CN column densities and excitation temperatures
We analyse abundances and rotational temperatures of the interstellar CNmolecule. We have calculated the column densities and excitationtemperatures of the molecule along 73 lines of sight basing on ouroriginal measurements of the B 2?+ -X2?+ (0,0) vibrational band recorded in highsignal-to-noise ratio spectra and also for 88 directions based onmeasurements already available in literature. We compare the columndensities obtained from different bands of CN molecule available toground-based instruments. The obtained excitation temperatures in theanalysed directions show always an excess over the cosmic microwavebackground radiation (CMBR) temperature.
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A Preliminary Investigation of the Diffuse Interstellar Line at 8621 Å
We have obtained high-resolution spectra at the Dominion AstrophysicalObservatory, the Calar Alto Observatory, and the European SouthernObservatory of hot stars in the near-infrared region to study thediffuse interstellar band (DIB) at 8621 Å. Field stars as well asselected members of the Perseus spiral arm, the ρ Ophiuchi complex,and the Cygnus OB2 association were observed and the equivalent widthsof the band measured, as well as interstellar K I absorption at 7699Å. In total we measure the equivalent width of the 8621 band in 64stars. In a series of figures we show the correlations of the DIB withreddening, polarization, K I, and strengths of other DIBs at 5780, 5797,and 6613 Å. The quality of the correlations are discussed by meansof the Spearman rank correlation test. Good correlations are found withreddening and, among the other DIBs, 8621 correlates best with 5780. Byexamining the three special regions mentioned above we confirm theweakness of the 8621 DIB in the hot stars of the ρ Oph star-formingregion. In the Perseus spiral arm region we find that the DIBs areformed largely in foreground clouds but not in the gas that appears tohave been blown away from the young massive stars of the Perseus arm. InCyg OB2 we find that the equivalent widths of the 8621 line lie abovethe linear correlation of equivalent width with E(B-V) and theirstrength does not vary as strongly with reddening. The heavily reddenedCyg OB2 star 12 is the most extreme example of the relativeinsensitivity of the 8621 equivalent width to reddening in the CygnusOB2 region.
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Pulkovo compilation of radial velocities for 35495 stars in a common system.
Not Available
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New Estimates of the Solar-Neighborhood Massive Star Birthrate and the Galactic Supernova Rate
The birthrate of stars of masses >=10 Msolar is estimatedfrom a sample of just over 400 O3-B2 dwarfs within 1.5 kpc of the Sunand the result extrapolated to estimate the Galactic supernova ratecontributed by such stars. The solar-neighborhood Galactic-plane massivestar birthrate is estimated at ~176 stars kpc-3Myr-1. On the basis of a model in which the Galactic stellardensity distribution comprises a ``disk+central hole'' like that of thedust infrared emission (as proposed by Drimmel and Spergel), theGalactic supernova rate is estimated at probably not less than ~1 normore than ~2 per century and the number of O3-B2 dwarfs within the solarcircle at ~200,000.
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WX Cen (≡ WR 48c) - a possible Type Ia supernova progenitor
We confirm the orbital period of WX Cen ≡ WR 48c determined byDiaz & Steiner and refined its value to Porb= 0.4169615(+/-22) d. The light curve of this object has a peak-to-peak variationof approximately 0.32 mag. It is non-sinusoidal in the sense that it hasa V-shaped narrow minimum, similar to the ones seen in V Sge, V617 Sgrand in compact binary supersoft sources (CBSS).Most of the emission lines in the optical spectrum are due to Balmer,HeII, CIV, NV, OV and OVI. An analysis of the HeII Pickering seriesdecrement shows that the system has significant amount of hydrogen. Theemission lines of HeII 4686 Å became weaker between the 1991 and2000/2002 observations, indicating distinct levels of activity. Thespectra of WX Cen show variable absorption features in the Balmer lineswith V=-2900 km s-1 and in emission with V=+/-3500 kms-1. These highly variable features remind us of thesatellite emission lines found in the spectra of CBSS.We estimate the colour excess as E(B-V) = 0.63 on the basis of theobserved diffuse interstellar band at 5780 Å. Given thedistance-colour excess relation in the direction of WX Cen, this impliesa distance of 2.8 +/- 0.3 kpc. Interstellar absorption of the NaI Dlines show components at -4.1 km s-1, which corresponds tothe velocity of the Coalsack, and three other components at -23.9, -32.0and -39.0 km s-1. These components are also seen with similarstrengths in field stars that have distances between 1.8 and 2.7 kpc.The intrinsic colour of WX Cen is (B-V)0=-0.2 and theabsolute magnitude is MV=-0.5.Extended red wings in the strong emission lines are seen. A possibleexplanation is that the system has a spill-over stream similar to whatis seen in V617 Sgr. We predict that when observed in opposite phase,blue wings would be observed. A puzzling feature that remains to beexplained is the highly variable red wing (V~ 700 km s-1) ofthe OVI emission lines as well as of the red wings of the H and Helines.The velocity of the satellite-like feature is consistent with the ideathat the central star is a white dwarf with a mass of M~ 0.9Msolar. With the high accretion rate under consideration, thestar may become a Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) in a time-scale of 5 ×106 yr.
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Catalog of Galactic OB Stars
An all-sky catalog of Galactic OB stars has been created by extendingthe Case-Hamburg Galactic plane luminous-stars surveys to include 5500additional objects drawn from the literature. This work brings the totalnumber of known or reasonably suspected OB stars to over 16,000.Companion databases of UBVβ photometry and MK classifications forthese objects include nearly 30,000 and 20,000 entries, respectively.
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Interstellar CN toward CH+-forming regions
Measurements on interstellar CN absorption are presented for stars inthree southern OB associations, NGC 2439, Vela OB1, and Cen OB1. CN isdetected in 21 out of 31 stars observed. The doublet ratio for the R(1)and P(1) lines of the (0, 0) band of the B 2Sigma+-X 2Sigma + violet system and acomparison of violet system data with measurements of the (1, 0) and (2,0) bands of the A 2Pi -X 2Sigma + redsystem are used to derive Doppler parameters and total column densities.Inferred CN column densities vary by more than an order of magnitude forlines of sight with similar CH column densities. Observations of the (0,0) band of the CH B 2Sigma --X 2Pisystem are used to revise previously published CH column densitiestoward the lines of sight studied in CN. Together with earlier resultson CH, CH+, and C2, the CN data presented hereprovide a homogeneous set of column densities and radial velocities ofdiatomic molecules in three individual translucent clouds. We use thesedata to study CN production via chemical models. Gas densities areinferred from models based on production via CH and C2 incool gas. Most sightlines in our sample test densities typical fordiffuse molecular gas (a few hundred cm-3 ) when theultraviolet flux permeating the gas is between 1 and 5 times the averageinterstellar flux. A few lines of sight indicate that CN is producedunder dark cloud conditions because relatively large densities areobtained or because this simple chemical scheme is unable to reproducethe observed CN columns. Low densities are indicated for directions withupper limits on CN. We add an ad hoc component of a number oflow-velocity (<10 km s-1) criss-crossing MHD shocks toexplain observed column densities of interstellar CH+. Theseshocks also produce about 10 to 30% of the total CH column along theline of sight.
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Interstellar C_2 absorption lines towards CH+ forming regions
Interstellar C_2 absorption line observations towards the southern OBassociations NGC 2439, Vela OB1, and Cen OB1 are used to infergaskinetic temperatures Tkin and densities nctowards lines of sight with previously determined large CH andCH+ column densities. Towards NGC 2439, the material ischaracterised by temperatures of Tkin = 75-85 K and densitiesexceeding nc > 1000 C_2m, and a fractional C_2 abundanceof about x(C_2) = 1.5 10-8. Temperatures and densitiesinferred towards two stars in Vela OB1 are Tkin = 65-85 K andnc >= 600 C_2m. C_2 fractional abundances in the cloudcomplex obscuring Vela OB1 are about half the value found in NGC 2439.For the lines of sight towards Cen OB1, values of Tkin =70-95 K and fractional abundances of x(C_2) ~ 5 10-9 arefound, and towards HD 114213, Tkin = 25 K and nc =400+/-100 C_2m. The observations demonstrate that C_2 resides in coolgas at temperature of Tkin < 100 K. The C_2 columndensities are correlated with those of CH, which is expected fromtheoretical models. This suggests that CH is efficiently formed in thecool material as well, together with C_2. This finding does not supportexpectations from recent MHD and vortex models of CH+formation, which stipulate that neutrals such as CH are abundantlyproduced in hot regions of many 100 K temperature.
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UBV beta Database for Case-Hamburg Northern and Southern Luminous Stars
A database of photoelectric UBV beta photometry for stars listed in theCase-Hamburg northern and southern Milky Way luminous stars surveys hasbeen compiled from the original research literature. Consisting of over16,000 observations of some 7300 stars from over 500 sources, thisdatabase constitutes the most complete compilation of such photometryavailable for intrinsically luminous stars around the Galactic plane.Over 5000 stars listed in the Case-Hamburg surveys still lackfundamental photometric data.
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Red and infrared colours of B stars and the reddening law in the Galaxy
The red and infrared intrinsic colours of B stars are derived fromphotometric observations through the UBV(RI)_CJHK and Hβ filters of257 early-type stars. Those stars for which the UBV and Hβmeasurements match the published spectral class, and which show no othersigns of peculiarity, are used to determine the intrinsic photometriccolours of B stars in the red and infrared. From these intrinsic coloursthe interstellar reddening relationships for the red and infraredcolours are evaluated, and the results are compared with previousestimates of these quantities. The values of R, E(B-V) and the distanceare then determined for the individual stars. R is confirmed to be closeto 3.1 in most cases, but was found to be much larger in somedirections. The relationship between R and the location of a star in theGalaxy is investigated. Usually the abnormally reddened stars seemed tobe associated with known regions of star formation. The paper alsoidentifies seven likely variable stars and a number of stars withpossible dust shells.
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Interstellar CH^+^ in southern OB associations.
Optical absorption line observations of interstellar CH^+^ and CH arepresented towards the southern OB associations CMa OB1, NGC 2439, VelaOB1, NGC 4755, and Cen OB1. A total of 5-11 stars per association wereobserved, with visual extinctions ranging from A_V_=0.5-4.5mag. Thederived CH^+^ and CH velocities agree within the measurement errors.Towards a particular association, the CH^+^ column density N(CH^+^) iscorrelated to the visual extinction of the background star. Thesefindings weaken the possibility that magnetic shocks are the generalmechanism that is required to produce interstellar CH^+^. It is foundthat N(CH^+^) is correlated to N(CH), which indicates that N(CH^+^) iscorrelated to the optical depth of a cloud. The correlations aredifficult to reconcile with scenarios where the sites of CH^+^ formationare constrained to the surface of molecular clouds. The observationssupport ideas which involve turbulence as a major CH^+^ productionmechanism. In particular, the results are in agreement with expectationsfrom a scenario where the CH^+^ formation proceeds in cool gas via afraction of fast, non-Maxwellian H_2_ or C^+^, created by thedissipation of interstellar turbulence.
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A Radial Velocity Database for Stephenson-Sanduleak Southern Luminous Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1997AJ....113..823R&db_key=AST
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A spectroscopic database for Stephenson-Sanduleak Southern Luminous Stars
A database of published spectral classifications for objects in theStepenson-Sanduleak Luminous Stars in the Southern Milky Way catalog hasbeen compiled from the literature. A total of 6182 classifications for2562 stars from 139 sources are incorporated.
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Uvby-beta observations of 528 type B stars with V between the 8th and 9th magnitude
The paper presents uvby-beta measurements of 528 type B stars selectedfrom the SAO Catalog on the basis of two criteria: the spectral types inthe range B3-B5 and mV between the 8th and the 9th magnitude. Reddeningindependent (c1) values are estimated from the spectral classificationand compared to the observed values. No systematic trend with observed(b-y), H-beta, or spectral type appears to be present, but the range of(c1) residuals is surprisingly large. A rather large part of the starshas small beta values, smaller than for the BIa supergiants. Only twoare classified as O stars and most of them have the suffix e, ne, ornne. Most beta values for the O type stars are slightly above the upperlimit of 2.585 m.
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UBV-beta photometry of luminous early-type stars and emission-line stars in the Southern Coalsack region
A catalog is presented giving UBV-beta photometry for 144 luminous OBstars and UBV photometry for 154 emission-line stars in a 100-sq-degregion around the Southern Coalsack. Total visual absorptions anddistance moduli have been determined for all the stars and aretabulated. Comparisons with previous observations are discussed.
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Stromgren and H-beta photometry of stars earlier than G0 in the Southern Coalsack direction
Four-color and H-beta photometry have been obtained for 236 starsearlier than G0 in order to study the color excess distribution in theSouthern Coalsack direction. The beta histogram of the stars reveals arelative absence of stars in the range of A4 to A9. The (b-y)distribution for B-type stars suggests the existence of three differenttypes of stars located at different distances.
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UBV photometry for southern OB stars
New UBV photometry of 1227 OB stars in the southern Milky Way ispresented. For 1113 of these stars, MK spectral types have been reportedpreviously in a comprehensive survey to B = 10.0 mag.
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Catalog of Luminous Stars in the Southern Coalsack Zone
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1982RMxAA...5..183M&db_key=AST
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Studies of luminous stars in nearby galaxies. I. Supergiants and O stars in the Milky Way.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1978ApJS...38..309H&db_key=AST
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MK spectral classifications for southern OB stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1977ApJS...35..111G&db_key=AST
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O stars and supergiants south of declination -53 0.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1976AJ.....81..116H&db_key=AST
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Structure and motions in the CAR spiral feature.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1972A&A....20...29H&db_key=AST
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H-alpha emission objects in two selected regions of the southern Milky Way (Cen & Nor).
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1970A&A.....8..123V&db_key=AST
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INHABITED SKY
