Diffuse interstellar bands in low E (B – V) objects

We analyse spectra of slightly reddened, early-type stars in which the major diffuse interstellar bands at 5870 and 5797 Å are either strong or weak in relation to E(B – V) . It is demonstrated that among the low E(B – V) objects one can find stars obscured by 'sigma' as well as 'zeta' type clouds. The profiles of the diffuse bands seem not to be dependent on the total opacities of the interstellar clouds. We also discuss the physical conditions leading to the formation of the diffuse band carriers in low-opacity interstellar clouds; the carriers are apparently formed in media in which one can observe complex velocity fields.     

Optical, infrared and radio observations of the Seyfert galaxy Markarian 315

We report on new optical, infrared and radio observations of the Seyfert galaxy Markarian 315. We confirm the detection at all wavelengths of a secondary peak of emission, which lies ≈ 2 arcsec east of the Seyfert nucleus. Moreover, we detect a chain-like structure which surrounds the active nucleus, with peculiar behaviour westward of the nucleus. We consider different interpretations for the origin of the secondary peak emission.     

Mid-infrared imaging of WL 16: the spatial distribution of the hydrocarbon emission features

We present arcsec-resolution images at 8.2, 10.0 and 11.3 μm of the unusual young object WL 16 in Ophiuchus, which has an extended envelope of fluorescing hydrocarbon molecules. To the limit of achieved sensitivity, the faint 10.0-μm continuum has a surface-brightness distribution that is not distinguishable from those at 8.2 and 11.3 μm, where the luminosity is known to be dominated by the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission features. We conclude that the 10-μm continuum either arises from non-equilibrium heating of small dust grains that are well mixed with the hydrocarbons or is quasi-continuous emission from the PAH particles themselves, rather than thermal equilibrium emission from macroscopic dust grains, and that there is no significant silicate absorption variation across the source. The extended hydrocarbon emission may trace a flattened, equatorial distribution of circumstellar material or arise in bipolar lobes. The former case is slightly favoured, based on currently available data, and would imply that WL 16 is a relatively evolved Herbig Ae star, the equatorial plane of which has been almost cleared of normal dust, leaving only fluorescing hydrocarbons and larger coagulated particles as a possibly transient fossil of the original circumstellar disc.     

Modelling the Spoon IRS diagnostic diagram

We explore whether our models for starbursts, quiescent star-forming galaxies and for active galactic nuclei (AGN) dust tori are able to model the full range of Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) spectra measured with Spitzer . The diagnostic plot of 9.7 μm silicate optical depth versus 6.2 μm polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) equivalent width, introduced by Spoon and coworkers in 2007, gives a good indication of the age and optical depth of a starburst, and of the contribution of an AGN dust torus. However, there is aliasing between age and optical depth at later times in the evolution of a starburst, and between age and the presence of an AGN dust torus. Modelling the full IRS spectra and using broad-band 25–850 μm fluxes can help to resolve these aliases. The observed spectral energy distributions require starbursts of a range of ages with initial dust optical depth ranging from 50–200, optically thin dust emission ('cirrus') illuminated by a range of surface brightnesses of the interstellar radiation field, and AGN dust tori with a range of viewing angles.     

An infrared study of Be stars based on ISO SWS01 spectra

The Infrared Space Observatory （ISO） Short-Wavelength Spectrometer （SWS） spectra of 10 Be stars are presented. It can be seen that the Be stars show a diversity in their ISO SWS01 spectral classifications by Kraemer et al., from naked stars, stars associated with dust, stars with warm dust shells, stars with cool dust shells to very red sources. In addition, the Brα/HI（14-6） line flux ratio derived for the sample stars is compared with that of P Cyg, and it is found that the line ratio of Be stars which were investigated show not only lower values as suggested by Waters et al., but also larger values. Therefore, the line ratio cannot be used to judge whether a star is a Be star or not.     

红外相机OASIS的偏振器设计

介绍为日本冈山天文台１．８８ｍ镜红外相机（ＯＡＳＩＳ）研制的红外偏振器．该偏振器与ＯＡＳＩＳ配备可实现～４．１′视场的近红外成像偏振观测．偏振器包括可旋转的消色差半波片和固定的致冷偏振片,通过旋转半波片对入射光的调制取得线偏振测量．实际观测给出ＪＨＫ波段的偏振效率分别为８６．３％、９７．０％和９７．５％．并给出了ＯＡＳＩＳ偏振观测与前人观测结果的比较     

分子外流源L1211中近红外HH天体的发现

报告分子外流源Ｌ１２１１ 中新发现的１２ 个近红外ＨＨ 天体．在Ｌ１２１１ 的～４’区域,取得了ＪＨＫ’宽带和Ｈ２ 　ｖ ＝ １０ 　Ｓ（１） 发射线窄带的近红外图像．分析表明,新探测到的许多红外源与浓密分子云物理成协,其中有２０ 多个源表现出典型的Ｔ Ｔａｕｒｉ 星、Ｈｅｒｂｉｇ Ａｅ／Ｂｅ星和原恒星的红外超．Ｌ１２１１ 中的ＩＲＡＳ点源没有被观测到,可能是更深地埋于分子云中．对红外观测和分子线观测消光估计的比较显示,小于２μｍ 的近红外观测还不足以揭示深埋于分子云的整个年轻星团．根据近红外ＨＨ 天体的形态分布和红外源性质,能进一步证认这些ＨＨ 天体的激发源．其结果表明,Ｌ１２１１ 分子云中具有多个红外源驱动的多个外流活动     

The obscured growth of massive black holes

The mass density of massive black holes observed locally is consistent with the hard X-ray background provided that most of the radiation produced during their growth was absorbed by surrounding gas. A simple model is proposed here for the formation of galaxy bulges and central black holes in which young spheroidal galaxies have a significant distributed component of cold dusty clouds, which accounts for the absorption. The central accreting black hole is assumed to emit both a quasar-like spectrum, which is absorbed by the surrounding gas, and a slow wind. The power in both is less than the Eddington limit for the black hole. The wind, however, exerts the most force on the gas and, as earlier suggested by Silk & Rees, when the black hole reaches a critical mass it is powerful enough to eject the cold gas from the galaxy, so terminating the growth of both black hole and galaxy. In the present model this point occurs when the Thomson depth in the surrounding gas has dropped to about unity and results in the mass of the black hole being proportional to the mass of the spheroid, with the normalization agreeing with that found for local galaxies by Magorrian et al. for reasonable wind parameters. The model predicts a new population of hard X-ray and submm sources at redshifts above 1, which are powered by black holes in their main growth phase.