation rate in the solar neighborhood

Received; accepted Abstract. This paper develops a method for obtaining the star formation histories of a mixed, resolved population through the use of color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs). The method provides insight into the local star formation rate, analyzing t he observations of the Hipparcos satellite through a comparison with synthetic CMDs computed for different histories with an updated stellar evolution library. Parallax and photometr ic uncertainties are included explicitly and corrected usi ng the Bayesian Richardson-Lucy algorithm. We first describe our verificati on studies using artificial data sets. From this sensitivity study, the critical factors determining the success of a recovery for a known star formation rate are a partial knowledge of the IMF and the age-metallicity relation, and sample contamination by clusters and moving groups (special populations whose histories are different than that of the whole sample). Unresolved binaries are less important impediments. We highlight how these limit the method. For the real field sample, complete to MV < 3.5, we find that the solar neighborhood star formation rate has a characteristic timescale for variation of about 6 Gyr, wit h a maximum activity close to 3 Gyr ago. The similarity of this finding with column integrated star formation rates may indi cate a global origin, possibly a collision with a satellite g alaxy. We also discuss applications of this technique to general phot ometric surveys of other complex systems (e.g. Local Group dwarf galaxies) where the distances are well known.

Detailed non-LTE model atmospheres for novae during outburst. I. New theoretical results

We present new, detailed non-LTE (NLTE) calculations for model atmospheres of novae during outburst. This fully self-consistent NLTE treatment for a number of model atoms includes 3922 NLTE levels and 47,061 NLTE primary transitions. We discuss the implication of departures from LTE for the strengths of the lines in nova spectra. The new results show that our large set of NLTE lines constitutes the majority of the total line-blanketing opacity in nova atmospheres. Although we include LTE background lines, their effects are small on the model structures and on the synthetic spectra. We demonstrate that the assumption of LTE leads to incorrect synthetic spectra and that NLTE calculations are required for reliably modeling nova spectra. In addition, we show that detailed NLTE treatment for a number of ionization stages of iron changes the results of previous calculations and improves the fit to observed nova spectra.