N II {lambda}{lambda}5668-5712: A NEW CLASS OF SPECTRAL FEATURES IN ETA CARINAE

Journal Article · Sat Aug 20 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/737/2/70· OSTI ID:21579952

Mehner, Andrea; Davidson, Kris ^[1]; Ferland, Gary J ^[2]

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1. Department of Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States)
2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506 (United States)

We report on the N II {lambda}{lambda}5668-5712 emission and absorption lines in the spectrum of {eta} Carinae. Spectral lines of the stellar wind regions can be classified into four physically distinct categories: (1) low-excitation emission such as H I and Fe II, (2) higher-excitation He I features, (3) the N II lines discussed in this paper, and (4) He II emission. These categories have different combinations of radial velocity behavior, excitation processes, and dependences on the secondary star. The N II lines are the only known features that originate in 'normal' undisturbed zones of the primary wind but depend primarily on the location of the hot secondary star. N II probably excludes some proposed models, such as those where He I lines originate in the secondary star's wind or in an accretion disk.

• OSTI ID: 21579952
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 737; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ABSORPTION
ACCRETION DISKS
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EXCITATION
HELIUM 4
HELIUM ISOTOPES
HYDROGEN
IRON
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
METALS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
RADIAL VELOCITY
SORPTION
STABLE ISOTOPES
STARS
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR WINDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VELOCITY