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NASA NTRS2003

The FUSE Survey of 0 VI in the Galactic Halo

This paper summarizes the results of the Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) program to study 0 VI in the Milky Way halo. Spectra of 100 extragalactic objects and two distant halo stars are analyzed to obtain measures of O VI absorption along paths through the Milky Way thick disk/halo. Strong O VI absorption over the velocity range from -100 to 100 km/s reveals a widespread but highly irregular distribution of O VI, implying the existence of substantial amounts of hot gas with T approx. 3 x 10(exp 5) K in the Milky Way thick disk/halo. The overall distribution of O VI is not well described by a symmetrical plane-parallel layer of patchy O VI absorption. The simplest departure from such a model that provides a reasonable fit to the observations is a plane-parallel patchy absorbing layer with an average O VI mid-plane density of n(sub 0)(O VI) = 1.7 x 10(exp -2)/cu cm, a scale height of approx. 2.3 kpc, and a approx. 0.25 dex excess of O VI in the northern Galactic polar region. The distribution of O VI over the sky is poorly correlated with other tracers of gas in the halo, including low and intermediate velocity H I, Ha emission from the warm ionized gas at approx. l0(exp 4) K, and hot X-ray emitting gas at approx. l0(exp 6) K . The O VI has an average velocity dispersion, b approx. 60 km/s and standard deviation of 15 km/s. Thermal broadening alone cannot explain the large observed profile widths. A combination of models involving the radiative cooling of hot fountain gas, the cooling of supernova bubbles in the halo, and the turbulent mixing of warm and hot halo gases is required to explain the presence of O VI and other highly ionized atoms found in the halo. The preferential venting of hot gas from local bubbles and superbubbles into the northern Galactic polar region may explain the enhancement of O VI in the North.

Sonneborn, George↗

NASA NTRS2005

Proper Motions of Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies from Hubble Space Telescope Imaging: Measurement for URSA Minor - 3

This article presents a measurement of the proper motion of the Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal galaxy determined from images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope in two distinct fields. Each field contains a quasi-stellar object that serves as the "reference point". Integrating the motion of Ursa Minor in a realistic potential for the Milky Way produces orbital elements. The perigalacticon and apogalacticon are 40 (10, 76) and 89 (78, 160) kpc, respectively, where the values in the parentheses represent the 95% confidence intervals derived from Monte Carlo experiments. The eccentricity of the orbit is 0.39 (0.09, 0.79), and the orbital period is 1.5 (1.1, 2.7) Gyr. The orbit is retrograde and inclined by 124 degrees (94 deg, 36 deg ) to the Galactic plane. Ursa Minor is not a likely member of a proposed stream of galaxies on similar orbits around the Milky Way, nor is the plane of its orbit coincident with a recently proposed planar alignment of galaxies around the Milky Way. Comparing the orbits of Ursa Minor and Carina shows no reason for the different star formation histories of these two galaxies. Ursa Minor must contain dark matter to have a high probability of having survived disruption by the Galactic tidal force until the present.

FLUX RESIDUALS↗

NASA NTRS1994

Dust extinction of the stellar continua in starburst galaxies: The ultraviolet and optical extinction law

We analyze the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) UV and the optical spectra of 39 starburst and blue compact galaxies in order to study the average properties of dust extinction in extended regions of galaxies. The optical spectra have been obtained using an aperture which matches that of IUE, so comparable regions within each galaxy are sampled. The data from the 39 galaxies are compared with five models for the geometrical distribution of dust, adopting as extinction laws both the Milky Way and the Large Magellanic Cloud laws. The commonly used uniform dust screen is included among the models. We find that none of the five models is in satisfactory agreement with the data. In order to understand the discrepancy between the data and the models, we have derived an extinction law directly from the data in the UV and optical wavelength range. The resulting curve is characterized by an overall slope which is more gray than the Milky Way extinction law's slope, and by the absence of the 2175 A dust feature. Remarkably, the difference in optical depth between the Balmer emission lines H(sub alpha) and H(sub beta) is about a factor of 2 larger than the difference in the optical depth between the continuum underlying the two Balmer lines. We interpret this discrepancy as a consequence of the fact that the hot ionizing stars are associated with dustier regions than the cold stellar population is. The absence of the 2175 A dust feature can be due either to the effects of the scattering and clumpiness of the dust or to a chemical composition different from that of the Milky Way dust grains. Disentangling the two interpretations is not easy because of the complexity of the spatial distribution of the emitting regions. The extinction law of the UV and optical spectral continua of extended regions can be applied to the spectra of medium- and high-redshift galaxies, where extended regions of a galaxy are, by necessity, sampled.

Calzetti, Daniela↗

NASA NTRS1974

The local complex of O and B stars. I - Distribution of stars and interstellar dust

The O-B5 stars, supergiants, young clusters, and associations within 1 kpc of the sun populate two flat systems inclined to each other by 19 to 22 deg. The historical background, statistical significance, composition, spatial arrangement of the contents, and interstellar extinction in the two belts are discussed. A more or less random distribution in space and in age characterizes the O-B5 stars of the 'galactic belt', which is aligned nearly along the Milky Way. The 'Gould belt' is inclined to the Milky Way (north in Sco-Oph and south in Orion), and exhibits a projected distribution of O-B5 stars in its mean plane that resembles a 'dragonfly', with five major features defining it. A crude 'diameter' of the system is 750 to 1000 pc, and the sun's position is eccentric, lying toward Ophiuchus. The nuclear age of the system, while not unique, may be characterized as 30 m.y. from the spectral type of the broad main-sequence turnup near B2-5. Most of the O-B2 stars and youngest stellar groups near the sun belong to the Gould belt, but both belts have approximately equal space densities of B3-B5 stars and similar average values of interstellar extinction.-

Stothers, R.↗

NASA NTRS2020

On-Ground Calibration of the HaloSat Science Instrument

HaloSat is a CubeSat-class microsatellite sensitive in the0.4−7.0keV energy band and designed to survey the entire sky in search of soft X-ray emission from highly ionized oxygen residing in the halo of the Milky Way galaxy. Those observations will help constrain the mass and spatial distribution of the Milky Way halo and help us understand if hot galactic halos constitute a significant contribution to the overall cosmological baryon budget. In this paper we describe the science instrument calibration products, including channel-to-energy transformation, instrument energy resolution and instrument response, and the on-ground efforts that led to their creation. We also describe the alignment process used to obtain the field of view information for the HaloSat science instrument.

Anna Zajczyk↗

NASA NTRS1999

WFPC2 Observations of the URSA Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

We present our analysis of archival Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) observations in F555W (approximately V) and F814W (approximately I) of the central region of the Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal galaxy. The V versus V - I color-magnitude diagram features a sparsely populated blue horizontal branch, a steep thin red giant branch, and a narrow subgiant branch. The main sequence reaches approximately 2 magnitudes below the main-sequence turnoff (V(sup UMi, sub TO) approximately equals 23.27 +/- 0.11 mag) of the median stellar population. We compare the fiducial sequence of the Galactic globular cluster M92 (NGC 6341). The excellent match between Ursa Minor and M92 confirms that the median stellar population of the UMi dSph galaxy is metal poor ([Fe/H](sub UMi) approximately equals [Fe/H](sub M92) approximately equals -2.2 dex) and ancient (age(sub UMi)approximately equalsage(sub M92) approximately equals 14 Gyr). The B - V reddening and the absorption in V are estimated to be E(B - V) = 0.03 +/- 0.01 mag and A(sup UMi, sub V) = 0.09 +/- 0.03 mag. A new estimate of the distance modulus of Ursa Minor, (m - M)(sup UMi, sub 0) = 19.18 +/- 0.12 mag, has been derived based on fiducial-sequence fitting M92 [DELTA.V(sub UMi - M92) = 4.60 +/- 0.03 mag and DELTA(V - I)(sub UMi - M92) = 0.010 +/- 0.005 mag] and the adoption of the apparent V distance modulus for M92 of (m - M)(sup M92, sub V) = 14.67 +/- 0.08 mag (Pont et al. 1998, A&A, 329, 87). The Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal galaxy is then at a distance of 69 +/- 4 kpc from the Sun. These HST observations indicate that Ursa Minor has had a very simple star formation history consisting mainly of a single major burst of star formation about 14 Gyr ago which lasted approximately < 2 Gyr. While we may have missed minor younger stellar populations due to the small field-of-view of the WFPC2 instrument, these observations clearly show that most of the stars in the central region Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal galaxy are ancient. If the ancient Galactic globular clusters, like M92, formed concurrently with the early formation of the Milky Way galaxy itself, then the Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal is probably as old as the Milky Way.

Mighell, Kenneth J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Inflow of halo gas from the direction of the Galactic north pole

A far-UV echelle spectrum has been obtained of the UV-bright star vZ1128 in the globular cluster M3. This cluster lies in a direction 11 deg off the Galactic north pole at a distance of about 10 kpc. Only the usually strong interstellar lines are recognizable in the faint spectrum, and they show absorption at velocities from near +40 km/s to -100 km/s. Since in the direction observed the line-of-sight component of the Milky Way rotation is negligible, the detected velocities demonstrate for this direction the motion of gas from the Milky Way halo toward the disk. Gas returning to the disk in a galactic fountainlike flow may explain the observations.

De Boer, K. S.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Dwarf spheroidal galaxies and resonant orbital coupling

The structural properties of the dwarf spheroidal satellite galaxies of the Milky Way may be strongly affected by their time-dependent interactions with the 'tidal' field of the Milky Way. A low Q resonance of the tidal driving force with collective oscillation modes of the dwarf system can produce many of the observed properties of the Local Group dwarf spheroidal galaxies, including large velocity dispersions that would normally be interpreted as indicating large dynamical masses.

Kuhn, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS2012

The Epoch of Disk Formation: z is Approximately l to Today

We present data on galaxy kinematics, morphologies, and star-formation rates over 0.1 less than z less than 1.2 for approximately 500 blue galaxies. These data show how systems like our own Milky-Way have come into being. At redshifts around 1, about half the age of the Universe ago, Milky-Way mass galaxies were different beasts than today. They had a significant amount of disturbed motions, disturbed morphologies, shallower potential wells, higher specific star-formation rates, and likely higher gas fractions. Since redshift approximately 1, galaxies have decreased in disturbed motions, increased in rotation velocity and potential well depth, become more well-ordered morphologically, and decreased in specific star-formation rate. We find interrelationships between these measurements. Galaxy kinematics are correlated with morphology and specific star-formation rate such that galaxies with the fastest rotation velocities and the least amounts of disturbed motions have the most well-ordered morphologies and the lowest specific star-formation rates. The converse is true. Moreover, we find that the rate at which galaxies become more well-ordered kinematically (i.e., increased rotation velocity, decreased disturbed motions) and morphologically is directly proportional to their stellar mass.

Kassin, Susan↗

NASA NTRS1982

Theoretical problems of spiral galaxies

Three theoretical problems concerning the large scale structure of disk galaxies in general, and the Milky Way System, in particular, were proposed to study. They are, namely, modes of spiral density waves, evolutionary change of the abundance distribution of the gas in the Milky Way System and the motions of the cloud medium behind the large scale galactic shock.

Yuan, C.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Post-AGB Stars in Nearby Galaxies as Calibrators for HST

This report summarizes activities carried out with support from the NASA Ultraviolet, Visible, and Gravitational Astrophysics Research and Analysis Program under Grant NAG 5-6821. The Principal Investigator is Howard E. Bond (Space Telescope Science Institute). STScI Postdoctoral Associates Laura K. Fullton (1998), David Alves (1998-2001), and Michael Siegel (2001) were partially supported by this grant. The aim of the program is to calibrate the absolute magnitudes of post-asymptotic- giant-branch (post-AGB or PAGB) stars, which we believe will be an excellent new "standard candle" for measuring extragalactic distances. The argument is that, in old populations, the stars that are evolving through the PAGB region of the HR diagram arise from only a single main-sequence turnoff mass. In addition, theoretical PAGB evolutionary tracks show that they evolve through this region at constant luminosity; hence the PAGB stars should have an extremely narrow luminosity function. Moreover, as the PAGB stars evolve through spectral types F and A (en route from the AGB to hot stellar remnants and white dwarfs), they have the highest luminosities attained by old stars (both bolometrically and in the visual band). Finally, PAGB stars of these spectral types are very easily identified. because of their large Balmer jumps, which are due to their very low surface gravities. Our approach is first to identify PAGB stars in Milky Way globular clusters and in other Local Group galaxies, which are at known distances, and thus to measure accurate absolute magnitudes for the PAGB stars. With this Milky Way and Local Group luminosity calibration, we will then be in a position to find PAGB stars in more distant galaxies from the ground, and ultimately from the Hubble Space Telescope. and thus derive distances. These PAGB stars are, as noted above, the visually brightest members of Population II, and hence will allow distance measurements to galaxies that do not contain Cepheids, such as elliptical galaxies, as well as distances to spirals using PAGB stars in their halos. Moreover, the method is entirely independent of Cepheids. and thus provides a direct test of the Cepheid distance scale. The program will also provide information on the evolutionary lifetimes of PAGB stars.

Bond, Howard E.↗

NASA NTRS2022

Ultraviolet Spectropolarimetry with Polstar: Interstellar Medium Science

Continuum polarization over the UV-to-microwave range is due to dichroic extinction (or emission) by asymmetric, aligned dust grains. Scattering can also be an important source of polarization, especially at short wavelengths. Because of both grain alignment and scattering physics, the wavelength dependence of the polarization, generally, traces the size of the aligned grains. Similarly because of the differing wavelength dependencies of dichroic extinction and scattering polarization, the two can generally be reliably separated. Ultraviolet (UV) polarimetry therefore provides a unique probe of the smallest dust grains (diameter<0.09 μm ), their mineralogy and interaction with the environment. However, the current observational status of interstellar UV polarization is very poor with less than 30 lines of sight probed. With the modern, quantitative and well-tested, theory of interstellar grain alignment now available, we have the opportunity to advance the understanding of the interstellar medium (ISM) by executing a systematic study of the UV polarization in the ISM of the Milky Way and near-by galaxies. The Polstar mission will provide the sensitivity and observing time needed to carry out such a program (probing hundreds of stars in the Milky Way and dozens of stars in the LMC/SMC), addressing questions of dust composition as a function of size and location, radiation- and magnetic-field characteristics as well as unveiling the carrier of the 2175 Å extinction feature. In addition, using high-resolution UV line spectroscopy Polstar will search for and probe the alignment of, and polarization from, aligned atoms and ions - so called “Ground State Alignment”, a potentially powerful new probe of magnetic fields in the diffuse ISM.

B-G Andersson↗

NASA NTRS1975

Ultraviolet stellar astronomy

The author has identified the following significant results. During all three Skylab missions, prism-on observations were obtained in 188 starfields and prism-off observations in 31 starfields. In general, the fields are concentrated in the Milky Way where the frequency of hot stars is highest. These fields cover an area approximately 3660 degrees and include roughly 24 percent of a band 30 deg wide centered on the plane of the Milky Way. A census of stars in the prism-on fields shows that nearly 6,000 stars have measurable flux data at a wavelength of 2600A, that 1,600 have measurable data at 2000A, and that 400 show useful data at 1500A. Obvious absorption or emission features shortward of 2000A are visible in approximately 120 stars. This represents a bonanza of data useful for statistical studies of stellar classification and of interstellar reddening as well as for studies of various types of peculiar stars.

Henize, K. G.↗

NASA NTRS2007

SIM Planetquest Science and Technology: A Status Report

Optical interferometry will open new vistas for astronomy over the next decade. The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM-PlanetQuest), operating unfettered by the Earth's atmosphere, will offer unprecedented astrometric precision that promises the discovery of Earth-analog extra-solar planets as well as a wealth of important astrophysics. Results from SIM will permit the determination of stellar masses to accuracies of 2% or better for objects ranging from brown dwarfs through main sequence stars to evolved white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. Studies of star clusters will yield age determinations and internal dynamics. Microlensing measurements will present the mass spectrum of the Milky Way internal to the Sun while proper motion surveys will show the Sun's orbital radius and speed. Studies of the Galaxy's halo component and companion dwarf galaxies permit the determination of the Milky Way's mass distribution, including its Dark Matter component and the mass distribution and Dark Matter component of the Local Group. Cosmology benefits from precision (1-2%) determination of distances to Cepheid and RR Lyrae standard candles. The emission mechanism of supermassive black holes will be investigated. Finally, radio and optical celestial reference frames will be tied together by an improvement of two orders of magnitude. Optical interferometers present severe technological challenges. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, with the support of Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (LM ATC) and Northrop Grumman Space Technology (NGST), has addressed these challenges with a technology development program that is now complete. The requirements for SIM have been satisfied, based on outside peer review, using a series of laboratory tests and appropriate computer simulations: laser metrology systems perform with 10 picometer precision; mechanical vibrations have been controlled to nanometers, demonstrating orders of magnitude disturbance rejection; and knowledge of component positions throughout the whole test assembly has been demonstrated to the required picometer level. Technology transfer to the SIM flight team is now well along.

astrometry↗

NASA NTRS1987

Masses, luminosities and dynamics of galactic molecular clouds

Star formation in galaxies takes place in molecular clouds and the Milky Way is the only galaxy in which it is possible to resolve and study the physical properties and star formation activity of individual clouds. The masses, luminosities, dynamics, and distribution of molecular clouds, primarily giant molecular clouds in the Milky Way are described and analyzed. The observational data sets are the Massachusetts-Stony Brook CO Galactic Plane Survey and the IRAS far IR images. The molecular mass and infrared luminosities of glactic clouds are then compared with the molecular mass and infrared luminosities of external galaxies.

Solomon, P. M.↗

NASA NTRS1978

New Cepheid variables in the Crux-Centaurus region

Two star fields in the southern Milky Way, between galactic longitudes of approximately 294 and 320 deg, have been searched for new variables. At least three long-period (periods greater than 9 days) classical Cepheids have been tentatively identified, as well as one Virginis star. The resultant distribution of Cepheids along the Milky Way in the Crux-Centaurus region indicates a concentration of spiral tracers near a longitude of about 307 deg.

Grayzeck, E. J.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Intergalactic and galactic clouds on the line of sight to SN 1993J in M81 seen in IUE spectra

High resolution IUE spectra of SN 1993J in M81 show the existence of several clouds on the line of sight. These include local galactic gas at 0 km/s, gas in M81 at -130 km/s, a cloud in the halo in of the Milky Way near -45 km/s, and an intergalactic cloud near +140 km/s. Arguments for each of these locations are given. There is little gas in M81 in front of SN 1993J and no detectable CIV at or near -130 km/s. The gas of the halo of the Milky Way shows a large amount of CIV and SiIV. The intergalactic cloud shows a large velocity width extending from +100 km/s to +200 km/s and is very prominent in the absorption lines of AlIII, SiIV, and CIV. It may be related to energetic events in the M81 group galaxies.

De Boer, K. S.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Gamma ray astronomy from satellites and balloons

A survey is given of gamma ray astronomy topics presented at the Cosmic Ray Conference. The major conclusions at the Cosmic Ray Conference in the field of gamma ray astronomy are given. (1) MeV-emission of gamma-ray bursts is a common feature. Variations in duration and energy spectra from burst to burst may explain the discrepancy between the measured log N - log S dependence and the observed isotropy of bursts. (2) The gamma-ray line at 1.809 MeV from Al(26) is the first detected line from a radioactive nucleosynthesis product. In order to understand its origin it will be necessary to measure its longitude distribution in the Milky Way. (3) The indications of a gamma-ray excess found from the direction of Loop I is consistent with the picture that the bulk of cosmic rays below 100 GeV is produced in galactic supernova remnants. (4) The interpretation of the large scale distribution of gamma rays in the Milky Way is controversial. At present an extragalactic origin of the cosmic ray nuclei in the GeV-range cannot be excluded from the gamma ray data. (5) The detection of MeV-emission from Cen A is a promising step towards the interesting field of extragalactic gamma ray astronomy.

Schoenfelder, V.↗