Local burst model of CMB temperature fluctuations: Scattering in the resonance lines of primordial hydrogen and helium

The propagation of an instantaneous burst of isotropic radiation from the time of its onset at some redshift z ₀ to the time of its detection at the present epoch (at z = 0) is considered within the framework of a flat Universe. The Thomson scattering by free electrons and the scattering in the primordial hydrogen Lα and Lβ lines and in the He I 1s2–1s2p, 1s3p (¹S–¹P*) lines are taken into account. It is shown that the relative amplitude of the spectral distortions due to the scattering in these lines at the corresponding frequencies can be a factor of 10³?10⁴ greater than the maximum possible amplitude from the scattering in the subordinate hydrogen lines considered previously (Dubrovich and Grachev 2015). In the linear approximation in optical depth, the distortion profiles in the resonance lines turn out to be purely absorption ones and depend neither on the direction nor on the distance to the burst center, in contrast to the profiles in the subordinate lines. The profiles contain jumps at frequencies corresponding to the instant the source (burst) appears at a given redshift z ₀. For example, at z ₀ = 5000 the jumps in the hydrogen Lα and Lβ lines lie at frequencies of 493 and 584 GHz, respectively, while in the above two helium lines they lie at frequencies of 855 and 930 GHz at z ₀ = 6000. The relative magnitude of the jumps ranges from 10?4 to 3 × 10?3.     

A possibility to useCi infrared absorption lines for determination of the background radiation temperature at earlier cosmological epochs

A method for the determination of the background radiation temperature in earlier cosmological epochs at redshiftsz>2 is discussed in detail. The method is based on the fact that in the clouds situated at cosmological distances at redshiftz the background radiation temperature must be (1+z) times more than in the modern epoch (z=0). This shall affect the level populations of the atoms, ions and molecules and, consequently, the parameters of the absorption lines observed in quasar absorption spectra. It is proposed to use the transition³ P ₀–³ P ₁ ofCi (=610 ) for the measurement of the background radiation temperature. Atz>2 this absorption line shifts to the millimeter radio region and can be observed by radioastronomical methods.     

Propagation of a burst of radiation in an expanding and recombining universe: Thomson scattering

The propagation of an instantaneous burst of nonpolarized isotropic radiation from the time of its onset at some redshift z ₀ to the time of its recording at the present epoch is considered within the framework of a flat cosmological model. Thomson (Rayleigh) scattering by free electrons is believed to be the only source of opacity. The spatial distributions of the mean (over the directions) radiation intensity as well as the angular distributions of the radiation intensity and polarization at various distances from the burst center have been constructed. The mean intensity profile normalized to the total number of photons emitted during the burst is shown to depend weakly on the initial conditions (the burst time z ₀, the width and shape of the initial radiation distribution) at fairly high z ₀ (≥1400). As regards the angular intensity and polarization distributions, they turn out to be rather narrow (3–10 arcmin), while the polarization can reach 70%. On average, the expected polarization can be about 15%.     

Study of the non-stationarity of the atmosphere of <Emphasis Type="Italic">κ</Emphasis> Cas. Ii. Variability of the H<Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis>, H<Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>, and H<Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis> wind-line profiles

We study the variability of the Hγ, Hβ, and Hα line profiles in the spectrum of the supergiant κ Cas. The variability pattern proved to be the same for all the lines considered: their profiles are superimposed by blueshifted, central, and redshifted emission. For Hγ the positions of the emissions coincide with the positions of the corresponding emissions for He I λλ 5876, 6678 Å lines, and are equal to about ?135 ± 30.0 km s^?1, ?20 ± 20 kms^?1, and 135 ± 30.0 kms^?1, respectively, whereas the three emissions in the Hβ profiles are fixed at about ?170.0 ± 70.0 kms^?1, 20 ± 30 kms^?1, and 170.0 ± 70.0 km s^?1, respectively. The positions of the blueshifted and central emissions for Hα are the same as for Hβ, with additional blueshifted emission at ?135.0 ± 30.0 kms^?1, whereas no traces of emission can be seen in the red wing of the line. These emissions show up more conspicuously in wind lines, however, their traces can be seen in all photospheric lines. When passing from wind lines to photospheric lines the intensity of superimposed emission components decreases and the same is true for the absolute values of their positions in line wings expressed in terms of radial velocities. The V/R variations of the lines studied found in the spectrum of κ Cas and the variability of the Hα emission indicate that the star is a supergiant showing Be phenomenon.     

Luminescence in Primordial Helium Lines at the Pre-recombination Epoch

The formation of luminescent subordinate He I lines by the absorption of radiation from a source in lines of the main He I series in an expanding Universe is considered. A burst of radiation in continuum is assumed to occur at some instant of time corresponding to redshift z₀. This radiation is partially absorbed at different z < z₀ in lines of the main He I series (different pumping channels) and then is partially converted into radiation in subordinate lines. If ν _ik is the laboratory transition frequency of some subordinate line emerging at some z, then at the present epoch its frequency will be ν = ν _ik /(1 + z). The quantum yield, i.e., the number of photons emitted in the subordinate line per initial excited atom, has been calculated for different z (and, consequently, for different ν). Several pumping channels have been considered. We show that the luminescent lines can be both emission and absorption ones; the same line can be an emission one for one of the pumping channels and an absorption one for another. For example, the 1s2s–1s2p (1S–1P*) line is an emission one for the 1s2–1s2p pumping and an absorption one for the 1s2–1s3p pumping. We show that in the frequency range 30–80 GHz the total quantum yield for the first and second of the above channels can reach +50 and ?50%, respectively.     

Time resolved spectroscopy of GRB 100418A and its host galaxy with X‐shooter

GRB 100418A was an intermediate duration GRB detected by Swift. It showed an initially dim optical afterglow that had a late increase in brightness, reaching its maximum several hours after the burst onset, unlike typical afterglows that peak tens of seconds after. It also displayed a bright X‐ray and radio counterpart. In this paper we present the observations of the afterglow obtained with X‐shooter. Three epochs were obtained, 0.4, 1.4, and 2.4 days after the burst. In these spectra, each covering the range from 3000 to 24800 Å, we detect abundant absorption features with 4 velocity components, and emission lines from the host galaxy with 2 additional velocity components. In one single velocity component, we detect a Fe II* 2396 Å fine structure feature which disappears from the first to the second epoch indicating that it is due to the effect of the GRB radiation on its environment. We consider it to be the closest absorption component to the GRB itself, for which we determine a redshift of z = 0.6239 ± 0.0002. From the Hα to [N II] ratio we determine a host galaxy metallicity of 0.5 solar (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The hydrogen balmer lines and the structure of the quiet solar chromosphere

Spectra of Hα, Hβ and Hδ have been taken under good seeing conditions with the vacuum tower telescope of Sacramento Peak Observatory. Intensity curves are given at various wavelengths in these lines to permit further comparison with a theoretical model. Moreover, considering in each case the range of height in which the lines are almost optically thin and using a few approximations, the following results are derived: between 2000 and 6000 km above the limb the average thermal + turbulent velocity of the atoms is found to increase from 20 km s^?1 to 30 km s^?1 and the mean number of hydrogen atoms per cm³ in level 2 is given by $$\log n_2 {\text{ = }}4.5{\text{ }} - {\text{ 0}}{\text{.00056(}}z - 2000)$$ z being the altitude above the limb in km. For line profile computations a new interpolation formula is presented; it gives good profiles with a small number of scans, saving microphotometer time.     

The Unusual Absorption Line Spectrum of Quasar SDSS J2220+0109

We report the Balmer broad absorption lines (BALs) in the quasar SDSS J2220 + 0109 discovered from the SDSS data, and present a detailed analysis of the peculiar absorption line spectrum, including the He I* multiplet at λλ3189, 3889 arising from the metastable 2³s-state helium and the Balmer Hα and Hβ lines from the excited hydrogen H I of n = 2 level, which are rarely seen in quasar spectra, as well as many absorption lines arising from the excited Fe II* of the levels 7 955 cm⁻¹, 13 474 cm⁻¹ and 13 673 cm⁻¹ in the wavelength range 3100∼3300 Å. Ca II H, K absorption line doublets also clearly appear in the SDSS spectrum. All absorption lines show a similar blueshifted velocity structure of Δv ≈ − 1500 ∼ 0 km·s⁻¹ relative to the quasar's systematic redshift determined from the emission lines. Detailed analysis suggests that the Balmer absorption lines should arise from the partially ionized region with a column density of N_HI ≈ 10²¹ cm⁻² for an electron density of ne ∼ 10⁶ cm⁻³; and that the hydrogen n = 2 level may be populated via collisional excitation with Lyα pumping.     

Kinematics and parameters of the gas in the vicinity of TW Hya

The following conclusions about the kinematics and parameters of the gas in the vicinity of TW Hya have been drawn from an analysis of optical and ultraviolet line profiles and intensities. The accreting matter rises in the magnetosphere to a distance z>R_* above the disk plane and falls to the star near its equator almost perpendicular to its plane. The matter outflows from a disk region with an outer radius of ≤0.5 AU. The [OI], [SII], and H2 lines originate in the disk atmosphere outside the outflow region, where the turbulent gas velocity is close to the local speed of sound. In the formation region of the forbidden lines, T?8500 K and N_e?5×10⁶ cm^?3, and the hydrogen is almost neutral: x_e<0.03. The absorption features observed in the blue wings of some of the ultraviolet lines originate in the part of the wind that moves almost perpendicular to the disk plane, i.e., in the jet of TW Hya. The V _z gas velocity component in the jet decreases with increasing distance from the jet axis from 200 to 30 km s^?1. The matter outflowing from the inner disk boundary, moves perpendicular to the disk plane in the formation region of blue absorption line components, at a distance of ～0.5 AU from the axis of symmetry of the disk. This region of the wind is collimated into the jet at a distance of <3 AU from the disk plane. The gas temperature in the formation region of absorption components is ?2×10⁴ K, and the gas density is <3×10⁶ cm^?3. This region of the jet is on the order of several AU away from the disk plane, while free recombination in the jet begins even farther from the disk. The mass-loss rate for TW Hya is \(\dot M_w < 7 \times 10^{ - 10} M_ \odot yr^{ - 1}\), which is a factor of 3lower than the mean accretion rate. The relative abundance of silicon and aluminum in the jet gas is at least an order of magnitude lower than its standard value.     

The hydrogen emission spectrum of a shock wave in a stellar atmosphere

Based on a self-consistent solution of the equations of gas dynamics, kinetics of hydrogen atomic level populations, and radiative transfer, we analyze the structure of a shock wave that propagates in a partially ionized hydrogen gas. We consider the radiative transfer at the frequencies of spectral lines by taking into account the effects of a moving medium in the observer's frame of reference. The flux in Balmer lines is shown to be formed behind the shock discontinuity at the initial hydrogen recombination stage. The Doppler shift of the emission-line profile is approximately one and a half times smaller than the gas flow velocity in the Balmer emission region, because the radiation field of the shock wave is anisotropic. At Mach numbers M₁?10 and unperturbed gas densities σ₁=10^?10 g cm^?3, the Doppler shift is approximately one third of the shock velocity U₁. The FWHM of the emission-line profile δ _? is related to the shock velocity by δ _? ≈ k _? U₁, where k _? = 1, 0.6, and 0.65 for the Hα, Hβ, and Hγ lines, respectively.     

Lymanα forests and the evolution of the universe

The Lyα forest absorption lines in the spectra of quasars are interpreted as caused by the crossings of the light beam with the walls of a bubble structure (expanding with the Hubble flow only). Then, the typical separation between the absorption lines is proportional to the mean size of the bubbles. The variable factor is the expansion rate H[z]. The Friedmann regression analysis of the observed line separations determines the density parameter ω₀ and the normalized cosmological term λ₀ = λc²/3H²₀ of the appropriate cosmological model: ω₀ = 0.014 ± 0.002, λ₀ = 1.080 ± 0.006. Depending on the Hubble parameter this method reveals the values of the present mean matter density pm,0 = 2.6 h² · 10⁻²⁸ kg m⁻³ and of the cosmological constant Λ = 3.77 h² · 10⁻⁵² m⁻² (with h = H₀/(100 km/s·Mpc)). According to our analysis all models with Λ = 0 must be excluded. The curvature of space is positive. The curvature radius R₀ is 3.3 times the Hubble radius (c/H₀). The age t₀ is 2.8 times the Hubble age (H₀⁻¹).     

Solar radiation scattered in the Venus atmosphere: The Venera 11,12 data

Results of the scattered solar radiation spectrum measurements made deep in the Venus atmosphere by the Venera 11 and 12 descent probes are presented. The instrument had two channels: spectrometric (to measure downward radiation in the range 0.45 < γ < 1.17 μm) and photometric (four filters and circular angle scanning in an almost vertical plane). Spectra and angular scans were made in the height range from 63 km above the planet surface. The integral flux of solar radiation is 90 ± 12 W m^?2 measured on the surface at the subsolar point. The mean value of surface absorbed radiation flux per planetary unit area is 17.5 ± 2.3 W m^?2. For Venera 11 and 12 landing sites the atmospheric absorbed radiation flux is ～15 W m^?2 for H >; 43 km and ～45 W m^?2 for H < 48 km in the range 0.45 to 1.55 μm. At the landing sites of the two probes the investigated portion of the cloud layer has almost the same structure: it consists of three parts with boundaries between them at about 51 and 57 km. The base of clouds is near 48 km above the surface. The optical depth of the cloud layer (below 63 km) in the range 0.5 to 1 μm does not depend on the wavelength and is ～29 and ～38 for the Venera 11 and 12 landing sites, respectively. The single-scattering albedo, ω₀, in the clouds is very close to 1 outside the absorption bands. Below 58 km the parameter (1 ? ω₀) is <10^?3 for 0.49 and 0.7 μm. The parameter (1 ? ω₀) obviously increases above 60 km. Below 48 km some aerosol is present. The optical depth here is a strong function of wavelength. It varies from 1.5 to 3 at λ = 0.49 μm and from 0.13 to 0.4 at 1.0 μm. The mean size of particles below the cloud deck is about 0.1 μm. Below 35 km true absorption was found at λ < 0.55 μm with the (1 ? ω₀) maximum at H ≈ 15 km. The wavelength and height dependence of the absorption coefficient are compatible with the assumption that sulfur with a mixing ratio ～2 × 10^?8 normalized to S₂ molecules is the absorber. The upper limits of the mixing ratio for Cl₂, Br₂, and NO₂ are 4 × 10^?8, 2 × 10^?11, and 4 × 10^?10, respectively. The CO₂ and H₂O bands are confidently identified in the observed spectra. The mean value of the H₂O mixing ratio is 3 × 10^?5 < F_H2O < 10^?4 in the undercloud atmosphere. The H₂O mixing ratio evidently varies with height. The most probable profile is characterized by a gradual increase from F_H2O = 2 × 10^?5 near the surface to a 10 to 20 times higher value in the clouds.     

The absorption and emission spectrum of the magnetic Herbig Ae star HD 190073

We determine abundances from the absorption spectrum of the magnetic Herbig Ae star HD 190073 (V1295 Aql). The observations are primarily from HARPS spectra obtained at a single epoch. We accept arguments that the presence of numerous emission lines does not vitiate a classical abundance analysis, though it likely reduces the achievable accuracy. Most abundances are closely solar, but several elements show departures of a factor of two to three, as an earlier study has also shown. We present quantitative measurements of more than 60 emission lines, peak intensities, equivalent widths, and FWHM's. The latter range from over 200 km s^–1(Hα, He D₃) down to 10–20 km s^–1(forbidden lines). Metallic emission lines have intermediate widths. We eschew modeling, and content ourselves with a presentation of the observations a successful model must explain. Low‐excitation features such as the Na I D‐lines and [O I] appear with He I D₃, suggesting proximate regions with widely differing T_e and N_e as found in the solar chromosphere. The [O I] and [Ca II] lines show sharp, violet‐shifted features. Additionally, [Fe II] lines appear tobe weakly present in emission (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Analysis of HST ultraviolet spectra for T Tauri stars: DR Tau

We analyze the spectra of DR Tau in the wavelength range 1200 to 3100 Å obtained with the GHRS and STIS spectrographs from the Hubble Space Telescope. The profiles for the C IV 1550 and He II 1640 emission lines and for the absorption features of some lines indicate that matter falls to the star at a velocity ～300 km s^?1. At the same time, absorption features were detected in the blue wings of the N I, Mg I, Fe II, Mg II, C II, and Si II lines, suggesting mass outflow at a velocity up to 400 km s^?1. The C II, Si II, and Al II intercombination lines exhibit symmetric profiles whose peaks have the same radial velocity as the star. This is also true for the emission features of the Fe II and H₂ lines. We believe that stellar activity is attributable to disk accretion of circumstellar matter, with matter reaching the star mainly through the disk and the boundary layer. At the time of observations, the accretion luminosity was L_ac ? 2L_⊙ at an accretion rate ?10^?7M_⊙ yr^?1. Concurrently, a small (<10%) fraction of matter falls to the star along magnetospheric magnetic field lines from a height ～R_*. Within a region of size ?3.5R_*, the disk atmosphere has a thickness ～0.1R_* and a temperature ?1.5 × 10⁴ K. We assume that disk rotation in this region significantly differs from Keplerian rotation. The molecular hydrogen lines are formed in the disk at a distance <1.4 AU from the star. Accretion is accompanied by mass outflow from the accretion-disk surface. In a region of size <10R_*, the wind gas has a temperature ～7000 K, but at the same time, almost all iron is singly ionized by H I L _α photons from inner disk regions. Where the warm-wind velocity reaches ?400 km s^?1, the gas moves at an angle of no less than 30° to the disk plane. We found no evidence of regions with a temperature above 10⁴ K in the wind and leave open the question of whether there is outflow in the H₂ line formation region. According to our estimate, the star has the following set of parameters: M_* ? 0.9M_⊙, R_* ? 1.8R_⊙, L_* ? 0.9L_⊙, and \(A_V \simeq 0\mathop .\limits^m 9\). The inclination i of the disk axis to the line of sight cannot be very small; however, i≤60°.     

Time‐series high‐resolution spectroscopy and photometry of ε Aurigae from 2006–2013: Another brick in the wall

We present continuous and time‐resolved R = 55 000 optical échelle spectroscopy of ε Aurigae from 2006–2013. Data were taken with the STELLA Echelle Spectrograph of the robotic STELLA facility at the Observatorio del Teide in Tenerife. Contemporaneous photometry with the Automatic Photoelectric Telescopes at Fairborn Observatory in Arizona is presented for the years 1996–2013. Spectroscopic observations started three years prior to the photometric eclipse and are still ongoing. A total of 474 high‐resolution échelle spectra are analyzed and made available in this paper. We identify 368 absorption lines of which 161 lines show the characteristic sharp disk lines during eclipse. Another 207 spectral lines appeared nearly unaffected by the eclipse. From spectrum synthesis, we obtained the supergiant atmospheric parameters T_eff = 7395 ± 70 K, log g ≈ 1, and [Fe/H] = +0.02 ± 0.2 with ξ_t = 9 km s^–1, ζ_RT = 13 km s^–1, and v sin i = 28 ± 3 km s^–1. The residual average line broadening expressed in km s^–1 varies with a period of 62.6 ± 0.7 d, in particular at egress and after the eclipse. Two‐dimensional line‐profile periodograms show several periods, the strongest with ≈110 d evident in optically thin lines as well as in the Balmer lines. Center‐of‐intensity weighted radial velocities of individual spectral lines also show the 110‐d period but, again, additional shorter and longer periods are evident and are different in the Balmer lines. The two main spectroscopic Hα periods, ≈ 116 d from the line core and ≈ 150 d from the center‐of‐intensity radial velocities, appear at 102 d and 139 d in the photometry. The Hβ and Johnson V I photometry on the other hand shows two well‐defined and phase‐coherent periods of 77 d and 132 d. We conclude that Hα is contaminated by changes in the circumstellar environment while the Hβ and V I photometry stems predominantly from the non radial pulsations of the F0 supergiant. We isolate the disk‐rotation profile from 61 absorption lines and found that low disk eccentricity generally relates to low disk rotational velocity (but not always) while high disk eccentricity always relates to high velocity. There is also the general trend that the disk‐absorption in spectral lines with higher excitation potential comes from disk regions with higher eccentricity and thus also with higher rotational velocity. The dependency on transition probability is more complex and shows a bi‐modal trend. The outskirts of the disk is distributed asymmetrically around the disk and appears to have been built up mostly in a tail along the orbit behind the secondary. Our data show that this tail continues to eclipse the F0 Iab primary star even two years after the end of the photometric eclipse. High‐resolution spectra were also taken of the other, bona‐fide, visual‐binary components of ε Aur (ADS 3605BCDE). Only the C‐component, a K3‐4‐giant, appears at the same distance than ε Aur but its radial velocity is in disagreement with a bound orbit. The other components are a nearby (≈ 7 pc) cool DA white dwarf, a G8 dwarf, and a B9 supergiant, and not related to ε Aur. The cool white dwarf shows strong DIB lines that suggest the existence of a debris disk around this star. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Comments on the HUBBLE Diagram,the Luminosity Function and the Space Density Evolution of Radio Quiet Quasars

The consequences of a pure power law luminosity function on the distribution of objects in the HUBBLE diagram are described. As long as such a law acts, magnitudes do not contain any information on distances. A high value of the coefficient of the luminosity function of radio quiet quasars, b = 0.95 ± 0.05 in the expression lg ψ(M) ∽ b. M, is shown to be plausible. This implies a high density evolution, ǫ ∽ (1 + z)^k, with k near 9–10. Findings from modern samples, searched on low-dispersion spectral plates point to an even stronger evolution at z < 2.5; the discrepancy may be removed if L_α/H_β > 3 (about 30) for these radio-quiet QSOs.     

Disparity between Hα and Hβ in SN 2008 in: Inhomogeneous external layers of type IIP supernovae?

We study disparity between Hα and Hβ in early spectra of the type IIP supernova SN 2008in. The point is that these lines cannot be described simultaneously in a spherically-symmetric model with the smooth density distribution. It is shown that an assumption of a clumpy structure of external layers of the envelope resolves the problem. We obtain estimates of the velocity at the inner border of the inhomogeneous zone (≈6100 km s^?1), the filing factor of inhomogeneities (≤0.5), and the mass of the inhomogeneous layers (～0.03 M _⊙). The amplitude of flux fluctuations in the early spectrum of Hα (ΔF/F ～ 10^?2) imposes a constraint on the size of inhomogeneities (≤200 km s^?1). A detection of fluctuations in the early Hα of type IIP supernovae might become an observational test of the inhomogeneous structure of their envelopes. We propose also the indirect test of the clumpy structure of external layers: the study of properties of the initial radiation outburst due to the shock breakout. The inhomogeneous structure of external layers of type IIP supernovae could be an outcome of density perturbations and density inversion in outer convective layers of presupernova red supergiant.     

Structure of the expanding atmosphere of P Cygni

With the aid of the spectra taken in the years 1959–1968, a physical analysis of the atmosphere of P Cygni has been carried out and the motions of the atmosphere have been studied. The variations of radial velocities, the velocity progressions of Balmer and Hei lines, the high rate of mass loss (2×10^–5 M yr^–1), the features of the observed line profiles, especially that of H-K lines of Caii andD ₁-D ₂ lines of Nai confirm the conclusion of Van Blerkom (1978), concerning the assumption of an accelerating atmosphere for P Cygni. The electron density variation with the radius seems to ben _e r ^–5/2, with an average value of 7×10¹¹cm^–3 at the lower boundary of the atmosphere.In order to explain the two absorption components of observed lines, an atmospheric model based on the assumption of three envelopes, two of which accelerate gradually with two different velocity laws (up to 11.2r _c ), and the third of which accelerates rapidly with a standard velocity law (beyond 11.2r _c ) has been developed. From this model and the observed profiles, the geometrical thicknesses of the line-forming regions of H, H, H, and H are derived.The observations were obtained at Haute Provence Observatory (CNRS).     

Variability of hot supergiant IRAS 19336-0400 in the early phase of planetary nebula ionization

We present photoelectric and spectral observations of a hot candidate proto-planetary nebula—early B-type supergiant with emission lines in spectrum—IRAS 19336-0400. The light and color curves display fast irregular brightness variations with maximum amplitudes \(\Delta V = 0_ \cdot ^m 30\), \(\Delta B = 0_ \cdot ^m 35\), \(\Delta U = 0_ \cdot ^m 40\) and color-brightness correlations. By the variability characteristics IRAS 19336-0400 appears similar to other hot proto-planetary nebulae. Based on low-resolution spectra in the range λ4000–7500 Å we have derived absolute intensities of the emission lines Hα, Hβ, Hγ, [S II], [N II], physical conditions in gaseous nebula: n _e = 10⁴ cm^?3, T _e = 7000 ± 1000 K. The emission line Hα, Hβ equivalent widths are found to be considerably variable and related to light changes. By UBV-photometry and spectroscopy the color excess has been estimated: E _B-V = 0.50–0.54. Joint photometric and spectral data analysis allows us to assume that the star variability is caused by stellar wind variations.     

H2O maser emission in circumstellar envelopes around AGB stars: Physical conditions in gas-dust clouds

The pumping of 22.2-GHz H₂O masers in the circumstellar envelopes of asymptotic giant branch stars has been simulated numerically. The physical parameters adopted in the calculations correspond to those of the circumstellar envelope around IK Tau. The one-dimensional plane-parallel structure of the gas-dust cloud is considered. The statistical equilibrium equations for the H₂O level populations and the thermal balance equations for the gas-dust cloud are solved self-consistently. The calculations take into account 410 rotational levels belonging to the five lowest vibrational levels of H₂O. The stellar radiation field is shown to play an important role in the thermal balance of the gas-dust cloud due to the absorption of emission in rotational-vibrational H₂O lines. The dependence of the gain in the 22.2-GHz maser line on the gas density and H₂O number density in the gas-dust cloud is investigated. Gas densities close to the mean density of the stellar wind, 10⁷?10⁸ cm^?3, and a high relative H₂O abundance, more than 10^?4, have been found to be the most likely physical conditions in maser sources.