Relation between element depletion and interstellar reddening in the direction of OB Stars

We have studied the interstellar column densities of Alii, Siii,Sii, Feii, Niii, and Znii in the direction of 18 O- and 6 B-type stars so as to improve the relations of element depletions withE(B-V), and to look for other possible relations with two stellar parameters: namely, the rate of mass loss and rotational velocity. The stars were chosen in order to cover several directions in the Galaxy, as well as a wide range in interstellar reddening. We found a clear inverse trend relating the abundance of elements to interstellar reddening.     

On interstellar reddening law in the Taurus dark clouds

The interstellar reddening law in the Taurus dark clouds is investigated from visual, infrared, and ground based ultraviolet photometric observations of heavily reddened stars HD 29647, HDE 283701, and HDE 283812. The star HD 29647 located in the center of a very dense dark cloud Khavtassi 278 shows a reddening law which is anomalous in the wavelengths shorter than 400 nm. When combined with observations by Snow and Seab from the IUE it can be represented by a single straight line from 1 m to 250 nm. Other two stars situated in less dense parts of the Taurus dark clouds show normal reddening law.     

Column densities of interstellar matter in the direction of the starκ Cas (B1 Ia)

We have studied the interstellar column densities in the direction of the star Cas with the IUE high resolution SWP spectrum so as to see the relations of element depletions with condensation temperature and compare our results with the interstellar column densities in the directions of the other B-type stars obtained with the COPERNICUS satellite.Based on the observations made by the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUEO, and collected at the Villafranca Satellite Tracking Station of European Space Agency.     

Near-infrared photometry of twelve carbon stars

We present results of JHK photometry of 12 carbon stars and discuss the question of interstellar reddening. The distribution of the carbon stars on the (J-H, H-K) two-colour diagram was investigated, and the J-K colour index was used to derive the bolometric correction.     

3-D Structure of the Galactic Interstellar Matter: A Contribution from GAIA

We investigate the possibilities for tracing interstellar extinction with the ESA's astrometric space mission GAIA. The analysis is based on detailed simulations of the GAIA photometry, which are used to derive the distribution of interstellar matter in a modelled Galaxy. We find that `small' diffuse clouds (diameter D = 4 pc, E <sub>B-V</sub> = 0.06) will be easily traced with GAIA up to the distances of ∼ 800 pc. `Large' diffuse interstellar clouds (D = 10 pc, E _B-V = 0.13) will be located up to the distances of ∼ 2.5 kpc. This holds for the reddening tracers of spectral types O – K2 brighter than V = 17. Inmost cases, due to their low spatial density, the early type stars (O– A2) cannot provide reliable information about the distribution of interstellar matter. None of the reddening tracers measured by GAIA will provide reliable identification of the individual interstellar clouds beyond the distances of ∼ 3 kpc. Therefore, we conclude that the information available from photometric observations will be not sufficient for the detailed reconstruction of the 3-D distribution of Galactic interstellar matter. It is therefore extremely important to define the new strategies which would allow to combine all the available information, including the earlier space- and/or ground-based investigations, together with the information which will be provided by GAIA itself (parallaxes, E _B-V etc.). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Statistical confirmation of the UV spectral classification system based on IUE Low-Dispersion stellar spectra

In theIUE Low-Dispersion Spectra Reference Atlas (Hecket al., 1984a), a new spectral classification system specific to the UV had to be introduced because of the lack of one-to-one correspondence between the UV and visible ranges. It was elaborated from a classical morphological approach (Jaschek and Jaschek, 1984).This paper presents an independent confirmation of the correctness of this system. A statistical methodology working in a multidimensional parametric space has been applied to variables expressing, as objectively as possible, the information contained in the continuum and the spectral features of a set of stellar low-dispersion IUE spectra. This was done through, on the one hand, an asymmetry coefficient describing the continuum shape and empirically corrected for the interstellar reddening, and, on the other hand, the intensities of sixty objectively selected lines.These line intensities have been weighted in a way we called the variable Procrustean bed method because, contrary to a standard weighting where a variable is weighted in the same way for all the individuals of a sample, the spectral variables were weighted here according to the asymmetry coefficient which varies with the star at hand. The statistical algorithm consisted of a Principal-Component Analysis followed by a Cluster Analysis.The choice of the lines used for the morphological approach in the Atlas is shown to be correct. With respect to the UV classification system introduced in the atlas, the groups constructed by the cluster analysis display good homogeneity and discrimination for spectral types and luminosity classes, especially in the early spectral types which are well represented in the sample used for this study. The UV standard stars can be found in the neighbourhood of the barycenters of the groups. Moreover, the methodology developed here could be used in a later stage to predict UV spectral classifications.Based on observations collected by the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) at the European Space Agency Villafranca Satellite Tracking Station (VILSPA) and on IUE data retrieved from the VILSPA data bank.     

The possibility of refining the spectral classification and estimating the interstellar extinction for peculiar stars from ultraviolet observations

Based on IUE spectrophotometry of various stars in the vacuum ultraviolet, we have chosen spectral regions for heterochromatic photometry of peculiar stars to refine their spectral classification and to estimate the interstellar extinction.     

Bandwidth effects on interstellar reddening and on theR-ratio

The energy distributions of 85 stars were combined with the transmittance ofB andV tilters and with an interstellar reddening law in order to investigate the effects of the bandwidth on the colour excess and on the ratioR=A _v/E(B-V). Since these depend both on the stellar spectral type and on the quantity of absorbing matter, corrective formulae are proposed to allow for these effects.     

Analyses of Wolf-Rayet ultraviolet spectra

Ultraviolet spectra of population I WR stars obtained from IUE archive are used to determine fundamental stellar parameters. Terminal velocities for 85 galactic and LMC Wolf-Rayet stars were obtained by means of the empirical relation between spectral quantities easily measured in low resolution and high-resolution terminal velocity measurements. Temperatures and so-called transformed radii were derived based on available contour plots of spectral characteristics for a grid of NLTE models. The effect of the reddening law on stellar far ultraviolet continua is emphasized and the revised extinction curve towards WR stars is used for dereddening. For the sample of stars attributed to open clusters or associations we construct the stellar distance scale and adopt it for the other WR stars. The remaining fundamental parameters are derived and HR diagram for population I WR stars is presented.     

JHKLM photometry for 22 hot stars

We discuss our JHKLM photometry for 22 hot stars, 11 of which were identified in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars. For all of the observed objects, we have estimated the interstellar reddening, angular diameters, and the volume emission measures of their gaseous shells.     

Computer-Assisted Reduction of Photographic Two-Colour Diagrams Application to Field Stars Near IC 348

A computer programme is described which derives amounts of reddening and distances of stars from UBV photometry. I t is based on analytical expressions for the normal line in the two-colour diagram and for the absolute magnitude as a fucction of the intrinsic colour (Eqns. (I) and (3)). The programme was applied to photographic UBV data of two fields of stars in the vicinity of the galactic cluster IC 348. It is shown that the interstellar dust is concentrated there in a thin slab situated a t about zoo pc to 300 pc distance and giving rise to amounts of reddening, E(B - V ), of about 0.4 mag. and 0.8 mag. for the two fields, resp.     

Vilnius Photometry of Red Giant Stars in the Open Cluster NGC 7789

Photoelectric Vilnius seven-color photometry is presented and analyzed for a sample of 24 red giant branch and clump stars in the open cluster NGC 7789. For each star we have determined photometric spectral type, absolute magnitude, interstellar reddening, effective temperature, metallicity, and surface gravity. From averages over the stars in the sample we find the mean reddening to the cluster E _Y−V = 0.21± 0.02 (s.d.), or E _B−V = 0.25, and the apparent distance modulus (m−M) _V = 12.21± 0.10 (s.d.), which yield a distance of 1840 pc. The mean overall metallicity is found to be [Fe/H] = −0.18± 0.09 (s.d.). The clump stars, on average, appear to be slightly more metal-rich than the other red giants, which is most probably caused by evolutionary changes of carbon and nitrogen molecular bands falling in the photometric passbands. A difference in mass between the two groups of stars has also been detected, which suggests that the clump stars might have undergone extra mass loss before reaching their core He-burning phase of evolution.     

Identification of red clump giants by 2MASS photometric data

The infrared J, K-photometry of the 2MASS catalog has been used to identify red clump giants as well as to determine the distances to them and the interstellar extinction. Color-magnitude diagrams plotted for ten sky regions situated mostly near the galactic plane have been analyzed. Applying the maximum likelihood technique, the parameters of distribution of a number of red clump giants over their J-K color index have been determined; on the basis of these parameters, stars of this type to K = 11 ^m have been identified. According to the reddening of identified stars, the K-band extinction in the direction of the regions under study has been estimated. The value of the extinction and its variation with galactic latitude and longitude are in agreement with the extinction calculated by the model of Arenou et al.     

Giant elliptical galaxies: The Salpeter initial luminosity function and interstellar matter

It is argued that a Salpeter initial luminosity function is consistent with the observed integral properties of giant elliptical galaxies if the gaseous material lost by evolving stars can be retained in the system for times of the order of 10⁸ yr. One model which emerges is of a highly condensed system consisting mainly of metal-poor population II stars with an admixture (1.5%–15%) of super-metalrich stars born from the gaseous debris, which at the present time constitutes 0.05%–0.5% of the total mass. HighM/L ratios result from obscuration of the starlight, and the missing radiation reappears in the form of a strong I-R flux at wavelengths of the order of 100 . The difference in colour betweengE anddE galaxies is explained in terms of interstellar reddening, and strong interstellar metallic absorption lines are also expected. The model leads to a negligible evolutionary correction to the cosmological deceleration parameterq ₀. An alternative model, in which the stars arenot metal poor, has a more condensed, heavily obscured nucleus, surrounded by the unobscured central bulge of the Galaxy which provides most of the light. In this version a large evolutionary correction would be required.     

The interstellar 2200 Å band: A second catalogue of equivalent widths and preliminary statistical analysis (Mitteilungen der Universitäts-Sternwarte zu Jena Nr. 162)

A second catalogue of equivalent widths of the interstellar 2200 Å band is presented. It is based on spectrophotometric data obtained with the TD-1 satellite and supplements a catalogue already published (paper I). Both catalogues list a total of 779 stars. The reliability of the derived parameters is analysed. There is a satisfying agreement with spectrophotometric data obtained with the OAO-2 satellite. The relationship between the equivalent width of the 2200-Å band and and the colour excess is discussed, making use of additional data for more strongly reddened stars obtained with OAO-2 and IUE.     

Method for simultaneous determination of the metallicity and interstellar reddening of globular clusters using the <Emphasis Type="Italic">V</Emphasis> vs. (<Emphasis Type="Italic">B-R</Emphasis>) color-magnitude diagram

We describe a method for simultaneous determination of the metallicity and interstellar reddening of globular clusters that uses parameters of the giant branch on the V vs. (B-R) color-magnitude diagram: the slope of the giant branch, its color at the level of the horizontal branch, and the apparent magnitude V of the horizontal branch. Applying this method to the globular cluster NGC 7006 gives the metallicity [Fe/H] = −1.78 ± 0.11 and interstellar reddening E _B-R = 0.25 ± 0.02.     

Intrinsic properties of carbon stars. II. Spectra,colours, and HR diagram of cool carbon stars

On the basis of the effective temperature scale proposed previously for cool carbon stars (Paper I), other intrinsic properties of them are examined in detail. It is shown that the major spectroscopic properties of cool carbon stars, including those of molecular bands due to polyatomic species (SiC₂, HCN, C₂H₂ etc.), can most consistently be understood on the basis of our new effective temperature scale and the theoretical prediction of chemical equilibrium. Various photometric indices of cool carbon stars also appear to be well correlated with the new effective temperatures. Furthermore, as effective temperatures of some 30 carbon stars are now obtained, the calibration of any photometric index is straightforward, and some examples of such a calibration are given. In general, colour index-effective temperature calibrations for carbon stars are quite different from those for K-M giant stars. It is found that the intrinsic (R —I)₀ colour is nearly the same for N-irregular variables in spite of a considerable spread in effective temperatures, and this fact is used to estimate the interstellar reddening of carbon stars. An observational HR diagram of red giant stars, including carbon stars as well as K-M giant stars, is obtained on the basis of our colour index-effective temperature calibrations and the best estimations of luminosities. It is shown that carbon stars and M giant stars are sharply divided in the HR diagram by a nearly vertical line at aboutT _eff = 3200 K (logT _eff = 3.50) and the carbon stars occupy the upper right region of M giant stars (except for some high luminosity, high temperature J-type stars in the Magellanic Clouds; also Mira variables are not considered). Such an observational HR diagram of red giant stars shows rather a poor agreement with the current stellar evolution models. Especially, a more efficient mixing process in red giant stars, as compared with those ever proposed, is required to explain the formation of carbon stars.     

Combined UBV and uvby photometry of open clusters. I. NGC 1502

For at all 24 stars in the field of the heavity reddened open cluster NGC 1502 we obtained UBV and uvby photometry. 19 of these stars we classified definitely as members. From the photometric results we derived 1·1 × 10⁷ years as the cluster age, 960 pc as its distance, and <E(B—V)> = 0·78 mag as mean reddening of the cluster. From the reddening of the foreground stars we evaluated that the intracluster reddening has to be smaller than 0·2 mag. The value of the colour excess ratio E(b—y)/E(B—V) = 0·770 leads us to the conclusion that in the spectra of the cluster stars a very broadband structure (VBS) with a central depth of about 0·04 mag is present.     

Observations of hydrogen deficient binary Upsilon sagittarii

The absolute magnitudeM _v of the hydrogen deficient binary υ Sgr has been estimated as -4.8 ± 1.0 from the distribution of the interstellar reddening, polarization and interstellar lines of the surrounding stars. From the ANS observations obtained at the time of the secondary eclipse, it appears that the hotter secondary is surrounded by a disc with colours of a B8-B9 star. The λ 1550 CIv absorption line arising in the stellar wind does not show any change in strength during the secondary minimum. The upper limit to the mass-loss rate from the high temperature wind is estimated as ≤ 5 × 10^-7 M⊙ yr^-1 from the 2 cm and 6 cm radio observations. Based on observations obtained with the Astronomical Netherlands Satellite and VLA. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s Very Large Array at Socorro, New Mexico is operated by Associated Universities Inc. under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Diffuse Interstellar Band at 862 nm as a Reddening Tracer for GAIA

We investigate the plausibility of using diffuse interstellar band at862 nm for tracing interstellar extinction with the ESA's astrometric space mission GAIA. For this purpose we perform numerical tests to simulate the conditions of real observations, covering a wide range of stellar parameters and different amounts of interstellar extinction. Our simulations indicate that with the present Radial Velocity Spectrometer setup the uncertainty in color excess of σ_E(B-V)≤ 0.05 can be achieved only for the interstellar reddening tracers brighter than V ∼ 13. None of the plausible tracers can provide accurate color excesses (σ _E(B-V) ≤ 0.05) at the distances beyond 2 kpc. We therefore conclude that with the currently planned instrumentation onboard GAIA this method can not be used as a stand-alone approach for probing interstellar extinction on the Galactic distance scales within the framework of the GAIA mission. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.