The Interstellar 2200 Å Band: A Catalogue of Equivalent Widths (Mitteilungen der Universitäts-Sternwarte zu Jena Nr. 151)

Using the data of the Ultraviolet Bright-Star Spectrophotometric Catalogue, the equivalent width of the interstellar absorption band at 2200 Å is derived for 422 stars. A preliminary statistical analysis confirms the good correlation between the equivalent width of the 2200 Å band and the colour excess. The wavelength position of the band centre seems to vary to a small extent.     

On the influence of the aerosols for satellite measurements of ozone at the thermospheric base

The dust layer at an altitude of about 80 km causes the attenuation of the light of the stars during the OAO-2 satellite observations near the horizon. This is compared with absorption due to ozone near to 2400 A in the spectral range, using ozone concentration measured by the OAO-2 satellite.     

Observation of mesospheric ozone at low latitudes

Stellar ultraviolet light near 2500 Å is attenuated in the Earth's upper atmosphere due to strong absorption in the Hartley continuum of ozone. The intensity of stars in the Hartley continuum region has been monitored by the University of Wisconsin stellar photometers aboard the OAO-2 satellite during occultation of the star by the Earth's atmosphere. These data have been used to determine the ozone number density profile at the occultation tangent point. The results of approximately 12 stellar occultations, obtained in low latitudes, are presented, giving the nighttime vertical number density profile of ozone in the 60- to 100-km region. The nighttime ozone number density has a bulge in its vertical profile with a peak of 1 to 2×10⁸ cm^?3 at approximately 83 km and a minimum near 75 km. The shape of the bulge in the ozone number density profile shows considerable variability with no apparent seasonal or solar cycle change. The ozone profiles obtained during a geomagnetic storm showed little variation at low latitudes.     

The ultraviolet absorption band at 2175 Å: Correlations with other interstellar features

The hump in the ultraviolet part of the interstellar extinction curve is interpreted as a broad diffuse absorption band. Its equivalent width is estimated for 36 stars by means of OAO-2 data. The equivalent widths are correlated with the following parameters: colour excessE(B-V), colour excessE(B – V), depth of the band m _max, equivalent widths of the diffuse bands at 5780 and 6284 Å, and the column density of neutral hydrogenN _HI. The physical parameters half-width and oscillator strength of the band at 2175 Å are estimated.     

Stellar occultation measurements of molecular oxygen in the lower thermosphere

Stellar ultraviolet light near 1500 Å is attenuated in the Earth's upper atmosphere due to strong absorption in the Schumann-Runge continuum of molecular oxygen. The intensity of stars in the Schumann-Runge continuum region has been monitored by the University of Wisconsin stellar photometers aboard the OAO-2 satellite during occultation of the star by the Earth's atmosphere. These data have been used to determine the molecular oxygen number density profile at the occultation tangent point. The results of 14 stellar occultations obtained in low and middle latitudes are presented giving the night-time vertical number density profile of molecular oxygen in the 140–200 km region. In general, the measured molecular oxygen number density is about a factor of 2 lower than the number densities predicted by the CIRA 1965 model. Also, the number density at a given height appears to decrease with decreasing solar activity. Measurements taken at low latitudes during the August 1970 geomagnetic storm showed a decrease in the molecular oxygen number density at a given height several days after the peak of the storm followed by a slow recovery to pre-storm densities.     

Ultraviolet observations of Mars and Saturn by the TDIA and OAO-2 satellites

Ultraviolet photometric and spectrophotometric observations of Mars and Saturn obtained by two Earth-orbiting satellites are combined in this report. High-resolution data from the S59 experiment aboard TD1A reveal no definite absorption features in the spectra of either planet. The absence of a prominent absorption in the Mars data near 2150 Å can be reconciled with the preliminary Viking measurement of NO only if that gas is preferentially concentrated at high Martian altitudes. Broadband photometry from OAO-2 shows that atmospheric dust on Mars during the great dust storm of 1971–1972 reduced the ultraviolet geometric albedo by a factor of ?3 at the height of the storm. This atmospheric energy deposition is probably an important mechanism in the storm dynamics. Diurnal variation in the ultraviolet brightness of Mars appears to be marginally detectable during the dust storm. A real brightness variation during a clear season is observed. The combined Saturn data from the two satellites strongly suggest that NH₃ does not influence the ultraviolet spectrum of Saturn, but that some other absorber does. A candidate for such an absorber, H₂S, is investigated. OAO-2 broadband photometry of Jupiter and of Saturn demonstrate that these planets have very similar albedos from 2100 to 2500 Å. This implies a common ultraviolet absorber on both planets, other than NH₃.     

The Diffuse λ 2200 Å Interstellar Absorption Band and the Abundances of Neutral Interstellar Hydrogen and Sodium

The equivalent width of the diffuse interstellar absorption band W₂₂₀₀ and the abundances of neutral interstellar hydrogen and sodium derived from the interstellar absorption lines in the spectra of hot stars are well correlated each other.     

Far-ultraviolet extinction in σ Scorpii

It was found earlier from OAO-2 data (Bless and Savage, 1972) that considerable variability with direction in space is present in both the shape and level (relative toB-V color excess) of the interstellar extinction curve in the far ultraviolet. The star σ Sco was shown to be a case of extremely low UV extinction, but there was some question of whether this could be due to scattered nebular light entering the large entrance slit of the Wisconsin spectrometer aboard OAO-2. We have obtained UV data on σ Sco usingCopernicus (OAO-3), which has an entrance slit on the order of 10³ times smaller in projected area than that of OAO-2, so that the contribution to the signal from scattered nebular light would be correspondingly smaller. We find very good agreement with the extinction curve of Bless and Savage, confirming the low UV extinction in the line of sight to σ Sco. The curve is extended down to 100 Å, showing a continued rise towards short wavelengths.     

Comparison of the four catalogues by pairs,the Hipparcos,new Hipparcos,EOC‐2 and IL,by using μδ for the common 1120 stars

We present comparison results of our Independent Latitude (IL) catalogue of μ_δ determinations for 1120 bright stars with the Hipparcos, new Hipparcos and Earth Orientation Catalogue (EOC‐2) values. Also, we took into consideration the EOC3 and EOC4 (recent versions of EOC catalogues). Our μ_δ values are based on zenith telescope observations from seven Independent Latitude (IL) observatories. The IL measures are spanning a time baseline of up to 90 years which is the key advantage to the accurate determination of μ_δ. The short interval of the Hipparcos satellite observations is a disadvantage for a good accuracy of stellar proper motion, especially in the case of double and multiple stars. For this reason many astrometric catalogues have appeared after the publication of the Hipparcos including our IL catalogue. These catalogues are an appropriate combination of the Hipparcos satellite and ground‐based data which yields more accurate stellar coordinates and/or their proper motions. Among various types of ground‐based observations the latitude and universal time variations obtained from several million observations of stars reduced to the Hipparcos reference system were used for this purpose. These observations were obtained during almost the entire last century and were originally used to determine the Earth Orientation Parameters. It is also possible to use these data in the inverse task of checking the accuracy of stellar coordinates and/or their proper motions listed in the Hipparcos Catalogue. Such latitude and universal time variations data are the basis of the EOC and IL catalogues. In this paper, we computed the differences in μ_δ values between pairs of catalogues and analyzed the results to characterize the μ_δ errors for the four catalogues with a special focus on our IL catalogue. The standard errors of μ_δ for IL stars observed over more than 20 years are mostly smaller than or equal to the Hipparcos errors, and close to the accuracy level of the EOC‐2 (EOC‐3, EOC‐4) and the new Hipparcos. The resulting investigations of errors of differences of μ_δ, show that all four catalogues have relatively small random and systematic errors which are close to each other meaning that the corresponding μ_δ values have a high accuracy. Our sample also contains detected double and multiple stars for which the effects of the orbital and proper motions are difficult to separate. The differences of μ_δ values for these stars generally exceed those obtained for single stars. Also, these discrepancies could be attributed to effect of possible, still unrecognized, astrometric binaries. These investigations about the proper motions and double stars are in line with the activity of the IAU Working Group on Astrometry by Small Ground‐Based Telescopes. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Variation of Jupiter's CH4 and NH3 bands with position on the planetary disk

We report here the results of recent spectrophotometric scans of the 6190 Å and 7290 Å methane bands and the 6450 Å ammonia band on Jupiter as a function of position on the planetary disk. The equivalent widths are found to decrease toward the equatorial limb and to increase toward the poles relative to the center of the disk.     

On determining the ozone number density distribution from OAO-2 stellar occultation measurements

Stellar occultation data from the 2460 Å and 2980 Å channels of the OAO-2 stellar photometers have been used to derive the nighttime ozone number density distribution in the low latitude mesosphere. The nighttime ozone distribution obtained from both channels are similar indicating a maximum in the ozone distribution near 80km of 2–3 × 10³cm^?3.     

A catalogue of close binaries located in the δ Scuti region of the Cepheid instability strip

A catalogue of close eclipsing binary systems (detached and semidetached) with at least one of the components located in the δ Scuti region of the Cepheid instability strip is presented. The positions of the stars in the instability strip are determined by their accurate temperatures and luminosities. Observationally detected binaries (20 semidetached, four detached and one unclassified) with oscillating components were included in the catalogue as a separate table. The primaries of the oscillating Algols tend to be located near the blue edge of the instability strip. Using reliable luminosities and temperatures determined by recent photometric and spectroscopic studies, we have found that at least one or two components of 71 detached and 90 semidetached systems are located in the δ Scuti region of the Cepheid instability strip. In addition, 36 detached or semidetached systems discovered by the Hipparcos satellite were also given as a separate list. One of their components is seen in the δ Scuti region, according to their spectral type or   B − V   colours. They are potential candidate binaries with the δ Scuti-type pulsating components which need further photometric and spectroscopic studies in better precision. This catalogue covers information and literature references for 25 known and 197 candidate binaries with pulsating components.     

The Ultraviolet Absorbance of Presumably Interstellar Bacteria and Related Matters

It is shown that the well-known 2200 Å peak in the extinction of starlight is explained by microorganisms. A mixed culture of diatoms and bacteria, which previously we found to give excellent fits to astronomical data in the infrared, has a peak absorption slightly shortward of 2200 Å, in very close agreement with the absorptions found indirections towards most early-type stars. The peak absorption is measured to be ～ 35000 cm²g^-1. This is in addition to a scattering component of the extinction which has an estimated value for dry microorganisms of ～ 50000 cm²g^-1. The scattering calculated for a size distribution of non-absorbing hollow bacteria with irregularities on the scale of 300 Å produces agreement with both the visual extinction law and the observed λ^-1 type extinction at the far ultraviolet. The contribution to the extinction from a pure scattering bacterial model is about 3.4 mag per kpc path length along the galactic plane at λ =2175 Å. Absorption near this wavelength effectively adds ～ 2.3 mag per kpc, making up precisely the observed total extinction at the peak of 5.7 mag per kpc. The full range of the interstellar extinction observations is now elegantly explained on the basis of a bacterial model alone with no added components or free parameters to be fitted. Photolysis has little effect on the bulk refractive index of the particles and so does not change the scattering component appreciably. But photolysis due to sufficient UV in space can reduce the effectiveness of the 2200 Å absorption in comparison with the scattering, thereby decreasing the height of the absorption peak. An extreme example of this is the Large Magellanic Cloud, where UV emission from a profusion of early-type stars has reduced the absorbance of the particles to about one-quarter of its value for most of our galaxy. The 2200 Å absorption has generally been attributed to small graphite particles. We explain how this belief has come about and why in the past we have been swayed by it.     

Star catalogue in the fields of axial meridian circle of the Nikolaev observatory

On the base of CCD-observations made with the axial meridian circle of the Nikolaev Observatory from 2008 to 2009, we compiled a catalogue for astrometric positions and proper motions for 140321 stars located in an ecliptic zone and around high proper motion stars. The root-meansquare error for a star position is 20–65 mas in right ascension and 30–70 mas in declination. The UCAC2 catalogue is used as a reference for astrometric reductions. To derive stars’ proper motion and to estimate systematic errors of the compiled catalogue, cross-identification of the obtained data with modern astronomic catalogues Tycho2, 2MASS, CMC14, LSPM, PPMX, USNO-A2, and XPM-1.0 is performed. In addition to star position and proper motion, our catalogue contains photometric values B, V, r’, J, H, and K taken from other catalogues.     

Spectrophotometry of carbon stars

The results of a spectrophotometric study of 13 carbon stars in the wavelength range from 4000 Å to 6800 Å with 2.75 Å resolution are given. The observed energy distributions for these stars relative to the flux at λ₀ = 5556 Å, represented in graphic form, were determined. Their color temperatures were determined from the [5710] ? [6680] color index. A dust shell is assumed to exist around U Cyg. The indices of the C_2’ MS, and CaCl molecular bands and the D_2,1 line were also determined.     

Ultraviolet absorption studies of H2O and other species in comet comae with satellite telescope-spectrometers

Ultraviolet absorption by H₂O and other species in the comae of comets could be detected by studying, with satellite telescope-spectrometers, the occultation of hot stars by comets. Such observations could produce the first direct detection of H₂O, the fundamental parent molecule in comet comae, and give measures of molecular level populations. The first instrument suitable for such observations will be the High Resolution Spectrograph on Space Telescope and, therefore, we consider its capabilities. We have used a Haser model to estimate the molecular column densities and to predict equivalent widths for lines of H₂O, OH, CO, and O as functions of time and angular distance from a comet with a high H₂O production rate. We have determined the minimum detectable equivalent widths, and therefore, the maximum angular separation from such a comet at which H₂O, OH, and CO could be studied. A conservative, statistical estimate shows that comets with high water production rates should pass near enough to about 10 to 100 stars suitable for absorption studies of the $\text{C}\text{}\text{X}$ band of H₂O (1240 Å). Estimated equivalent widths for CO, OH, and the resonance lines of C and O indicate that these species may also be detected.     

Ultraviolet photometry from the orbiting astronomical observatory XXII. Ultraviolet light variation ofβ Lyrae

Six-color ultraviolet light curves of the complex eclipsing binary system Lyr were obtained with the OAO-2 Wisconsin Experiment Package. The filters had a typical width at half maximum of 150 to 200 Å and centered at 1430, 1550, 1910, 2460, 2980 and 3320 Å. The most striking characteristics of the ultraviolet light curves are that the secondary minimum deepens at shorter wavelengths. This indicates that we arenot observing the eclipse effect of two stars having roughly a Planckian distribution of energy. In combination with the high resolution far ultraviolet spectra of Lyr recently obtained withCopernicus (OAO-3) Princeton Telescope Spectrometer, it is concluded that the far ultraviolet light curves are dominated by emission from the high temperature gas surrounding the binary system. The ultraviolet observations with OAO-2 andCopernicus are consistent with a model in which the enigmatic secondary component involves a gravitationally collapsed object, i.e., a black hole; however, alternative models are also admissible.     

Error analysis of proper motions in decination obtained for 807 Hipparcos stars from PZT observations over many decades

After publication of the Hipparcos catalogue (in 1997), a few new astrometric catalogues have appeared (TYCHO‐2, ARIHIP, etc.), as a good combination of the Hipparcos satellite and ground‐based data, to get more accurate coordinates and proper motions of stars than the Hipparcos catalogue ones. There are also investigations on improving the Hipparcos coordinates and proper motions by using the astrometric observations of latitude and universal time variations (via observed stars referred to Hipparcos catalogue), together with Hipparcos data, carried out during the last few years. These kind of ground‐based data were collected at the end of the last century by J. Vondrák. There are about 4.4 million optical observations made worldwide at 33 observatories and with 47 instruments during 1899.7–1992.0; our Belgrade visual zenith telescope data (for the period 1949.0‐1986.0) were included. First of all, these data were used to determine the Earth Orientation Parameters – EOP, but they are also useful for the opposite task – to check the accuracy of coordinates and proper motions of Hipparcos stars which were observed from the ground over many decades. Here, we use the latitude part of ten Photographic Zenith Tubes – PZT data (more than 0.9 million observations made at 6 observatories during the time interval 1915.8–1992.0), and combine them with the Hipparcos catalogue ones, with suitable weights, in order to check the proper motions in declination for 807 common PZT/Hipparcos stars (and to construct the PZT catalogue of μ_δ for 807 stars). Our standard errors in proper motions in declination of these stars are less than or equal to the Hipparcos ones for 423 stars. The mean value of standard errors of 313 stars observed over more than 20 years by PZT is 0.40 mas/yr. This is 53% of 0.75 mas/yr (the suitable value from the Hipparcos catalogue). We used the Least Squares Method – LSM with the linear model. Our results are in good agreement with the Earth Orientation Catalogue – EOC‐2 and the new Hipparcos ones. The main steps of the method and the investigations of systematic errors in determined proper motions (the proper motion differences with respect to the Hipparcos values, the EOC‐2 ones and the new Hipparcos ones, as a function of α, δ, and magnitude) are presented here. A comparison of the four catalogues by pairs shows that there is no significant relationship between the differences of their μ_δ values and magnitudes and color indices of the common 807 stars. All catalogues have relatively small random and systematic errors which are close to each other. However, the comparison shows that our formal errors are too small. They are underestimated by a factor of nearly 1.7 (for EOC‐2, it is 2.0) if we take the new Hipparcos (or Hipparcos) data as reference (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Variability of the HeIλ5876 Å line in early type chemically peculiar stars. II

To try to understand the behavior of helium variability in Chemically Peculiar stars, we continued our on‐going observational campaign started by Catanzaro, Leone & Catalano (1999). In this paper we present a new set of time resolved spectroscopic observations of the HeI5876 Å line for a sample of 10 stars in the spectral range B3 ‐ A2 and characterized by different overabundances. This line does not show variability in two stars: HD77350 and HD175156. It shows instead an equivalent width variation in phase with the Hipparcos light curve for two stars: HD79158 and HD196502. Antiphase variations have been found in 4 stars of our sample, namely: HD35502, HD124224, HD129174 and HD142990. Nothing we can say about HD115735 because of the constancy of Hipparcos photometric data, while no phase relation has been observed for HD90044. In the text we discuss the case of HD175156, according to photometric calibration and our spectroscopic observations we rule out the membership of this star to the main sequence chemically peculiar stars. We confirm the results obtained in the previous paper for which phase relations between light, spectral and magnetic variations are not dependent on stellar spectral type or peculiarity subclass.     

Continuum Energy Distribution of Bright Be Stars

This paper presents the spectrophotometric observations of five Be stars belonging to spectral type from B2.5 to B5 and luminosity class from III to V. The continuum energy distribution data of these stars are extracted from the spectrophotometric measurements over the wavelength range of λλ 3200–8000 Å. The observed data of continuum energy distribution are compared with the theoretical energy distribution curves to derive the value of effective temperatures of these stars. We have also examined the effect of circumstellar envelopes of Be stars on their continuum energy distribution. It has been found that the extended circumstellar envelope of Be stars affect the underlying continua in the near-ultraviolet and near-infrared regions. Three Be stars are found to exhibit near-ultraviolet and near-infrared flux deficiency in their continua. For one of the Be, namely star HR 1289, we report the first continuum energy distribution measurements. Another normal B star HR 1363, which was observed as comparison star, was found to exhibit near-ultraviolet and excess emission, which are signatures of a Be star, thus putting this star in the category of Be stars.