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Humphreys, R. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Humphreys, R. M..

18 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

The UV Scattering Halo of the Central Source Associated with Eta Carinae

Eta Carinae is one of the most massive and luminous stars within our galaxy. It consists of a compact central source which suffers circumstellar and interstellar extinction, local dense knots which emit strong narrow nebular-like emission lines, and an outer dusty nebula called the Homunculus. The optical spectrum of the central star, first observed directly and without obvious nebular contamination by the HST, can be modeled successfully using a hot star with a radius (at the wind sonic point) of 60\,R\odot. The central star is losing mass, via a dense stellar wind, at the prodigious rate of 10(exp -3)\,M\odot/yr. Its effective temperature is low (< 10,000\,K), and is determined entirely by the wind properties. Until now the UV spectrum has not been explained. We show that HST UV spectrum, and the FUSE FUV spectrum, can both be understood using the same underlying model that explains the optical spectrum. To do so, however, it is necessary to take into account the occultation of the central source by dust. It is also important to realize that in the UV, the HST is partially resolving the central source. Due to strong mass loss, the wind is optically thick in UV resonance lines even at large radii. The UV resonance lines are responsible for the UV halo seen around Eta Carinae, and provide a partial explanation of why Eta Carinae can even be seen at UV wavelengths.

Hillier, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

The HST Treasury Project on Eta Carinae

This program is valuable for a broad range of stellar and nebular astrophysics, as well as data processing techniques and instrument characteristics. While observing this object's mysterious 5.5-year cycle, we obtained data on several distinct, complex, unfamiliar classes of spectra which cannot be observed well elsewhere. The stellar wind parameters lie outside normal experience, the Weigeit ejecta produce narrow-line spectra, unlike any other known object, and the other spectra re also unusual. Altogether our results pertain to stellar instabilities close to the Eddington limit, extreme stellar winds, unexplored nebular/atomic excitation processes, nebular gas dynamics, and instrument performance.

Davidson, K.↗
NASA NTRS2004

A Complex Two Dimensional Spectroscopic Database: The HST Treasury Archive for Eta Carinae

The HST Treasury Program on eta Carinae produced one of the most complex and ambitious spectroscopic datasets obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. The archival database includes the STIS/CCD and MAMA data during its recent spectroscopic event in 2003, plus all of the STIS observations of the object and its ejecta obtained during its spectroscopic cycle beginning in 1998. The database permits users to query via instrument, target, date, wavelength range, position angle, and position and allows the user to display the spectrum and download it in fits format. We have also developed software for ease of extraction and display and analysis. The user can go from an initial query to doing science in only 20 minutes! A demonstration of the database and software will be available at the poster.

Humphreys, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

STARBASE: Database software for the automated plate scanner

The Automated Plate Scanner (APS) of the University of Minnesota, a unique high speed 'flying spot' laser scanner, is currently being used to scan and digitize the 936 O and E plate pairs of the first epoch Palomar Sky Survey. The resultant database will be used to produce a catalog of approximately a billion stars and several million galaxies. The authors describe the ongoing development of a dedicated APS database management system which will be made available to the astronomical community via INTERNET. A specialized DBMS called STARBASE has been written to provide fast access to the hundreds of millions of images collected by the APS. This system provides an initial reduction mode for parameterizing APS images and classifying image types using a novel set of neural network image classifiers. A second analysis mode, which will be that commonly used by the general user, provides for searches of the database which may be constrained by any combination of physical and positional parameters. Through the use of pointer hash trees, the system has been optimized for extremely fast positional searches using either right ascension and declination on the sky or linear X and Y positions on the POSS field. In addition to fast data retrieval, the system provides a graphical interface for displaying scatter plots or histograms of the collected data. In addition, a specialized image display system is being developed to allow the user to view densitometric data for all objects classified as extended by the neural network system. Finally, STARBASE has a flexible programmable interface which allows other programs to access information in the database. This allows users to write applications suited to their particular needs to process APS data.

Odewahn, S. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Extreme Be stars in the Magellanic Clouds

In the course of a spectroscopic investigation of the O-type stars in the Magellanic Clouds, a population of luminous Be stars was serendipitously encountered. They are here referred to as extreme Be stars, following the terminology used by Schild (1966) for a population of Be stars in the region of h and Chi Persei which lie significantly above the main sequence. As members of the Clouds, their luminosities and intrinsic colors can be determined directly. A comparison of these new high-luminosity Be stars with known H-beta-emission-line supergiants in the Clouds is made in both the optical and UV spectral regions. The Galactic counterparts of these Be stars are also discussed. Although these Be stars are an average of several magnitudes brighter than those in the Galaxy, this may in part be a selection effect.

Garmany, C. D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

IUE and ground-based observations of the Hubble-Sandage variables in M31 and M33

Ultraviolet spectra were obtained from the International Ultraviolet Explorer for the brightest Hubble-Sandage (H-S) variables in M31 and M33. The ultraviolet fluxes were then used in combination with ground-based visual and infrared photometry to determine the energy distributions, luminosities, and temperatures of these stars. When corrected for interstellar extinction, the integrated energy distributions yield the total luminosities and blackbody temperatures of the H-S variables. The resulting bolometric magnitudes and temperatures confirm that these peculiar stars are indeed very luminous, hot stars. They occupy the same regions of the bolometric magnitude vs temperature diagram as Eta Car and P Cyg in the Galaxy and S Dor in the LMC.

Blaha, C.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Ultraviolet spectroscopy of the brightest supergiants in M31 and M33

Ultraviolet spectroscopy from the IUE, in combination with groundbased visual and infrared photometry, are to determine the energy distributions of the luminous blue variables, the Hubble-Sandage variables, in M31 and M33. The observed energy distributions, especially in the ultraviolet, show that these stars are suffering interstellar reddening. When corrected for interstellar extinction, the integrated energy distributions yield the total luminosities and black body temperatures of the stars. The resulting bolometric magnitudes and temperatures confirm that these peculiar stars are indeed very luminous, hot stars. They occupy the same regions of the sub B01 vs. log T sub e diagram as do eta Car, P Cyg and S Dor in our galaxy and the LMC. Many of the Hubble-Sandage variables have excess infrared radiation which is attributed to free-free emission from their extended atmospheres. Rough mass loss estimates from the infrared excess yield rates of 0.00001 M sub annual/yr. The ultraviolet spectra of the H-S variables are also compared with similar spectra of eta Car, P Cyg and S For.

Humphreys, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The circumstellar envelopes of F- and G-type supergiants in the Large Magellanic Cloud

The outer atmospheres of four F- and G-type supergiants in the LMC are compared with those of their Milky Way counterparts by means of 2.5 and 5.1 A/mm high dispersion Echelle spectra. Na I D line doubling indicates extensive circumstellar envelopes, mass loss rates greater than 0.00001 solar masses/year, and outflow velocities of 10-60 km/sec. The Ca II H and K lines yield new data on extragalactic star chromospheres.

Hagen, W.↗
NASA NTRS1981

A comparison of circumstellar gas and dust in M giants and supergiants

This paper presents the results of a study of circumstellar gas and dust in a larger sample of stars than that of Hagen (1978). The gas-to-dust ratio varies considerably from star to star. The observations were obtained at Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory and Kitt Peak National Observatory. CS gas was observed with 2.5 and 5.1 A/mm echelle spectra obtained with the 4-meter telescopes. CS dust was observed through infrared photometry done with the CTIO 60 and KPNO 50 telescopes.

Hagen, W.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The perplexing spectrum of AFGL 2789 /V645 CYGNI/

Visual spectra and photometry from 0.35 to 18 microns show that AFGL 2789 may be one of the most interesting of the infrared sources now identified with reflection nebulae. It has an Ae-type shell spectrum with strong emission lines of hydrogen, Fe II, Cr II, and Ti II, but the most remarkable feature is a broad absorption band near 5500 A, presumably molecular, with three possible band heads. This absorption band was present on only one of two spectra taken one night apart. The two known molecules with wavelengths closest to the observed band heads are C2 and H2O(+), although there are problems with either of these as possible identifications.

Humphreys, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Visual and infrared observations of late-type supergiants in the southern sky

Spectral types and photometry ranging from 0.4 to 18 microns are given for 54 late-type stars, including 21 supergiants. The infrared observations of the supergiants confirm the dependence of the strength of the 10-micron silicate emission feature on the spectral type and luminosity class of the star. The long-wavelength data are also used to determine the interstellar extinction by fitting an appropriate blackbody to the infrared observations. The deviation from the blackbody at the shorter wavelengths is then attributed to interstellar absorption and absorption by TiO. This method is particularly useful when the short-wavelength photometry is contaminated by a close companion. The M supergiant AH Sco has excess radiation between 1.5 and 8 microns similar to the NML Tauri-type infrared stars. This excess energy resembles free-free emission.

Humphreys, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Infrared stars in binary systems

The peculiar F-type supergiant HD 101584, which has a large and unusual infrared excess, is discussed along with the possibility that the infrared radiation could be accounted for by a cool companion. The peculiar F supergiants 89 Her, v Sgr, and R CrB are also considered as possible binary systems containing an infrared star. It is pointed out that all four of these stars have infrared excesses with characteristics similar to the infrared radiation from several cool objects which are known single stars.

Humphreys, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1974

BM Scorpii and a possible cluster of infrared sources

BM Sco and six other infrared sources near the cluster M6 were observed at infrared wavelengths. BM Sco has the flat free-free spectrum between 1.5 and 8 microns with a small silicate emission feature typical of the NML Tauri-type objects. IRC-30308 is also an infrared star of the NML Tauri type, and IRC-30312 has long wavelength radiation characteristic of the luminous M supergiants. The remaining four sources resemble reddened long-period variables. The presence of these infrared sources near M6 is not statistically significant and is not sufficient to associate them with the cluster.

Ney, E. P.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Supergiant binary stars

It is pointed out that the energy radiated by HD 101584 (F2e Iap) at IR frequencies cannot be convincingly explained by thermal reradiation from atmospheric grains. It is theorized that this energy emission can be explained by assuming that the F supergiant has an M supergiant companion responsible for IR radiation. Other possible binaries containing an IR star are discussed.

Humphreys, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Spectroscopic and photometric observations of M supergiants in Carina.

Spectroscopic study of 30 Southern-Hemisphere M supergiants mostly in Carina in the blue and near-infrared, and photometrical study of these stars from 0.4 to 18 microns. The uncertainties in the determinations of interstellar extinction are discussed, and the spatial distribution of the M supergiants in the Carina arm is shown. The presence of the 11-micron excess attributed to silicate dust is a common feature. Stars of the same spectral type and luminosity class are remarkably homogeneous in their long-wave behavior. The silicate feature becomes more prominent in the more luminous stars and in stars of later spectral type. Four composite systems show little long-wave excess. The two VV Cephei objects have excesses probably produced by gas emission, and the other two have little or no excess - supporting the suggestion that the presence of the early star prohibits the formation of a dust envelope. Three stars - VY CMa, VX Sgr, and HD 9767 - appear to be extreme examples of stars with large excesses over the entire long-wave region. It is suggested that these objects are surrounded by large amounts of particulate material over a great range of distances from the stars.

Humphreys, R. M.↗