Interaction of the supernova remnant S 147 with the ambient interstellar gas

Based on RATAN-600 21-cm H I line observations with an angular resolution of 2.4', we studied the neutral-hydrogen distribution in the region of the supernova remnant (SNR) S 147 (G180.0-1.7). We detected a rotating shell of neutral gas immediately adjacent to the SNR that is expanding at a velocity of 20 km s^?1. The H I shell is less distinct in the southeastern part and at negative radial velocities. The outer shell diameter is 90 pc; the H I mass in the shell is 2.2 × 10⁴M_⊙. These data allowed us to estimate the SNR age, 6.5×10⁵ yr, and the initial explosion energy, 2.2×10⁵¹ erg.     

Infrared photometry of Nova Delphini 2013 (=V339 Del) in the first sixty days after its outburst

The results of JHKLM photometry for Nova Delphini 2013 obtained in the first sixty days after its outburst are analyzed. Analysis of the energy distribution in a wide spectral range (0.36–5 µm) has shown that the source mimics the emission of normal supergiants of spectral types B5 and A0 for two dates near its optical brightness maximum, August 15.94 UT and August 16.86 UT, respectively. The distance to the nova has been estimated to be D ≈ 3 kpc. For these dates, the following parameters have been estimated: the source’s bolometric fluxes ～9 × 10^?7 and ～7.2 × 10^?7 erg s^?1 cm^?2, luminosities L ≈ 2.5 × 10⁵ L _⊙ and ≈2 × 10⁵ L _⊙, and radii R ≈ 6.3 × 10¹² and ≈1.2 × 10¹³ cm. The nova’s expansion velocity near its optical brightness maximum was ～700 km s^?1. An infrared (IR) excess associated with the formation of a dust shell is shown to have appeared in the energy distribution one month after the optical brightness maximum. The parameters of the dust component have been estimated for two dates of observations, JD2456557.28 (September 21, 2013) and JD2456577.18 (October 11, 2013). For these dates, the dust shell parameters have been estimated: the color temperatures ≈1500 and ≈1200 K, radii ≈6.5 × 10¹³ and 1.7 × 10¹⁴ cm, luminosities ～4 × 10³ L _⊙ and ～1.1 × 10⁴ L _⊙, and the dust mass ～1.6 × 10²⁴ and ～10²⁵ g. The total mass of the material ejected in twenty days (gas + dust) could reach ～1.1 × 10^?6 M _⊙. The rate of dust supply to the nova shell was ～8 × 10^?8 M _⊙ yr^?1. The expansion velocity of the dust shell was about 600 km s^?1.     

A giant bipolar shell around the WO star in the galaxy IC 1613: Structure and kinematics

Observations of the nebula associated with the WO star in the galaxy IC 1613 are presented. The observations were carried out with a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer in Hα using the 6-m Special Astrophysical Observatory telescope; narrow-band Hα and [O III]images were obtained with the 4-m KPNO telescope (USA). The monochromatic Hα image clearly reveals a giant bipolar shell structure outside the bright nebula S3. The sizes of the southeastern and northwestern shells are 112×77 and (186–192)×(214–224) pc, respectively. We have studied the object’s kinematics for the first time and found evidence for expansion of both shells. The expansion velocities of the southeastern and northwestern shells exceed 50 and 70 km s^?1, respectively. We revealed a filamentary structure of the shells and several compact features in the S3 core. A scenario is proposed for the formation of the giant bipolar structure by the stellar wind from the central WO star located at the boundary of a “supercavity” in the galaxy’s H I distribution.     

Interaction of the supernova remnant HB3 with the ambient interstellar gas

The well-known shell supernova remnant (SNR) HB3 is part of a feature-rich star-forming region together with the nebulae W3, W4, and W5. We study the HI structure around this SNR using five RATAN-600 drift curves obtained at a wavelength of 21 cm with an angular resolution of 2′ in one coordinate over the radial-velocity range ?183 to +60 km s^?1 in a wider region of the sky and with a higher sensitivity than in previous works by other authors. The spatial-kinematic distribution of HI features around the SNR clearly shows two concentric expanding shells of gas that surround the SNR and coincide with it in all three coordinates (α, δ, and V). The outer shell has a radius of 133 pc, a thickness of 24 pc, and an expansion velocity of 48 km s^?1. The mass of the gas in it is ≈2.3 × 10⁵M_⊙. For the inner shell, these parameters are 78 pc, 36 pc, 24 km s^{? 1}, and 0.9 × 10⁵M_⊙, respectively. The inner shell is immediately adjacent to the SNR. Assuming that the outer shell was produced by the stellar wind and the inner shell arose from the shock wave of the SNR proper, we estimated the age of the outer shell, ≈1.7 × 10⁶ yr, and the mechanical luminosity of the stellar wind, 1.5 × 10³⁸ erg s^?1. The inner shell has an age of ≈10⁶ yr and corresponds to a total supernova explosion energy of ≈10⁵² erg.     

Searches for the shell swept up by the stellar wind from Cyg OB2

We investigated the kinematics of ionized gas in an extended (20°×15°) region containing the X-ray Superbubble in Cygnus with the aim of finding the shell swept up by a strong wind from Cyg OB2. Hα observations were carried out with high angular and spectral resolutions using a Fabry-Perot interferometer attached to the 125-cm telescope at the Crimean Observatory of the Sternberg Astronomical Institute. We detected high-velocity gas motions, which could result from the expansion of the hypothetical shell at a velocity of 25–50 km s^?1. Given the number of OB stars increased by Knödlseder (2000) by an order of magnitude, Cyg OB2 is shown to possess a wind that is strong enough [L _w ? (1–2) × 10³⁹ erg s^?1] to produce a shell comparable in size to the X-ray Superbubble and to a giant system of optical filaments. Based on our measurements and on X-ray and infrared observations, we discuss possible observational manifestations of the shell swept up by the wind.     

4U 0115+63 from RXTE and INTEGRAL data: Pulse profile and cyclotron line energy

We analyze the observations of the transient X-ray pulsar 4U 0115+63 with the RXTE and INTEGRAL observatories in a wide X-ray (3–100 keV) energy band during its intense outbursts in 1999 and 2004. The energy of the fundamental harmonic of the cyclotron resonance absorption line near the maximum of the X-ray flux from the source (luminosity range 5 × 10³⁷–2 × 10³⁸ erg s^?1) is ～11 keV. When the pulsar luminosity falls below ～5 × 10³⁷ erg s^?1, the energy of the fundamental harmonic is displaced sharply toward the high energies, up to ～16 keV. Under the assumption of a dipole magnetic field configuration, this change in cyclotron harmonic energy corresponds to a decrease in the height of the emitting region by ～2 km, while other spectral parameters, in particular, the cutoff energy, remain essentially constant. At a luminosity ～7 × 10³⁷ erg s^?1, four almost equidistant cyclotron line harmonics are recorded in the spectrum. This suggests that either the region where the emission originates is compact or the emergent spectrum from different (in height) segments of the accretion column is uniform. We have found significant pulse profile variations with energy, luminosity, and time. In particular, we show that the profile variations from pulse to pulse are not reduced to a simple modulation of the accretion rate specified by external conditions.     

Observations of the gamma-ray flux from the galaxy Mk 501

We present two-year-long observations of the flux of very-high-energy (～10¹² eV) gamma rays from the active galactic nucleus Mk 501 performed with a Cherenkov detector at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory. A gamma-ray flux from the object was shown to exist at confidence levels of 11 and 7 standard deviations for 1997 and 1998, respectively. The flux varied over a wide range. The mean flux at energies >10¹² eV, as inferred from the 1997 and 1998 data, is (5.0±0.6)×10^?11 and (3.7±0.6)×10^?11 cm^?2 s^?1, respectively. The errors are the sum of statistical observational and modeling errors. The mean power released in the form of gamma rays is ～2×10⁴³ erg s^?1 sr^?1.     

Calculations of the evolution of the giant planets

Evolutionary calculations are presented for spherically symmetric protoplanetary configurations with a homogeneous solar composition and with masses of 10^?3, 1.5 × 10^?3, 2.85 × 10^?4, and 4.2 × 10^?4M_⊙. Recent improvements in equation-of-state and opacity calculations are incorporated. Sequences start as subcondensations in the solar nebula with densities of ～10^?10 to 10^?11 g cm^?3, evolve through a hydrostatic phase lasting 10⁵ to 10⁷ years, undergo dynamic collapse due to dissociation of molecular hydrogen, and regain hydrostatic equilibrium with densities ～1 g cm^?3. The nature of the objects at the onset of the final phase of cooling and contraction is discussed and compared with previous calculations.     

Search for HD in Jupiter and Saturn

Upper limits are placed on the D/H ratio in the observed portions of the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn from observations at high S/N over the region of the 5-0 R(1) line of HD. The upper limits of 4 × 10^?5 and 6 × 10^?5 D/H on Jupiter and Saturn, respectively, are not inconsistent with present models for abundance ratios in the primitive solar nebula or with other estimates of this quantity from observations.     

H I distribution in the region of the supernova remnant G78.2+2.1

Based on RATAN-600 21-cm line observations with an angular resolution of 2.4′ over a wide range of radial velocities, we analyze the neutral-hydrogen distribution in the region of the SNR G78.2+2.1. In addition to an H I shell at low radial velocities immediately surrounding the radio remnant, we detected an extended expanding H I shell, ≈3° in diameter, at a radial velocity of ?25 km s^?1, which closely coincides in coordinates and angular sizes with the outer X-ray shell discovered by Lozinskaya et al. (2000). The Hα emission studied by these authors in the SNR region also has a secondary peak at radial velocities from ?45 to ?20 km s^?1. Since the radial velocities of these two objects differ significantly, their distances can be assumed to differ as well; i.e., a chance projection of two distinct objects is observed.     

A search for photometric and spectroscopic evolutionary changes in the young planetary nebula Vy 2-2

The results of long-term photometric and spectroscopic observations of the young compact planetary nebula Vy 2-2 (PNG 045.4-02.7) are presented. The UBV photometry in 1990–2016 has revealed a slight brightness trend in the yearly averaged data, most pronounced in the V band. We have measured the relative fluxes of optical emission lines on the spectrograms taken with the 1.25-m telescope at the Southern Station of the SAI MSU in 1999–2016, estimated the absolute flux in the Hβ line to be F(Hβ) = (2.1 ± 0.4) × 10^?12 erg cm^?2 s^?1, and determined the interstellar extinction constant c(Hβ) = 1.8. The electron temperature and density in the nebula have been estimated from diagnostic line ratios: T_e = (10?12) × 10³ K and Ne ≥ 10⁵ cm^?3. To detect any possible evolutionary changes, we have compared the new observations with the archival data obtained over the entire history of spectroscopic observations of Vy 2-2. No significant changes in the relative intensities of the strongest emission lines and the integrated flux in the Hβ line exceeding the observational errors have been found. We have revealed a tendency for the intensity ratio F(λ4363)/F(λ4959) to decrease with time, which may be related to a decrease in the electron density in the nebula. Based on our photometric and spectroscopic data, we have estimated the luminosity of the central star of Vy 2-2, which corresponds to the evolutionary tracks for the most massive post-AGB stars of the O-rich sequence.     

Ultraviolet Spectral Behavior of TVCol During and After Flaring Activity

We studied the intermediate polar TVCol during and after its flare in November 1982 observed in the ultraviolet range with the International Ultraviolet Explorer. Two spectra revealing the variations of emission lines at different times are presented. We have estimated a new value of the reddening from the 2200 Å absorption feature, E (B ? V ) = 0.12 ± 0.02, and calculated the line fluxes of C IV and He II emission lines produced in the outer accretion disk. The average ultraviolet luminosity of emitting region during and after the flare is approximately 4 × 10³² erg s^?1 and 9 × 10³⁰ erg s^?1, the corresponding average mass accretion rate is nearly 3 × 10¹⁵ erg s^?1 (4.76 × 10^?11M_⊙ yr^?1) and 5 × 10¹³ erg s^?1 (7.9³ × 10^?13M_⊙ yr^?1), and the average temperature of the emitting region during and after flare is estimated to be of about 3.5 × 10³ K and 2 × 10³ K. We attribute this flare to a sudden increase in the mass accretion rate leading to the outburst activity.     

Structure and kinematics of the interstellar medium around WR 142a: Searching for traces of the action of stellar wind

Based on our Hα interferometric observations and CO data, we analyze the structure and kinematics of the gas in an extended region of the Cygnus arm around the recently discovered star WR 142a. We have established that WR 142a and the ionized hydrogen in its immediate neighborhood are associated with the complex of molecular clouds observed in a region with l ～ 78°–80°30′, b ～ 2°–3°20′, and V _LSR ～ 4–16 km s^?1. Traces of the action of the stellar wind from WR 142a on the ambient gas have been found to the northeast of the star in a region devoid of dense absorbing foreground clouds. These include very weak thin gas and dust filaments as well as high-velocity components of the Hα profile, which can be interpreted as a possible expansion of the shell swept up by the wind with a velocity as high as 50–80 km s^?1. Giant regions of reduced CO emission dominated by high-velocity motions of ionized hydrogen have been detected. Stars of the Cyg OB2 association and the cluster NGC 6910 can be responsible for these motions.     

Rapid photometric and spectroscopic evolution of the young planetary nebula Hen 3–1357 and its central star SAO 244567

We present the results of spectroscopic and photometric observations for the young compact planetary nebula Hen 3–1357 and its central star SAO 244567. High-resolution spectroscopy has allowed the expansion velocity of the nebula, V _exp = 8.4 ± 1.5 km s^?1, and the heliocentric velocity of the object, V _r = +12.6 ± 1.7 km s^?1, to be determined. The gas shell parameters (N _e , T _e ), the extinction in the Hβ line, and the O, N, Ne, Ar, S, Cl, He, and C abundances have been determined from low-resolution spectra taken in 1992 and 2011. We have found significant changes in the relative intensities of forbidden lines in the spectrum of Hen 3–1357 within the last 20 years: the low-excitation [O I], [O II], and [N II] lines became stronger relative to Hβ by a factor of ～2, while the [O III] lines weakened by a factor of ～ 2, suggesting a decrease in the excitation class of the nebula. The V-band photometry performed under the ASAS-3 program revealed a decline in the yearly mean brightness of SAO 244 567 from 2001 to 2009 by $0_.^m 5$ and rapid variability with an amplitude of a few tenths of a magnitude. Published observational data in a wide spectral range, from the near ultraviolet to the radio band, suggest an appreciable weakening of the flux from the star and the nebula.     

Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope Observations of Wolf–Rayet Dwarf Galaxy Mrk 996

The Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope (DFOT) is a 1.3 meter aperture optical telescope, recently installed at Devasthal, Nainital. We present here the first results using an Hα filter with this telescope on a Wolf–Rayet dwarf galaxy Mrk 996. The instrumental response and the Hα sensitivity obtained with the telescope are (3.3 ± 0.3) × 10^???15 erg s^?1 cm^?2/counts s^?1 and 7.5 × 10^???17 erg s^?1 cm^?2 arcsec^?2 respectively. The Hα flux and the equivalent width for Mrk 996 are estimated as (132 ± 37) × 10^?14 erg s^?1 cm^?2 and ～96 Å respectively. The star formation rate is estimated as 0.4 ± 0.1M _⊙ yr^?1. Mrk 996 deviates from the radio-FIR correlation known for normal star forming galaxies with a deficiency in its radio continuum. The ionized gas as traced by Hα emission is found in a disk shape which is misaligned with respect to the old stellar disk. This misalignment is indicative of a recent tidal interaction in the galaxy. We believe that galaxy–galaxy tidal interaction is the main cause of the WR phase in Mrk 996.     

Neutral hydrogen in the vicinity of the supernova remnant HB 9

The neutral hydrogen emission at 21 cm has been investigated with the RATAN-600 radio telescope in the vicinity of the supernova remnant HB9. A clumpyHI shell with radial motions surrounding the remnant has been detected. Its measured parameters contradict the connection with a shock wave from a supernova explosion. The shell formation under the action of a wind from a star that exploded as a supernova at the end of its evolution seems more realistic. The characteristics of the star obtained from the observed shell parameters are the following: a wind power of 0.5 × 10³⁸ erg s^?1, a mass-loss rate of 3.7 × 10^?5 M _⊙ yr^?1, and an age of 3 × 10⁶ yr. Given the measurement errors, the mass of the star is estimated to be >8M _⊙.     

Broadband spectrum of the total X-ray emission from the galaxy M31

We present the results of measurements of the total X-ray flux from the Andromeda galaxy (M31) in the 3-100 keV band based on data from the RXTE/PCA, INTEGRAL/ISGRI, and SWIFT/BAT space experiments. We show that the total emission from the galaxy has a multicomponent spectrum whose main characteristics are specified by binaries emitting in the optically thick and optically thin regimes. The galaxy’s luminosity at energies 20–100 keV gives about 6% of its total luminosity in the 3–100 keV band. The emissivity of the stellar population in M31 is L _{2–20 keV} ～ 1.1 × 10²⁹ erg s^?1 M _⊙ ^?1 in the 2–20 keV band and L _{20–100 keV} ～ 8 × 10²⁷ erg s^?1 M _⊙ ^?1 in the 20–100 keV band. Since low-mass X-ray binaries at high luminosities pass into a soft state with a small fraction of hard X-ray emission, the detection of individual hard X-ray sources in M31 requires a sensitivity that is tens of times better (up to 10^?13 erg s^?1 cm^?2) than is needed to detect the total hard X-ray emission from the entire galaxy. Allowance for the contribution from the hard spectral component of the galaxy changes the galaxy’s effective Compton temperature approximately by a factor of 2, from ～1.1 to ～2.1 keV.     

Rosat X-ray observations of the WR stars HD 50896 (WN5) andγ velorum (WC8+O9I)

We present a preliminary analysis of multiple X-ray (0.1–2.5 keV) observations of HD 50896 andγ Velorum obtained with theROSAT satellite. For HD 50896, our 8 observations show variability at the 30% level on timescales of ～ 1 day, together with larger (× 1.7) epoch-changes, but no evidence for rapid variability. No phase-dependent modulation is apparent on the 3^d.766 optical period. The mean PSPC spectrum gives kT = 0.28 keV, log N(H) = 20.6, and L_x = 3.8 × 10³² erg s^?1, and implies that the observed X-rays have undergone little absorption in the WN5 wind. Forγ Velorum, we have 13 observations secured over several cycles in the 78^d.5 binary period. At most binary phases, the X-ray emission is relatively constant, with kT ? 0.19 keV, log N(H) = 20.2, and L_x = 2.5 × 10³¹ erg s^?1. Near orbital phase 0.5, the X-ray emission is enhanced by a factor of 4, due almost entirely to an additional harder component with kT ≥ 2 keV. We believe this is due to X-ray emission produced in the collision of the two stellar winds.     

Lightnings and nitric oxide on Venus

In an updating of energy characteristics of lightnings on Venus obtained from Venera-9 and -10 optical observations, the flash energy is given as 8 × 10⁸ J and the mean energy release of lightnings is 1 erg cm^?2 s which is 25 times as high as that on the Earth. Lightnings were observed in the cloud layer. The stroke rate in the near-surface atmosphere is less than 5 s^?1 over the entire planet if the light energy of the stroke exceeds 4 × 10⁵ J and less than 15 s^?1 for (1–4) × 10⁵ J.The average NO production due to lightnings equals 5 × 10⁸ cm^?2 s^?1, the atomic nitrogen production is equal to 7 × 10⁹ cm^?2s^?1,the N flux toward the nightside is 3.2 × 10⁹ cm^?2s^?1, the number densities [N] = 3 × 10⁷cm^?3 and [NO] = 1.8 × 10⁶cm^?3 at 135 km. Almost all NO molecules in the upper atmosphere vanish interacting with N and the resulting NO flux at 90-80 km equals 5 × 10⁵cm^?2s^?1, which is negligibly small as compared with lightning production. If the predissociation at 80–90 km is regarded as the single sink of NO, its mixing ratio, f_NO, is 4 × 10^?8, for the case of a surface sink f_NO = 0.8 × 10^?9 at 50 km. Excess amounts, $\text{f}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>NO</mtext>}}\text{? 4 × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?8}}$, may exist in the thunderstorm region.     

Ionization structure of the nebula NGC 6857

We present the results of our spectroscopic studies of the nebula NGC 6857 located in a region of current star formation. Data on the surface brightness distribution in the central region of the nebula (～60″ × 60″) in the Hα, Hβ, [OIII], 5007 Å, [N II], 6548, 6583 Å, [S II], 6717, 6731 Å, and He I, 6678 Å lines have been obtained with an angular resolution of ～4.″5 × 4.″5. The zones of maximum surface brightness and the region of maximum gas ionization ratio are located 12″ south of the central star, which may suggest the existence of a second gas ionization source.