The angular momentum loss of low-mass close binary systems

The detailed evolution of low-mass main-sequence stars (M < 1M ) with a compact companion is studied. For angular momentum loss associated with magnetic braking it is found that about 10^–11–10^–12 M yr^–1 in stellar wind loss would be required. This wind is 10²–10³ times stronger than the solar wind, so we believe here magnetic stellar wind is insufficient. It is well known that there is mass outflow in low-mass close binary systems. We believe here that these outflows are centrifugal driven winds from the outer parts of the accretion disks. The winds extract angular momentum from these systems and therefore drive secular evolution. Disk winds are preferred to winds from the secondary, because of the lower disk surface gravity.     

Hα line emission and infrared excess in Be stars

The H observations of a selected sample of bright Be stars are presented. The available infrared observations at K band (2.2 m) of these stars have been used to find the infrared excess emission. The analysis of the combined data show thatL _H, the luminosity of the H emission line, is proportional toL _IR, the luminosity of the infrared excess emission. The linear correlation betweenL _IR andL _H shows that both the infrared excess and the H line originate in a common region. It is also detected that the infrared excess emission is produced throughout the whole envelope whereas the H is emitted in some defined region of the circumstellar (CS) envelope.     

The stellar populations within theρ Oph cloud cores

We have obtained infrared colors and limiting magnitudes from 1.25–4.8µm for a sample of 26 of the cm continuum radio sources located in the core of the Oph molecular cloud. Their colors demonstrate that the majority of the sources appear to be heavily reddened objects surrounded by circumstellar accretion disks. In these cases the radio emission most likely diagnoses accretion driven energetic outflow phenomena: either ionized winds or possibly synchrotron emission from shocked gas associated with stellar jets.     

Quasi-stellar objects as rotating magnetic superstars

In this paper the magnetic superstar model is used to discuss QSO luminosity and density evolution. Our main hypotheses are that (i) mass loss from old stars in massive galaxies cools and then falls into the centre to form a nuclear disc (Bailey, 1980); and (ii) magnetic superstars in galactic nuclei condense out of gaseous material at the centre of a supermassive-magnetised disc (Kundt, 1979). On this generalised model we find that the non-thermal (synchrotron) optical luminosity scales asL _opt L ³ t ^–7/3, whereL is the total blue luminosity of old stars in the galaxy and t is cosmic time. In addition we show that QSO co-moving density follows the lawD(t)exp-(t/t _Evol)^16/15 with an evolution timescalet _Evol = 1.95 × 10⁹ yr. The model as a whole is in good agreement with observations.     

Physical properties of the outflow sources in taurus

We have searched for CO outflows in eight embedded IRAS sources located in the Taurus molecular cloud using the 45m telescope of Nobeyama Radio Observatory. We have detected CO wing emission in four of these sources. CO outflow associated with TMC1A (04365+2535) is strong and spatially compact (radius 0.04 pc). The dynamical timescale of 2.5 × 10³ yr suggests this outflow is the youngest one in Taurus.We have combined our data with previously published survey data and have analyzed the physical properties of the outflow sources. We found that 12 out of 16 embedded sources ( 75 %) have CO outflows associated with them; this indicates that almost all stars experience a phase of molecular outflow in their embedded stage. The IRAS color of the outflow sources suggests that the outflows appear in considerably early phase of the evolution of YSOs, that is, as early as YSOs became observable with IRAS and that visible outflow sources are in a transient phase of evolution between embedded sources and visible T Tauri stars without outflow. Visible outflow sources are systematically more luminous than visible no-outflow sources, while embedded outflow sources have comparable luminosities with visible no-outflow sources. Such luminosity function suggests that the YSOs with outflow undergo mass accretion and increase their stellar mass as they progress from embedded sources to visible outflow sources. Typical mass accretion rate derived from the bolometric luminosity is 2 ×10^–6 M _yr ^–1. The timescale for mass accretion to acquire typical stellar mass, 0.5 – 0.8M , is 2.5 – 4 × 10⁵ yr.     

Megamaser galaxies

An analysis of a sample of OH megamaser galaxies is presented. It is shown that the dependence of L_OH on L_FIR (far infrared) is not quadratic, as previously assumed, but closer to linear. In megamaser galaxies, L_C (radio continuum) L_FIR1. Analysis of the data also shows that as the OH emission line width decreases, the absolute values of the pumping efficiency and maser amplification coefficient increase. The radio luminosity of the central component in these galaxies increases with a decrease in the ratio L_FIR/L_C, whereas the FIR luminosity remains constant. These results will, in all probability, force a reexamination of the questions of pumping and maser emission mechanisms in megamaser galaxies.Translated fromAstrofizika, Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 417–429, July–September, 1996.     

NICMOS observations of luminous & ultraluminous infrared galaxies

HST NICMOS observations of a sample of 24 luminous (LIGs: L _IR[8-1000 m] = 10^11.0-11.99 L) and ultraluminous (ULIGs:L _IR 10^12.0 L) infrared galaxies are presented.The observations provide, for the first time, high resolution HST imagingof the imbedded 1.1 - 2.2 m nuclear regions of these mergers. Allbut one of the ULIGs are observed to have at least one compact (50-200 pc)nucleus, and more than half contain what appear to be blue star clusters.The warm infrared galaxies (i.e., the transition sources) are observed tohave bright nuclei which account for most of the light of the galaxy.This, combined with the tendency for the light of ULIGs to become morecentrally concentrated as a function of increasing wavelength, impliesthat most of their energy is generated within a region 50-200 pcacross.     

Radio AGNs among Luminous Infrared Galaxies

An analysis of radio and FIR emission in over 1500IRAS selected galaxies produces a good linear correlationbetween radio and FIR luminosity, indicating that star formationin normal field galaxies dominates the infrared luminosityin the local volume. Galaxies with clear radio-excess (definedas having at least5 times larger radio flux over expected from FIR) are identified as hosting a radio AGN, and they account for onlyabout 1% of the whole sample. This fraction increases to 10% among themore luminous galaxies with L _1.4GHz 10²³ W Hz^-1 (equivalently L _60m 10¹¹ L), however. The characteristic mid-IR excess of a Seyfert nucleus is ubiquitously present amongthe radio-excess objects, suggesting that mid-IR excess isa robust tracer of an AGN despite the high mid-IR opacity.We conclude that about 30% of the luminous infrared galaxies(L _60m 10¹¹ L) host an AGN based on themid-IR excess, and about 40% of the mid-IR excess AGNs alsohost a radio AGN. A VLA imaging survey of a distance limited sample of IR luminousgalaxies has revealed the presence of 100 kpc scale giant radioplumes in 3 out of 9 cases (Mrk 231, Mrk 273, NGC 6240). Theirlarge spatial extent, energetics, and presence of a powerful AGN in each case suggests that an AGN is the power source. Such plumesare not detected in other ultraluminous infrared galaxies which lack clear evidence for an AGN, such as Arp 220.     

A quantitative analysis of the prototype [WCL] star CPD-56° 8032

We present a detailed, quantitative study of the standard [WC10] Wolf-Rayet central star CPD-56^o 8032 based on new high resolution AAT UCLES observations and the Hillier (1990) WR standard model. Our analysis of CPD-56^o 8032 gives the wind properties (T _*=34500K, lg (L/L )=3.8, lg (M/M a^–1)=–5.4,v =225 km s^–1) and chemistry (C/He=0.5, O/He=0.1, by number), the latter suggesting an intimate relationship with the Ovi PN central stars and the PG 1159-035 objects. A comparison between the wind properties of CPD-56^o 8032 and Sk-66^o 40 (WN 10) indicates that low excitation, low wind velocity WR winds are common to both low mass PN central stars (WC sequence) and high mass post-LBV's (WN sequence).     

The location and X-ray emission of shocks around isolated be stars

All hot stars are observed to have X-ray emission: O stars haveL _X /L _bol 10^–7, whilst B stars' emission drops off with spectral subtype. Dynamical instability of OB star radiatively driven winds generates shocked regions which may be responsible for the bulk of the X-rays observed. The wind-compressed disc model of Bjorkman & Cassinelli (1993) presents another site for X-ray emission. The disc formed in the equatorial plane of a fast rotating Be star from equatorward drift of wind streamlines is confined on both sides by a shock which may also generate X-rays. As the X-ray emission originating from the wind shocking is ubiquitous amongst B and Be stars then the wind-compressed disc model näively predicts that Be stars should generate more X-rays than B stars of equivalent spectral subtype.The X-ray emission from the shocks confining compression discs has been calculated and compared to a limited set of observations. The excess X-ray emission from the Be star disc shocks is found to be undetectable over the inherent wind shocking emission.     

ISO Spectroscopy of Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies

Spectroscopy from the Infrared Space Observatory ISO has for the first timeprovided the sensitivity to exploit the diagnostic power ofmid-infrared fine structure lines and PAH features for the study ofultraluminous infrared galaxies (L_IR >10¹² L ). We report on observations obtainedwith SWS, ISOPHOT-S, and the CVF option of ISOCAM. From both fine structure lines and PAH features, we find that the majority of ULIRGs is predominantlypowered by star formation. Our total sample of about 75 ULIRGs allows tosearch for trends within the class of ULIRGs: The fraction of AGNs increaseswith luminosity above 3 × 10¹²L but there is no obvioustrend for ULIRGs to be more AGN-like with more advanced merger phase.     

2.4 μm emission from the galactic centre region

It is shown that the 2.6 mm CO emission profile in the regions of two unidentified 2.4 m features observed near the galactic centre is consistent with an explanation of these features in terms of inhomogeneities in interstellar extinction. From our observations we estimate the mass to luminosity ratio of the galactic central bulge to beM/L _v=4.     

Structure of X-ray irradiated stellar wind

The effect of X-ray irradiation on the line-driven stellar wind in X-ray binary systems is studied. The product of the X-ray luminosityL _x and the densityn in the wind is a measure to distinguish between the optically thin and thick wind regimes. For an X-ray source of the radiation temperature of 10 keV, the critical value(L _x n) _c , is of the order of 10³⁷ erg s^–1 cm^–3; hence, most of wind-fed X-ray sources lie in the optically thick wind regime because ofL _x n>(L _x n) _c . Then the wind structure is determined not only by the parameter =(L _x /nR ²),R the distance from the X-ray source, but also by the optical thickness due to helium. The formation of fully ionized helium region depends onL _x andn in a way different from that of the Strömgren sphere. In such an optically thick wind, the region behind the He II ionization boundary is little affected by X-ray irradiation and the trace elements remain to be responsible for wind acceleration. Thus, its location is important for the structure of the wind and the interpretation of various phenomena in objects such as wind-fed X-ray pulsars.     

Millimetre photometry and infrared spectroscopy of Vega-excess stars

JCMT millimetre-wave detections have been obtained for 11 Vega-excess stars having spectral types ranging from B9 to K5. UKIRT 10-µm spectra have been obtained for two of the sources, SAO 179815 and SAO 186777. The spectrum of SAO 179815 shows an unusually broad and diffuse silicate emission feature, whilst SAO 186777 shows the unidentified infrared (UIR) features, which are usually attributed to hydrocarbon vibrational modes. The mm photometry, along with optical, IRAS and near-IR photometry (much of the latter recently obtained by the authors), have been used to define the spectral energy distributions of the objects. A number of them show a 1–5µm excess in addition to the longer wavelength excess. Values of the fractional excess luminosity,L _dust /L , have been derived from the spectral energy distributions; they exhibit a substantial range, from 10^–5 up to almost 0.5, the theoretical maximum for a passive optically thick flared disc. Radiative transfer models have been constructed for several sources. One needs a well defined overall energy distribution, 10- and/or 20-µm spectra, and sub-mm and mm photometry in order to significantly constrain the model free parameters (disc density distribution, grain size power-law index, minimum and maximum grain radii).Paper presented at the Conference onPlanetary Systems: Formation, Evolution, and Detection held 7–10 December, 1992 at CalTech, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.     

Synthesis of line profiles from models of structured winds

On the basis of a a careful analysis of resonance line formation (both for singlets and doublets) in structured winds, presenttime dependent models of the line driven winds of hot stars (Owocki et al., this volume; Feldmeier, this volume) are shown to be able to explain a number of observational features with respect to variability and structure: they are (in principle) able to reproduce theblack andbroad troughs (without any artificial turbulence velocity) and the blue edge variability observed in saturated resonance lines; they might explain the long lived narrow absorption components often observed in unsaturated lines at high velocities; they predict a relation between the edge velocity of UV-lines and the radiation temperature of the observed X-ray emission.As a first example of the extent to which theoretical models can be constrained by comparisons between observations and profiles calculated by spectrum synthesis from structured winds, we show here that models with deep-seated onset of structure formation ( 1.1R _* ) produce resonance lines which agreequalitatively with observational findings; in contrast, the here presented models with structure formation only well out in the wind ( 1.6R _* ) fail in this respect.     

Thermodynamical and dynamical evolution of a self-gravitating object and the influence of ionization

We use a simple equation of state, in which the adiabatic index depends on opacity and ionization and we integrate the dynamical and thermodynamical equations for the gravitational collapse of a typical solar composition protocloud, up to the virialization of the energies. Following the evolution of the thermal energy and ionization fraction, violent bounces are obtained at the sudden hardening of the equation of state, when the material becomes ionized.We also suggest a mechanism to explain the onset of protostellar winds.We introduce radiation losses in the model, and integrate again the modified equations, studying the evolution of a 1.1M protocloud. The object's effective temperature stays in a confined small zone of the IR region throughout its fast (40 yr) evolution and its luminosity oscillates and decreases from 5000L to 500L . The radius starts from 35 AU and shrinks down to 140R , before a physical instability gives birth to a strong shock wave with consequent mass loss.     

Neutrino luminosity by the ordinary URCA process in an intense magnetic field

The neutrino luminosity by the ordinary URCA process in a strongly magnetized electron gas is computed. General formulae are presented for the URCA energy loss rates for an arbitrary degree of degeneracy. Analytic expressions are derived for a completely degenerate, relativistic electron plasma in the special case of neutron-proton conversion. Numerical results are given for more general cases.The main results are as follows: the URCA energy loss rates are drastically reduced for the regime of great degeneracy by a factor up to 10^–3 for 1, andT ₉10, where =H/H _q ,H _q =m ² c ³/eh=4.414×10¹³ G. In the non-degenerate regime the neutrino luminosity is enhanced approximately linearly with for the temperature range 1T ₉10. Possible applications to white dwarfs and neutron stars are briefly discussed.We have been recently informed that in Gamow home-dialect (Odessa dialect) URCA means thief — (Private communication from Prof. G. Wataghin).     

Wind variability of LBV stars

General properties of Luminous Blue Variables (LBV) have been reviewed by Lamers(1987). The LBV's are all close to the Humphreys-Davidson luminosity upper limit. The semi periods of the photometric microvariations withV 0.1 ^m are about twice as large as for normal supergiants of the sameL andT _eff, and 4–20 times larger than the fundamental mode for radial pulsations. So, it is likely due to nonradial pulsations. During shell ejections, which accompanied by moderate photometric variations ofV 1 ^m ,L _bol remains constant. This fact has been explained by the quasiperiodic variations ofT _eff and the radius of pseudo-photosphere (Lamer 1986). LBV's are less stable than normal supergiants so that any internal instability has more effect on their envelopes. The nature of these instabilities remains unknown. We have found some interesting peculiarities which can throw light to this problem.     

On the relation between radius,luminosity, surface brightness,and surface density in elliptical galaxies

We have analyzed luminosity profiles of E galaxies studied by Strom and Strom in six clusters of galaxies. We have found a relationship between radius, luminosity, and surface brightness for galaxies in each of the clusters. A dependence of the zero point of the relation with the local projected density of galaxies is likewise found:r _{e proj} ^–0.14 L ^0.445 I _e ^–0.413 . This relationship implies (i) that there is not a universal luminosity profile for elliptical galaxies, (ii) the environmental variation of radius is larger than that produced by mergers of galaxies, (iii) distance to a galaxy can be estimated from apparent magnitude, surface brightness, angular size, and apparent local projected density of galaxies.