H I Lyman-alpha equivalent widths of stellar populations
- Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)
We have compiled a library of stellar Lyman-alpha (Lyα) equivalent widths in O and B stars using the model atmosphere codes CMFGEN and TLUSTY, respectively. The equivalent widths range from about 0 to 30 Å in absorption for early-O to mid-B stars. The purpose of this library is for the prediction of the underlying stellar Lyα absorption in stellar populations of star-forming galaxies with nebular Lyα emission. We implemented the grid of individual equivalent widths into the Starburst99 population synthesis code to generate synthetic Lyα equivalent widths for representative star formation histories. A starburst observed after 10 Myr will produce a stellar Lyα line with an equivalent width of ∼ – 10 ± 4 Å in absorption for a Salpeter initial mass function. The lower value (deeper absorption) results from an instantaneous burst, and the higher value (shallower line) from continuous star formation. Depending on the escape fraction of nebular Lyα photons, the effect of stellar Lyα on the total profile ranges from negligible to dominant. If the nebular escape fraction is 10%, the stellar absorption and nebular emission equivalent widths become comparable for continuous star formation at ages of 10-20 Myr.
- OSTI ID:
- 22340063
- Journal Information:
- Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online), Vol. 146, Issue 6; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1538-3881
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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