High-resolution sodium absorption-line observations of the local interstellar medium

1990 ◽  
Vol 358 ◽  
pp. 473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry Y. Welsh ◽  
Peter W. Vedder ◽  
John V. Vallerga
1991 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-123
Author(s):  
Barry Y. Welsh ◽  
Peter W. Vedder ◽  
John V. Vallerga

AbstractWe present high-resolution absorption measurements (R ~ 150 000) of the interstellar Na I D-lines at 5890 Å observed towards 46 early-type stars. The distance to these stars ranges from 20–200 pc, allowing a probe of the local interstellar medium (LISM). The velocity structure, velocity dispersions and column densities of the various cloud components have been derived using an absorption line-fitting analysis. Sodium column densities have been determined for 23 of the 46 target stars. No sodium absorption was detected towards any of the stars with distances < 43 pc. Such null results imply a corresponding hydrogen column density limit, N(H), of ~ 2.5 × 1018cm−2 in many directions in the LISM. For three exceptionally vacant lines of sight (to β CMa, 36 Lyn and η Hya) this limit of low hydrogen column density can be placed out to a much further distance of > 150 pc.We have plotted the distribution of sodium column density in the LISM for a total of 118 stars in the form of three galactic maps. These maps qualitatively show that the present picture of the LISM, in which the first 50 pc is essentially free of dense clumps of neutral gas, is correct. Our map of sodium columns for stars with distances > 100 pc shows that the region within the galactic quadrant defined by 200° < l < 270° shows a conspicuous absence of any significant concentration of neutral gas. This region will be a prime direction of study for forthcoming soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet satellite experiments.


1984 ◽  
Vol 81 ◽  
pp. 64-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Bruhweiler ◽  
W. Oegerle ◽  
E. Weiler ◽  
R. Stencel ◽  
Y. Kondo

AbstractWe have combined Copernicus and IUE observations of 5 stars within 50 pc of the Sun to study the ionization of magnesium in the local interstellar medium (LISM). The high resolution Copernicus spectrometer was used to detect interstellar Mg I 2852 in the spectra of α Gru, α Eri, and α Lyr, while placing upper limits on Mg I in the spectra of α CMa and α PsA. Observations of Mg II 2795, 2802 for these stars were also obtained with IUE and Copernicus. The column densities of Mg I and Mg II are used to place constraints on the temperature of the LISM.


1991 ◽  
Vol 381 ◽  
pp. 462 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Y. Welsh ◽  
P. W. Vedder ◽  
J. V. Vallerga ◽  
N. Craig

1993 ◽  
Vol 411 ◽  
pp. 729 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. V. Vallerga ◽  
P. W. Vedder ◽  
N. Craig ◽  
B. Y. Welsh

1993 ◽  
Vol 402 ◽  
pp. 694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey L. Linsky ◽  
Alexander Brown ◽  
Ken Gayley ◽  
Athanassios Diplas ◽  
Blair D. Savage ◽  
...  

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 79-81
Author(s):  
Kenneth R. Sembach

AbstractThe Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) is presently producing high resolution (R ∼ 20,000) absorption-line spectra of astronomical objects ranging from Solar System planets to quasars. The 900-1200 Å spectral region observed by FUSE is exceedingly rich in atomic and molecular transitions arising out of the ground state. It is already clear from early FUSE observations that the atomic data (e.g., oscillator strengths) for some transitions are considerably different than those predicted by theoretical calculations. I briefly describe the most pressing oscillator strength needs in this wavelength range for studies of the interstellar medium.


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