Structural peculiarities of circumstellar envelopes of the young A0E herbig stars

Circumstellar peculiarities of the A0-type Herbig stars are analyzed on the basis of high-resolution CCD spectroscopic data, obtained in 1991-1994 at the ESO and the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory (about 250 spectrograms). The results of investigation of the rapid line profile variability in H , H , HeI 5876 and DNa lines are presented for AB Aur, HD 163296, HD 36112 and HD 100546. The conclusion is made that the behaviour of these lines can be explained in the framework of the model containing an equatorially concentrated and azimuthally inhomogeneous stellar wind and an external cool shell occasionally losing matter in the form of infall on to the star.     

Magnetic fields in small and young sunspots

Preliminary results of magnetic field measurements in small sunspots from spectrograms obtained with the aid of the McMath Solar Telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory are presented. The measured intensities are greater than or equal to about 1200 Gauss. Furthermore, a broadening of the Fei line 6302.508 Å was found in some places of intergranular space. The importance of intergranular space as a possible potential earliest stage of sunspot development is mentioned.Kitt Peak National Observatory, Contribution No. 222.Visiting Astronomer, 1964, Kitt Peak National Observatory.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the Nat. Science Foundation.     

Impulsive brightenings/velocity transients in quiescent solar prominences

In some quiescent prominences, areas are found where the H emission profiles are centrally reversed. By combining good spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution, the detailed behavior of these reversal regions has been investigated. Many of the regions show a growth and subsequent decay in the affected area, peak intensity, line width, and depth of the central reversal. Lifetimes of the time-varying reversal features range from 10 to more than 60 min, and they are found near the edges of the prominence fine structure. These events are similar to the impulsive events that the authors discussed in an earlier paper, and may share a common cause. The detailed behavior of the H line profiles is consistent with these reversal features being true self-reversal of the line, indicating unusually high column masses in these areas. Some models of condensation of coronal material to the prominence state predict temporary regions of high density, perhaps high enough to produce the observed reversal. This implies that reversal features are the result of on-going condensation of coronal material into already formed prominences, a result which impacts models of prominence formation and stability.Visiting Astronomer, National Solar Observatory (Sacramento Peak) of National Optical Astronomy Observatories, operated by Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Characteristics of the Ca ii K-line profiles in the quiet Sun

Feature-to-feature identification is made on simultaneous Ca ii K-line spectrograms (SG) and K_2v spectroheliograms (SHG). The line profiles in plages and in the network boundary nearly always have double-peaked reversal in the core, while those inside the cells present all possibilities: double-peaked, single-peaked on violet side, single-peaked on red side, and unreversed absorption. Statistics of the profiles in the quiet chromosphere show that 50% are K₂₃₂ double-peaked, 20% are K_2v single-peaked, 10% are K_2r single-peaked, and 20% show only incipient reversal or even totally lack any reversal. We call attention to the nontrivial contribution of these absorption profiles which are formed in dark regions shown on SHG's.The physical conditions inferred from different kinds of profiles are briefly discussed.In part to be included in a dissertation to be submitted to the Graduate School, University of Maryland, by S. Y. Liu in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph. D. degree in Astronomy.Visiting Graduate Student, Solar Division, Kitt Peak National Observatory.Visiting Astronomer, Solar Division, Kitt Peak National Observatory.     

Monochromatic photographs of giantHii regions in the Magellanic Clouds

Narrow band-pass direct photographs have been secured of the central region of 30 Doradus and of several other nebulosities in the Magellanic Clouds. We have utilized an image tube camera attached to the Yale one-meter telescope at the Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory. Interference filters whose band passes were selected to allow for the radial velocities of the Magellanic Clouds have been utilized to record monochromatic images of [Nii] 6584, H, Hei 5876, and [Oiii] 5007. In 30 Doradus the main filamentary structures appear to be very similar in H, Hei, [Nii], and [Oiii] at least in the inner regions where most spectroscopic measurements have been made. The features appear to be material bounded rather than radiation bounded and the excitation differences are very small. Likewise, in NGC 346 in the Small Magellanic Cloud the [Oiii] and H images are very similar, but in N44 in the Large Magellanic Cloud excitation differences do appear. The implications of these observations for chemical compositions of nebulosities in the Magellanic Clouds would appear to be that spectroscopic and scanner studies should be supplemented by monochromatic photographs. Some nebulosities can be handled by simple models while for others excitation differences must be taken into account.Guest investigators at Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy under contract with the National Science Foundation     

On some flare-sensitive high photospheric and low chromospheric lines

During a stay at the Kitt Peak National Observatory the writer has tried to find an influence of flare radiation on the high photospheric and low chromospheric lines of the area occupied by the flare. Observations have been made in the H region and in the region of the H and K lines. When flare emission is present in sunspots some of the faint (molecular) lines seem to be weakened. When a flare appears near the solar limb some of the Evershed-type (chromospheric) lines are strongly influenced.Kitt Peak National Observatory Contribution No. 481.Visiting Astronomer to the Solar Division, Kitt Peak National Observatory, operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

On the calibration of line-of-sight magnetograms

Inference of magnetic fields from very high spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution polarized images is critical in understanding the physical processes that form and evolve fine scale structures in the solar atmosphere. Studying high spectral resolution data also helps in understanding the limits of lower resolution spectral data. We compare three different methods for calibrating the line-of-sight component of the magnetic field. Each method is tested for varying degrees of spectral resolution on both synthetic line profiles computed for known magnetic fields and real data. The methods evaluated are: (a) the differences in the center of gravity of the right and left circular components for different spectral resolution, (b) conversion of circular polarization, at particular wavelengths, to magnetic fields using model-dependent numerical solutions to the equations of polarized radiative transfer, and (c) the derivative method using the weak field approximation. Each method is applied to very high spatial and spectral resolution circular polarization images of an active region, acquired in the Fei 5250 Zeeman-sensitive spectral line. The images were obtained using the 20 m pass-band tunable filter at NSO/Sacramento Peak Observatory Vacuum Tower Telescope. We find that the center-of-gravity separation offers the best way of inferring the longitudinal magnetic field.Work partially done while the author held an NRC-USAF Resarch Associateship.Supported under a USAF/AFOSR research initiative.The National Optical Astronomy Observatories are operated by the Association of Universities Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF). Partial support for National Solar Observatory is provided by the United States Air Force under a Memorandum of Understanding with NSF.     

The center-to-limb behavior of Ca i λ6573 and [Ca ii] λ7324

Center-to-limb measurements of the Ca i 6573 intercombination line and the Ca ii 7324 forbidden line are compared with synthetic profiles based on a simple representation of the non-LTE Ca-Ca⁺ ionization equilibrium. The effects of photoionizations from low lying excited states of neutral calcium are found to reduce the sensitivity of the 6573 center-to-limb behavior as a thermal structure diagnostic. The synthetic center-to-limb behavior is also sensitive to uncertainties in the nonthermal broadening. Nevertheless, the measured center-to-limb behavior of 6573 favors a cool photospheric model similar to the Vernazza, Avrett, and Loeser model M over hotter models based on the Ca ii K wings. The non-LTE calcium abundance obtained from the disk center equivalent widths of 6573 and 7324 using the best fit model is A _Ca2.1±0.2 × 10^-6 (by number relative to hydrogen). Applications of these lines as diagnostics of the Ca-Ca⁺ ionization equilibrium in other stars are briefly discussed.Visiting Astronomer, Kitt Peak National Observatory.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

The diatomic molecules BH,BN, and BO in sunspots and the solar abundance of boron

Absorption band spectra of BH and BO have been searched for and not found in spectra of sunspots.Electronic oscillator strengths are available only for the A ¹ -X ^{1 +} system of the BH molecule. The absence of the (0,0) band of BH at 4332 Å reflects a solar abundance of boron logA _B<2.5.The band spectra of BN are several orders of magnitude weaker in sunspots than those of BH and BO.Kitt Peak National Observatory Contribution No. 488.Visiting Astronomer, Solar Division, Kitt Peak National Observatory - Operated by The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

The supergranule velocity field

A study of supergranule motions confirms horizontal velocities with peak values of typically 0.36 km s^–1 as observed in Fe i 8688 Å. These show no significant variation with height over the range of formation of C i 9111, Fe i 8688, and Mg i 8806, but there is a substantial reduction to about one-half of this at the level of Ca ii 8542.Near disk center, supergranule vertical velocities in Fe i 8688 have rms values ±0.01 km ^–1, after allowance for the residual effects of the line-of-sight component of the horizontal supergranule motions, the five-minute oscillations, granule motions, and detector drift. There is a marginally-significant association of magnetic elements, and hence of cell boundaries, with downward motions; but this requires further testing.Measurements of downward velocities 0.1 km^–1 in regions of strong magnetic field when using unpolarized light are attributed to the much higher downflow inside the elements themselves and have nothing to do with supergranule motions.Visiting Astronomer, Kitt Peak National Observatory.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Correlation of He II lyman alpha with He I 10830 Å, and with chromospheric and EUV coronal emission

This paper describes the results of comparing SERTS-3 images obtained in the transition region line of Heii 304 with chromospheric Hei 10830 absorption, with strong coronal lines of Mgix 368 , Fexv 284 and 417 , and Fexvi 335 and 31 , with H, with Caii 8542 , and with magnetograms in Fei 8688H. All of the images are illustrated, and the image reconstruction techniques used are described and evaluated. The high correlation of the Heii 304 and Hei 10830 images, originally found by Harvey and Sheeley (1977), is confirmed and is put on a quantitative basis. We find that the supergranulation network has greater contrast, and that filaments appear darker, in 10830 than in 304 . In active regions, the 304 line follows more closely the behavior of H and Caii 8542 than the 10830 line.     

On the small-scale structure of solar magnetic fields

The small-scale structure of solar magnetic fields has been studied using simultaneous recordings in the spectral lines Fe i 5250 Å and Fe i 5233 Å, obtained with the Kitt Peak multi-channel magnetograph. We find that more than 90% of the magnetic flux in active regions (excluding the sunspots), observed with a 2.4 by 2.4 aperture, is channelled through narrow filaments. This percentage is even higher in quiet areas. The field lines in a magnetic filament diverge rapidly with height, and part of the flux returns back to the neighbouring photosphere. Therefore the strong fields within a magnetic filament are surrounded by weak fields of the order of a few gauss of the opposite polarity. The field-strength distribution within a filament, including the surrounding opposite-polarity fields, seems to be almost the same for all filaments within a given active or quiet region.The analysis of a scan made during an imp. 2 flare showed that observations during and after the flare would give a fictitious decrease of the magnetic energy in the region by a factor of 2–3 due to line-profile changes during the flare.Visiting Astronomer, Kitt Peak National Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

The reduction of the solar velocity field into its oscillatory and slowly-varying components

Spectroheliogram movies of the solar velocity field have been made in the 4924 line of Feii with a time resolution of 20 sec/frame and a spatial resolution in the range 1–2 sec of arc. A conventional doppler movie has been used to generate two additional movies which show the slowly-varying and oscillatory components of the velocity field separately. A basic result is the simplicity of the field patterns into which the relatively complex velocity field can be decomposed.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract to the National Science Foundation.Visiting Astronomer, Solar Division.     

A study of the magnetic and velocity fields in an active region

A time sequence of magnetograms and velocity-grams in the H and Fe i 6569 Å lines has been made at a rate of 12 h^–1 of McMath Region 10385 from 26 to 29 October, 1969. The 14 flares observed during this period have been studied in relation to the configuration and changes in the magnetic and velocity fields. There was little correlation between flare position and the evolutionary changes in the photospheric magnetic and velocity field, except at large central meridian distances where the velocity observations suggested shearing taking place at flare locations. At central meridian distances > 30° we found that flares are located in areas of low line-of-sight photospheric velocity surrounded by higher velocity hills. The one exception to this was the only flare which produced a surge. Blue-shifted velocity changes in the photosphere of 0.3 to 1 km s^–1 were observed in localized areas at the times of 8 of 14 flares studied.Visiting Astronomer, Kitt Peak National Observatory.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Physical properties of solar chromospheric plages

We compute a new grid of plage models to determine the difference in temperature versus mass column density structure T(m) between plage regions and the quiet solar chromosphere, and to test whether the solar chromosphere is geometrically thinner in plages. We compare partial redistribution calculations of Mg ii h and k and Ca ii K to NRL Skylab observations of Mg ii h and k in six active regions and Ca ii K intensities obtained from spectroheliograms taken at approximately the same time as the Mg ii observations. We find that the plage observations are better matched by models with linear (in log m) temperature distributions and larger values of m ₀ (the mass column density at the 8000 K layer in the chromosphere), than by models with larger low chromosphere temperature gradients but values of m ₀ similar to the quiet Sun. Our derived temperature structures are in agreement with the grid originally proposed by Shine and Linsky, but our analysis is in contrast to the study by Kelch which implies that stellar chromospheric geometrical thickness is not affected by chromospheric activity. We conclude that either the stellar Mg ii observations upon which the Kelch study was based are of poorer quality than had been assumed, or that the spatial averaging of inhomogeneous structures, which is inherent in the stellar data, does not lead to a best fit one-component model similar in detail to that of a stellar or a solar plage.Visiting Astronomer at Kitt Peak National Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.Staff member, Quantum Physics Division, National Bureau of Standards.     

Helium resonance lines in the flare of 15 June, 1973

Time sequences of He i and He ii resonance line intensities at several sites within the flare of 15 June, 1973 are derived from observations obtained with the Naval Research Laboratory's Slitless Spectroheliograph on Skylab. The data are compared with predictions in six model flare atmospheres based on two values for the heating rate and three for the flux of photoionizing coronal X-rays and EUV. A peak ionizing flux more than 10³ times that in the quiet Sun is indicated. For most conditions in flare kernels the He ii L and L lines are found to be formed by collisional excitation, thereby contributing to the local cooling of the plasma at temperatures above 6 × 10⁴ K. Emission in the higher Lyman lines is generally the result of a mixture of collisional excitation at these temperatures and photoionization and recombination at temperatures near 2.5 × 10⁴ K. We discuss implications for the common practice of deriving stellar coronal fluxes from He ii 1640 Å fluxes assuming dominance of the recombination mechanism.Chief, Quantum Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology.Operated jointly by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Colorado.Operated by the National Optical Astronomy Observatories of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Multi-channel magnetograph observations

Simultaneous observations of photospheric magnetic fields, Caii K emission, the photospheric network and continuum faculae show that these four quantities are correlated in a complicated manner. The photospheric and calcium networks show increasing contrast with increasing magnetic field strength up to field strengths of about 500 G. Higher values of the magnetic field are found only in pores and sunspots. Continuum faculae also show increasing contrast with increasing magnetic field strength (even at the disk center), but this contrast reaches a maximum at field strengths of about 200 G. At higher field strengths, continuum faculae become monotonically darker until pore or spunspot conditions are reached.Measurements of the photospheric network and the continuum faculae over a wide range of result in families of limb contrast curves. These curves indicate that the dependence on H is as important as the dependence on . They also indicate that the magnetic field has a preferred inclination of about 50°. The facular contrast shows little dependence on resolution. This is interpreted in terms of a geometric model in which faculae are clumps of many individual flux tubes. These tubes are closely packed and unresolvable in the photosphere, but are more widely spaced, and therefore resolvable, in the low chromosphere.Visiting Astronomer, Kitt Peak National Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

The solar manganese abundance

A preliminary solar Mn abundance of logN(Mn) = 5.41 (logN(H) = 12.00) is derived on the basis of fitting theoretical line profiles which include hyperfine structure (HFS) broadening to the profiles of the 5394.7, 5432.6, and 5537.8 lines of Mn observed at the center of the solar disk with the double-pass spectrograph of the McMath solar telescope at Kitt Peak. Both the Mn abundance and the collisional damping constant were varied during the fitting procedure in order to minimize the rms deviation between the observed and computed profiles.Visiting Astronomer, 1970, Kitt Peak National Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract to the National Science Foundation.     

On the temperature structure of sunspot umbrae

From a high-resolution spectrum of a sunspot umbra (1.1 < < 2.3 m) we derive models of the temperature stratification in the deep layers of the umbra. The observed spectrum is corrected for straylight using the Hi Paschen line at gl = 1.282 m. A method is described for the iterative fitting of empirical temperature models to spectral information, and the method is applied to the present data. We find that the observed profiles of 3 high-excitation lines of Sii and the observed continuum contrast between umbra and photosphere cannot be reproduced with a single one-component model of the umbral atmosphere: the Si i lines require a model that is 460 K hotter at gt _0.5 = 3 than the continuum model. This indicates that hot and cool components coexist within the umbra. A temperature model derived from the relative intensity in the wings of 3 low-excitation lines of Mgi, Ali, and Sii is not significantly different from the continuum model.Based on observations obtained at Kitt Peak National Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

BV Dra and BW Dra: Two contact systems in one visual binary

UBV light curves obtained in 1975 for both components of ADS 9537 are presented. These light curves and the light curve of BV Dra by Yamasaki have been solved for geometrical parameters using the synthesis method under two hypotheses explaining theW-subclass light curves: (1) temperature excess of the less massive components; (2) spots on the more massive components; the results are very similar. Because of the poor determinacy of the solutions, mass-ratios have been assumed:q=0.8 for BV Dra and a range inq for BW Dra; our solutions suggest preference for smallerq in the latter system. We compare both variables and conclude that they follow the Main Sequence dependences. We give also a bried discussion of the existing information on other contact binaries in multiple (visual) systems: the contact binaries seem to follow the same statistical distributions for occurrence in multiples as found for detached binaries but severe selection effects limit detectability for multiple systems with wide orbits having semi-axes below 100 a.u.On leave from the Warsaw University Observatory.Visiting Astronomer, Kitt Peak National Observatory which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.