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Infrared dust and millimeter-wave carbon monoxide emission in the Orion region

The far-infrared dust emission seen by the IRAS satellite in the Orion region is analyzed as a function of the local radiation field intensity, and the dust temperature and opacity are compared with (C-12)O and (C-13)O emission. The infrared radiation is interpreted within the framework of a single-component large grain model and a multicomponent grain model consisting of subpopulations of grains with size-dependent temperatures. A strong dependence of the 100-micron optical depth derived is found using the large grain model on the average line-of-sight dust temperature and radiation field. In the hot environment surrounding high-luminosity sources and H II regions, all dust along the line-of-sight radiates at 100 microns, and the dust-to-gas ratio, based on the 100-micron opacity and I(/C-13/O), appears to be in agreement with the standard value, about 1 percent by mass. A relationship is found between the inferred dust-to-gas ratio and the radiation field intensity responsible for heating the dust which can be used to estimate the gas column density from the dust opacity derived from the 60- and 100-micron IRAS fluxes.

Bally, John↗

Low Luminosity States of the Black Hole Candidate GX 339-4: Timing Analysis - 2

Here we present timing analysis of a set of eight Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observations of the black hole candidate GX 339-4 that were taken during its hard/low state. On long time scales, the RXTE All Sky Monitor data reveal evidence of a 240 day periodicity, comparable to timescales expected from warped, precessing accretion disks. On short timescales all observations save one show evidence of a persistent f(qpo approximately equals 0.3 Hz quasi-periodic oscillations (QPO)). The broad band (10 (exp -3) to 10 (exp2) Hz) power appears to be dominated by two independent processes that can be modeled as very broad Lorentzians with Q approximately less than - 1. The coherence function between soft and hard photon variability shows that if these are truly independent processes, then they are individually coherent, but they are incoherent with one another. This is evidenced by the fact that the coherence function between the hard and soft variability is near unity between 5 x 10 (exp -3) but shows evidence of a dip at f approximately equals 1 Hz. This is the region of overlap between the broad Lorentzian fits to the Power Spectral Density (PSD). Similar to Cyg X-1, the coherence also drops dramatically at frequencies approximately greater than 1O Hz. Also similar to Cyg X-1, the hard photon variability is seen to lag the soft photon variability with the lag time increasing with decreasing Fourier frequency. The magnitude of this time lag appears to be positively correlated with the flux of GX 339-4. We discuss all of these observations in light of current theoretical models of both black hole spectra and temporal variability.

Nowak, Michael A.↗

A Distant, X-Ray Luminous Cluster of Galaxies at Redshift 0.83

We have observed the most distant (= 0.829) cluster of galaxies in the Einstein Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey (EMSS), with the ASCA and ROSAT satellites. We find an X-ray temperature of 12.3(sup 3.1, sub 2.2) keV for this cluster, and the ROSAT map reveals significant substructure. The high temperature of MS1054-0321 is consistent with both its approximate velocity dispersion, based on the redshifts of 12 cluster members we have obtained at the Keck and the Canada-France-Hawaii telescopes, and with its weak lensing signature. The X-ray temperature of this cluster implies a virial mass approximately 7.4 x 10(exp 14) /h solar mass, if the mean matter density in the universe equals the critical value (OMEGA(sub 0) = 1), or larger if OMEGA(sub 0) < 1. Finding such a hot, massive cluster in the EMSS is extremely improbable if clusters grew from Gaussian perturbations in an OMEGA(sub 0) = 1 universe. Combining the assumptions that OMEGA(sub 0) = 1 and that the initial perturbations were Gaussian with the observed X-ray temperature function at low redshift, we show that this probability of this cluster occurring in the volume sampled by the EMSS is less than a few times 10(exp -5). Nor is MS1054-0321 the only hot cluster at high redshift; the only two other z > 0.5 EMSS clusters already observed with ASCA also have temperatures exceeding 8 keV. Assuming again that the initial perturbations were Gaussian and OMEGA(sub 0) = 1, we find that each one is improbable at the < 10(exp -2) level. These observations, along with the fact that these luminosities and temperatures of the high-z clusters all agree with the low-z L(sub x) - T(sub x) relation, argue strongly that OMEGA(sub 0) < 1. Otherwise, the initial perturbations must be non-Gaussian, if these clusters' temperatures do indeed reflect their gravitational potentials.

Donahue, Megan↗

A search for novae in M 31 globular clusters

By combining a local sky-fitting algorithm with a Fourier point-spread-function matching technique, nova outbursts have been searched for inside 54 of the globular clusters contained on the Ciardullo et al. (1987 and 1990) H-alpha survey frames of M 31. Over a mean effective survey time of about 2.0 years, no cluster exhibited a magnitude increase indicative of a nova explosion. If the cataclysmic variables (CVs) contained within globular clusters are similar to those found in the field, then these data imply that the overdensity of CVs within globulars is at least several times less than that of the high-luminosity X-ray sources. If tidal capture is responsible for the high density of hard binaries within globulars, then the probability of capturing condensed objects inside globular clusters may depend strongly on the mass of the remnant.

Ciardullo, Robin↗

Temperature, Size, and Energy of the Shoemaker-Levy 9 G-Impact Fireball

The fortunate position of the Galileo spacecraft provided us with a unique opportunity to directly observe the Shoemaker- Levy 9 impacts as they occurred on the far side of Jupiter, and we present observations of the G fireball obtained by the Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NTMS). These measurements were performed using 10 spectral bands, 4 representing continua and spanning the wavelength range 1.84 to 4.38 mu. Fireball signals were evident for up to 80 sec, with the time of intensity maxima and duration being greater for longer wavelengths. Color temperatures and effective emitting areas were estimated by fitting blackbody functions at the four continuum wavelengths. Good blackbody fits were found, and their intensities at shorter wavelengths show excellent agreement with the Galileo Photopolarimeter/Radiometer measurements. Temperatures near the beginning are above 3000 K, decreasing to approximately 1000 K after 1 min. The corresponding areas range from 400 to 20,000 sq km. The effective diameter of the luminous fireball shows approximately linear time variation, at least for the first 45 sec. From the temperature-effective diameter relation we find an adiabatic coefficient of lambda = 1.2+/-0.1, much as expected from theoretical considerations. The luminosity, when integrated over the period of observations and assuming a Stephan-Boltzmann radiator, gives an above-cloud radiative energy loss of 0.48+/- 0.13 x 10(exp 25) erg.

Carlson, R. W.↗

A Very Hot, High Redshift Cluster of Galaxies: More Trouble for Omega(0) = 1

We have observed the most distant (= 0.829) cluster of galaxies in the Einstein Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey (EMSS), with the ASCA and ROSAT satellites. We find an X-ray temperature of 12.3 (sup +3.1) (sub -2.2)keV for this cluster, and the ROSAT map reveals significant substructure. The high temperature of MS1054-0321 is consistent with both its approximate velocity dispersion, based on the redshifts of 12 cluster members we have obtained at the Keck and the Canada-France-Hawaii telescopes, and with its weak lensing signature. The X-ray temperature of this cluster implies a virial mass approx. 7.4 x 10 (sup 14) h (sup -1) M (circle dot), if the mean matter density in the universe equals the critical value (OMEGA (sub 0) = 1), or larger if OMEGA (sub 0) is less than 1. Finding such a hot, massive cluster in the EMSS is extremely improbable if clusters grew from Gaussian perturbations in an OMEGA (sub 0) = 1 universe. Combining the assumptions that OMEGA (sub 0) = 1 and that the initial perturbations were Gaussian with the observed X-ray temperature function at low redshift, we show that this probability of this cluster occurring in the volume sampled by the EMSS is less than a few times 10 (sup -5). Nor is MS1054-0321 the only hot cluster at high redshift; the only two other z greater than 0.5 EMSS clusters already observed with ASCA also have temperatures exceeding 8 keV. Assuming again that the initial perturbations were Gaussian and OMEGA (sub 0) = 1, we find that each one is improbable at the less than 10 (sup -2) level. These observations, along with the fact that these luminosities and temperatures of the high-z clusters all agree with the low-z L (sub X) - T (sub X) relation, argue strongly that OMEGA (sub 0) less than 1. Otherwise, the initial perturbations must be non-Gaussian, if these clusters' temperatures do indeed reflect their gravitational potentials.

Donahue, Megan↗

Investigation of the feasibility of temperature profiling optical diagnostics in the SSME fuel pre-burner

Results of an analytical investigation to determine the feasibility of temperature profiling in the space shuttle main engine (SSME) fuel preburner are presented. In this application it is desirable to measure temperature in the preburner combustor with a remote, nonintrusive optical technique. Several techniques using laser excitation were examined with a consideration of the constraints imposed by optical access in the fuel preburner and the problems associated with operation near the functioning space shuttle engine. The potential performance of practical diagnostic systems based on spontaneous Raman backscattering, laser induced fluorescence, and coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy were compared analytically. A system using collection of spontaneous Raman backscattering excited by a remotely located 5 to 10 watt laser propagated to the SSME through a small diameter optical fiber was selected as the best approach. Difficulties normally associated with Raman scattering: weak signal strength and interference due to background radiation are not expected to be problematic due to the very high density in this application, and the low flame luminosity expected in the fuel rich hydrogen oxygen flame.

Shirley, J. A.↗

L' AND M' Photometry Of Ultracool Dwarfs

We have compiled L' (3.4-4.1 microns) and M' (4.6- 4.8 microns) photometry of 63 single and binary M, L, and T dwarfs obtained at the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope using the Mauna Kea Observatory filter set. This compilation includes new L' measurements of eight L dwarfs and 13 T dwarfs and new M' measurements of seven L dwarfs, five T dwarfs, and the M1 dwarf Gl 229A. These new data increase by factors of 0. 6 and 1.6, respectively, the numbers of ultracool dwarfs T (sub eff) </= 2400 K for which L' and M' measurements have been reported. We compute L(sub bol), BC(sub K), and T(sub eff) for 42 dwarfs whose flux-calibrated JHK spectra, L' photometry, and trigonometric parallaxes are available, and we estimate these quantities for nine other dwarfs whose parallaxes and flux-calibrated spectra have been obtained. BC(SUB K) is a well-behaved function of near-infrared spectral type with a dispersion of approx. 0.1 mag for types M6-T5 it is significantly more scattered for types T5-T9. T (sub eff) declines steeply and monotonically for types M6-L7 and T4-T9, but it is nearly constant at approx. 1450 K for types L7-T4 with assumed ages of approx. 3 Gyr. This constant T(sub eff) is evidenced by nearly unchanging values of L'-M' between types L6 and T3. It also supports recent models that attribute the changing near-infrared luminosities and spectral features across the L-T transition to the rapid migration, disruption, and/or thinning of condensate clouds over a narrow range of T(sub eff). The L' and M' luminosities of early-T dwarfs do not exhibit the pronounced humps or inflections previously noted in l through K bands, but insufficient data exist for types L6-T5 to assert that M(Sub L') and M(sub M') are strictly monotonic within this range of typew. We compare the observed K, L', and M' luminosities of L and T dwarfs in our sample with those predicted by precipitation-cloud-free models for varying surface gravities and sedimentation efficiencies.

COOL STARS↗

Wavelet transform analysis of the small-scale X-ray structure of the cluster Abell 1367

We have developed a new technique based on a wavelet transform analysis to quantify the small-scale (less than a few arcminutes) X-ray structure of clusters of galaxies. We apply this technique to the ROSAT position sensitive proportional counter (PSPC) and Einstein high-resolution imager (HRI) images of the central region of the cluster Abell 1367 to detect sources embedded within the diffuse intracluster medium. In addition to detecting sources and determining their fluxes and positions, we show that the wavelet analysis allows a characterization of the sources extents. In particular, the wavelet scale at which a given source achieves a maximum signal-to-noise ratio in the wavelet images provides an estimate of the angular extent of the source. To account for the widely varying point response of the ROSAT PSPC as a function of off-axis angle requires a quantitative measurement of the source size and a comparison to a calibration derived from the analysis of a Deep Survey image. Therefore, we assume that each source could be described as an isotropic two-dimensional Gaussian and used the wavelet amplitudes, at different scales, to determine the equivalent Gaussian Full Width Half-Maximum (FWHM) (and its uncertainty) appropriate for each source. In our analysis of the ROSAT PSPC image, we detect 31 X-ray sources above the diffuse cluster emission (within a radius of 24 min), 16 of which are apparently associated with cluster galaxies and two with serendipitous, background quasars. We find that the angular extents of 11 sources exceed the nominal width of the PSPC point-spread function. Four of these extended sources were previously detected by Bechtold et al. (1983) as 1 sec scale features using the Einstein HRI. The same wavelet analysis technique was applied to the Einstein HRI image. We detect 28 sources in the HRI image, of which nine are extended. Eight of the extended sources correspond to sources previously detected by Bechtold et al. Overall, using both the PSPC and the HRI observations, we detect 16 extended features, of which nine have galaxies coincided with the X-ray-measured positions (within the positional error circles). These extended sources have luminosities lying in the range (3 - 30) x 10(exp 40) ergs/s and gas masses of approximately (1 - 30) x 10(exp 9) solar mass, if the X-rays are of thermal origin. We confirm the presence of extended features in A1367 first reported by Bechtold et al. (1983). The nature of these systems remains uncertain. The luminosities are large if the emission is attributed to single galaxies, and several of the extended features have no associated galaxy counterparts. The extended features may be associated with galaxy groups, as suggested by Canizares, Fabbiano, & Trinchieri (1987), although the number required is large.

Grebeney, S. A.↗

The X-ray spectra of the Vela and Puppis supernova remnants and the shock-wave model of supernova remnants

The structure and spectrum of the Vela and Puppis supernova remnants (SNRs) were observed in soft (0.1 to 1.5 keV) X rays from a rocket. The spectral data of both objects below 1.5 keV are consistent with thermal radiation from a hot plasma and are not consistent with a simple power-law function. Fitting the data to a Tucker-Koren model results in values of T = (4.3 plus or minus 0.3) x 1,000,000 K for Vela and T = (7 plus or minus 1) x 1,000,000 K for Puppis. The present data, earlier data from the Cygnus Loop, and results on Cas A and Tycho reported by others are considered within the context of a simple model in which X rays are thermally produced as a result of a shock wave expanding into the interstellar medium. X-ray data on the temperature, intrinsic diameter, and intrinsic luminosity of the five SNRs are used to compute the age, energy release, and initial interstellar density for each one. From measurements of X-ray absorption along the line of sight, and also from shock-wave model interpretations of temperature-diameter-luminosity relations, it is concluded that the average density of interstellar material is about 0.1 per cu cm between the sun and the nearest X-ray emitting SNR, Vela.

Gorenstein, P.↗

Blue lobes in the Hydra A cluster central galaxy

We present new U- and I-band images of the centrally dominant galaxy in the Hydra A cluster, obtained with the 2.5 m Isaac Newton Telescope at La Palma. The galaxy is centered in a poor, X-ray-luminous cluster whose gaseous intracluster medium is apparently cooling at a rate of m-dot(sub CF) approximately 3000 solar masses/yr. The galaxy's structure is that of a normal giant elliptical galaxy, apart from the central approximately 8 x 6 arcsec (approximately 12 x 9 kpc) region which contains an unusually blue, lobelike structure that is spatially coincident with a luminous emission-line nebula in rotation about the nucleus. Based on near spatial coincidence of the central continuum structure and the emission-line nebula, we suggest that the blue continuum is due to a warm stellar population in a central disk. In order to isolate and study the structure of the disk, we have subtracted a smooth galactic background model from the U-band image. The disk's surface brightness profiles along its major and minor axes decline roughly exponentially with radius. The disk's axial ratio is consistent with a nearly edge-on thick disk or a thin disk that is inclined with respect to the line of sight. The bluest regions, located a few arcsec on either side of the nucleus (giving the lobelike appearance), may be due to locally enhanced star formation or a seeing-blurred ring of young stars embedded in the disk observed nearly edge-on. If star-formation is occurring with the local initial mass function, the central color, surface brightness, and dynamical mass would be consistent with models for star formation at a rate of less than and approximately 1 solar masses/yr which has persisted for the past approximately 10(exp 9) yr, a short burst (10(exp 7) yr) of star formation at a rate of approximately 30 solar masses/yr which occurred less than and approximately 10(exp 8) yr ago, or an instantaneous burst of star formation which occurred approximately 5 x 10(exp 7) yr ago. While the young population contributes approximately 30%-40% of the central U-band luminosity, its mass would be less than and approximately 1% to less than and approximately 10% (10(exp 8) solar masses - 2 x 10(exp 9) solar masses of the galaxy's central dynamical mass. We consider a number of possible origins for the disk material.

Mcnamara, Brian R.↗

Submillimeter Imaging of Dust Around Main Sequence Stars

This grant was to image circumstellar dust disks surrounding main-sequence stars. The delivery of the SCUBA detector we had planned to use for this work was delayed repeatedly, leading us to undertake a majority of the observations with the UKT14 submillimeter detector at the JCMT (James Clerk Maxwell Telescope) and optical imagers and a coronagraph at the University of Hawaii 2.2-m telescope. Major findings under this grant include: (1) We discovered 5 asymmetries in the beta Pictoris regenerated dust disk. The discovery of these asymmetries was a surprise, since smearing due to Keplerian shear should eliminate most such features on timescales of a few thousand years. One exception is the "wing tilt" asymmetry, which we interpret as due to the scattering phase function of dust disk particles. From the wing tilt and a model of the phase function, we find a disk plane inclination to the line of sight of < 5 degrees. Other asymmetries (e.g. the butterfly asymmetry) suggest a disk that has been recently disturbed. We searched for possible nearby perturbers but found no clear candidates. Low mass stars (M dwarfs) and brown dwarfs would have fallen beneath the sensitivity threshhold of our survey, however. (2) We calculated a set of disk models to assess the detectability of dust disks around stars as a function of (a) distance, (b) disk, inclination (c) dust optical depth/mass, and (d) imaging resolution. These models guided our observational strategy on Mauna Kea. (3) We performed a coronagraphic survey of approx. 100 main-sequence stars in search of additional examples of circumstellar disks. The best new candidate disk, around the 5 M(sun) star BD+31deg.643, is distinguished by its large extent (few x 10( exp 3) AU). This disk, if real, cannot be rotationally supported. We suggest that the dust particles are ejected from a smaller, unseen disk (Kuiper Belt?) by strong radiation pressure forces due to the high luminosity central star. (4) SCUBA images of circumstellar dust disks were obtained at 850 gm in 1997/8. These images show extended, asymmetric emission, but have a signal-to-noise ratio too low to permit disk mapping to large projected distances. Our images of beta Pic, in particular, are in agreement with those obtained by Holland et al., and appear to confirm the blob-structure reported first by these authors. We have not yet been able to confirm that the structure is intrinsic to the disk, since beta Pic is at -50 degree declination, and suitable observing opportunities from northern latitudes are comparatively rare (even at the +20 degree latitude of JCMT). It is possible, for instance, that the main 850 micro-m blob is merely a galaxy or other high-z source projected onto the beta Pic mid-plane.

Jewitt, David↗

GRB 050826: A Subluminous Event at z=0.296 Finds Its Place in the Luminosity Distribution of Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglows

We present the optical identification and spectroscopy of the host galaxy of GRB 050826 at redshift z = 0.296 +/- 0.001. Image subtraction among observations obtained on three consecutive nights reveals a fading object 5 hr after the burst, confirming its identification as the optical afterglow of this event. Deep imaging shows that the optical afterglow is offset by 0.4" (1.76 kpc) from the center of its irregular host galaxy, which is typical for long-duration gamma-ray bursts. Combining these results with X-ray measurements acquired by the Swift XRT instrument, we find that GRB 050826 falls entirely within the subluminous, subenergetic group of long gamma-ray bursts at low redshift (z less than or equal to 0.3). The results are discussed in the context of models that possibly account for this trend, including the nature of the central engine, the evolution of progenitor properties as a function of redshift, and incompleteness in current gamma-ray burst samples.

Mirabal, N.↗

Diffuse X-ray Emission from M101

The total 0.45-2.0 keV luminosity of M101 is 3.1 x 10(exp 39) ergs/s, of which 2.2 x 10(exp 39) ergs/s is due to diffuse emission. Of the diffuse emission, no more than 6% can be due to unresolved point sources such as X-ray binaries, and approx. 11% is due to dwarf stars. The diffuse emission traces the spiral arms and is roughly correlated with the H alpha and FUV (far ultraviolet) emission. The radial distribution closely follows the optical profile. The bulk of the diffuse emission is characterized by a two thermal component spectrum with kT = 0.20,0.75 keV, and the ratios of the emission measures of the two components is roughly constant as a function of both radius and surface brightness. The softer component has a sufficiently large covering factor that the bulk of the emission is likely extra-planar. We find no evidence of an extended axisymmetric X-ray halo, suggesting that any such halo has a strength much smaller than current predictions.

Kuntz, K. D.↗

A search for periodicity in the x ray spectrum of black hole candidate A0620-00

The archived data from the SAS-3 observations of the X-ray nova A0620-00, the best of the stellar blackhole candidates, were exhaustively examined for evidence of variable phenomena correlated with the orbital motion of the binary system of which it is a member. The original analysis of these data was completed before discovery of the binary companion and determination of the orbital period of the system. New interest was drawn to the task of a reexamination of the archive data by the recent discovery of the massive nature of the X-ray source through analysis of the Doppler variations and ellipsoidal light variations of the faint K-star companion by McClintock and Remillard. The archive research, carried out under the supervision of the principal investigator, was the topic of the thesis submitted to the MIT Department of Physics by Kenneth Plaks in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Plaks' effort was focused on the elimination of fluctuations in the data due to errors in attitude solutions and other extraneous causes. The first products of his work were long-term light curves of the X-ray intensities in the various energy channels as functions of time during the time from outbursts in August 1975 to quiescence approximately 6 months later. These curves, are refined versions of the preliminary results published in 1976 (Matilsky et al. 1976). Smooth exponentials were fitted to these long term light curves to provide the basis for detrending the data, thereby permitting a calculation of residuals derived by subtracting the fitted curve from the data. The residuals were then analyzed by Fourier analysis to search for variations with the period of the binary orbit, namely 7.75 hours. No evidence of an orbital periodicity was found. However, the refined light curve provides a much clearer picture of the outburst and subsequent decay of the X-ray luminosity. In fact, there were two outbursts, each followed by an exponential decay with similar time constants of about 25 days. Previous evidence of a three-oscillation variation with a 7.8 day period were confirmed. Substantial theoretical effort has been devoted to attempts to account for the decay characteristics as the result of the gradual eating up of an accretion disk by a stellar-mass blackhole (e.g., Huang and Wheeler 1989). The improved decay curves will provide significant new constraints on the theoretical analyses.

Clark, George W.↗

Probing Millisecond Pulsar Emission Geometry Using Light Curves From the Fermi Large Area Telescope

An interesting new high-energy pulsar sub-population is emerging following early discoveries of gamma-ray millisecond pulsars (MSPs) by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT). We present results from 3D emission modeling, including the Special Relativistic effects of aberration and time-of-flight delays and also rotational sweepback of 13-field lines, in the geometric context of polar cap (PC), slot gap (SG), outer gap (OG), and two-pole caustic (TPC) pulsar models. In contrast to the general belief that these very old, rapidly-rotating neutron stars (NSs) should have largely pair-starved magnetospheres due to the absence of significant pair production, we find that most of the light curves are best fit by SG and OG models, which indicates the presence of narrow accelerating gaps limited by robust pair production -- even in these pulsars with very low spin-down luminosities. The gamma-ray pulse shapes and relative phase lags with respect to the radio pulses point to high-altitude emission being dominant for all geometries. We also find exclusive differentiation of the current gamma-ray MSP population into two MSP sub-classes: light curve shapes and lags across wavebands impose either pair-starved PC (PSPC) or SG / OG-type geometries. In the first case, the radio pulse has a small lag with respect to the single gamma-ray pulse, while the (first) gamma-ray peak usually trails the radio by a large phase offset in the latter case. Finally, we find that the flux correction factor as a function of magnetic inclination and observer angles is typically of order unity for all models. Our calculation of light curves and flux correction factor f(_, _, P) for the case of MSPs is therefore complementary to the "ATLAS paper" of Watters et al. for younger pulsars.

Venter, Christo↗

Multiwavelength tests of the dusty torus model for Seyfert galaxies

We present a compilation of emission properties for a sample of 116 Seyfert galaxies based on both previously unpublished data and measurements available in the literature. These measurements include fluxes in the emission lines (O III) lambda(5007) and H-beta, as well as the infrared (25-60 microns), ultraviolet (1450 A), soft (0.2-4 keV), and hard (2-10 keV) X-ray continua. These are used to try to distinguish between isotropic and anisotropic emission properties of Seyfert galaxies. The distribution functions of (O III) lambda 5007 infrared, and hard X-ray continuum are similar for Seyfert 1's and Seyfert 2's, consistent with these properties being isotropic. The ultraviolet and soft X-ray continua of Seyfert 2's are underluminous relative to the type 1's suggesting photons at these energies escape from the central source anisotropically. There is a correlation between the ultraviolet continuum and emission-line fluxes in Seyfert 1's consistent with the idea that the central engine is responsible for powering the line emission. No such correlation is found for the Seyfert 2's. Instead, the scatter in the plot of ultraviolet continuum versus line emission suggests the true nuclear continuum luminosity is not seen at Earth in these objects. These properties are consistent with those expected in the dusty torus model.

Mulchaey, John S.↗

Photoionization models for the winds from cataclysmic variables

Photoionization models are presented for the relative abundances of Si IV, C IV, and N V as a function of the ionization parameter and shape of the ionizing continuum spectrum in the EUV and X-ray energy range. These models are applied to the interpretation of the UV resonance lines observed from the cataclysmic variable TW Virginis by Cordova and Mason. The observed lines are assumed to be formed in gas flowing supersonically out from the continuum source in the form of a stellar wind. It is shown that the shape of the ionizing spectrum can be determined without assuming that the outflow is spherical by fitting to ratios of the line strengths. Models which fit the observed ratios include an X-ray continuum with a low-energy cutoff and may also include a lower luminosity component in the EUV spectral region. Under the added assumption of spherical outflow the derived ionization parameter for the X-ray component can be used to constrain the total mass flux in the wind.

Kallman, T. R.↗