Identification of emission lines in the low-ionization strontium filament near Eta Carinae

• Autores: H. Hartman, T. R. Gull, S. Johansson, N. Smith, HST Eta Carinae Treasury Project Team
• Localización: Astronomy and astrophysics: A European journal, ISSN 0004-6361, Vol. 419, Nº. 1, 2004, págs. 215-224
• Idioma: alemán
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• Resumen

  • We have obtained deep spectra from 1640 to 10 100 Å with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) of the strontium filament, a largely neutral emission nebulosity lying close to the very luminous star Eta Carinae and showing an uncommon spectrum. Over 600 emission lines, both permitted and forbidden, have been identified. The majority originates from neutral or singly-ionized iron group elements (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni). Sr is the only neutron capture element detected. The presence of Sr II, numerous strong $\ion{Ti}{ii}$ and $\ion{V}{ii}$ lines and the dominance of $\ion{Fe}{i}$ over $\ion{Fe}{ii}$ are notable discoveries. While emission lines of hydrogen, helium, and nitrogen are associable with other spatial structures at other velocities within the Homunculus, no emission lines from these elements correspond to the spatial structure or velocity of the $\ion{Sr}~$filament. Moreover, no identified $\ion{Sr}~$filament emission line requires an ionization or excitation energy above approximately 8 eV. Ionized gas extends spatially along the aperture, oriented along the polar axis of the Homunculus, and in velocity around the strontium filament. We suggest that the strontium filament is shielded from ultraviolet radiation at energies above 8 eV, but is intensely irradiated by the central star at wavelengths longward of 1500 Å.