Forbidden lines in the spectrum of P Cyg

Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory; Armagh Observatory (Northern Ireland). Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 327–332, May–June, 1991.     

Morphology and variability of helium line profiles in the P Cygni spectrum

The morphology and variability of 13 helium lines in the P Cygni optical spectrum have been studied in detail over a period of three years. It is found that most lines in the sample have often shown profiles with a complicated structure: discrete components are superposed on a broader underlying P Cyg profile. Multiple sets of components were frequently observed. The radial velocity of the discrete components varies with time. In this article the velocity evolution of two sets of components is studied in detail and the corresponding velocity laws are derived. It is found that the velocity variations in the helium and hydrogen discrete components are correlated. The recurrence timescale for the appearance of new helium components is estimated.An attempt is made for a qualitative interpretation of the obtained results.     

Spectral variability of P Cyg

Translated fromAstrofizika, Vol. 36, No. 2 pp. 189–193, April–June, 1993.     

The X-ray spectrum of Cyg X-2

The spectra of disc accreting neutron stars generally show complex curvature, and individual components from the disc, boundary layer and neutron star surface cannot be uniquely identified. Here we show that much of the confusion over the spectral form derives from inadequate approximations for Comptonization and for the iron line. There is an intrinsic low-energy cut-off in Comptonized spectra at the seed photon energy. It is very important to model this correctly in neutron star systems as these have expected seed photon temperatures (from either the neutron star surface, inner disc or self-absorbed cyclotron) of ≈1 keV, clearly within the observed X-ray energy band. There is also reflected continuum emission which must accompany the observed iron line, which distorts the higher energy spectrum. We illustrate these points by a reanalysis of the Ginga spectra of Cyg X-2 at all points along its Z track, and show that the spectrum can be well fitted by models in which the low-energy spectrum is dominated by the disc, while the higher energy spectrum is dominated by Comptonized emission from the boundary layer, together with its reflected spectrum from a relativistically smeared, ionized disc.     

Rapid variations of narrow absorption line components in the spectrum of P Cygni

We report the detection of rapid wavelength and intensity variations of narrow components in absorption line profiles of the hot galactic supergiant P Cygni. During most of the time, in 1 week of observations, there were two such components present. Although the period of observation is too short for firm conclusions, the velocity curves do not contradict the photometric period of 17.3 days. These curves may be interpreted as a double wave, ‘swinging in counterphase’. This observation would suggest the presence of one long wave over the stellar surface. The waves are possibly gravity waves with wavelengths of the order of half the stellar radius.     

Variability of the Hα and Na I D line profiles in the spectrum of FU Ori

The variations of line profiles in the spectrum of FU Ori during several consecutive nights, from January 3 through January 8, 1999, have been traced for the first time in the entire history of studying this star. The variations of the Hα and Na I D line profiles are regular in pattern; at each time, the profiles of these lines were similar to a particular profile observed previously, suggesting that the phenomenon is periodic. We argue that the profile variations result from the axial rotation of the inner accretion-disk and disk-wind regions for which the temperature distribution and the wind-streamline orientation are not axisymmetric. The cause of the asymmetry could be the interaction of circumstellar matter with the stellar magnetic field if the magnetic axis is greatly inclined to the rotation axis. The possible binary nature of FU Ori seems a less likely cause of the asymmetry.     

Venus: On the phase variation of CO2 line profiles

The shapes of Venus' CO₂ profiles are found to vary with solar phase angle. High-resolution spectra of the P16 and P14 lines in the 8689- and 7820-Å bands, respectively, are presented for phase angles ranging from 6 to 158°. The scattering mean free path at 80 mbar, approximately the effective pressure, is 1.7 km. Use of the van de Hulst similarity relations with simple, parametric scattering models is inadequare to separate effects due to the scattering phase function from those due to inhomogeneities in depth when one attempts to determine the atmospheric structure by fitting a family of such models over a wide range of phase angles.     

The Hβ and Hγ lines in the spectrum of V1057 Cyg

We present the equivalent widths of the Hβ and Hγ absorption lines in the spectrum of V1057 Cyg measured from 1978–1990 spectrograms. The mean equivalent widths of these lines decreased approximately twofold during 1978–1985 and somewhat increased during 1987–1990. Using published UBV photometry, we show that there has been a correlation between the Hβ equivalent width and the ?U-B? color since 1983, with ?W _λ(Hβ)? increasing with decreasing?U-B? Based on our spectroscopic and photometric observations in 1978–1990, we assume that V1057 Cyg has passed to a qualitatively new stage of its development after 1985.     

The Balmer 9 and Balmer 11 lines of He ii in the Sun

We identify the Balmer 9 and 11 lines of He ii at 959 Å and 942 Å in solar spectra. These lines are produced mainly by recombination following photoionization of He ii by coronal XUV radiation. From analysis of the line intensities, we confirm the theoretical model of Avrett et al. (1976), who found that an appreciable amount of He⁺⁺ is present at temperatures of 1–2 × 10⁴ K and that the anomalously strong He ii 304 line is produced primarily by collisional excitation. We also confirm the suggestion of Kohl (1977) that the photoionization-recombination process is more important in active regions than in the quiet Sun, and we find that the 304 line is produced largely by recombination in solar flares.     

ROSAT HRI observations of P Cyg and surrounding area

We present a detailed analysis of deep ROSAT HRI observations of the luminous blue variable P Cyg and its surrounding radio nebula. The HRI image provides a point source at the position of P Cyg. However, we show that this emission can be attributed to the ultraviolet leak of the ROSAT HRI. The X‐ray flux upper limit derived from the HRI data of this star is discussed in the context of X‐ray emission from hot stars. Furthermore, we present a search for diffuse X‐ray emission possibly associated with the radio nebula surrounding P Cyg. We compare our results to model predictions and X‐ray fluxes observed for shells around other hot stars. Additionally, we detect 10 X‐ray sources in the field of view. All but one of these X‐ray emitters have stellar counter parts in the Palomar Sky Survey. We suggest that they are active late‐type stars possibly belonging to Cyg OB1.     

A new interpretation of the remarkable X-ray spectrum of the symbiotic star CH Cyg

We have re-analysed the ASCA X-ray spectrum of the bright symbiotic star CH Cyg, which exhibits apparently distinct hard and soft X-ray components. Our analysis demonstrates that the soft X-ray emission can be interpreted as scattering of the hard X-ray component in a photoionized medium surrounding the white dwarf. This is in contrast to previous analyses in which the soft X-ray emission was fitted separately and assumed to arise independently of the hard X-ray component. We note the striking similarity between the X-ray spectra of CH Cyg and Seyfert 2 galaxies, which are also believed to exhibit scattering in a photoionized medium.