Photoproduction of circumstellar OH maser shells

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Astron. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/113273· OSTI ID:6599146

Huggins, P J; Glassgold, A E

We investigate the structure of OH shells formed from the photodestruction of H/sub 2/O by ambient UV photons in the thick, expanding envelopes around cool evolved stars. The properties of the shells are governed mainly by the envelope shielding which in turn is primarily controlled by the mass-loss rate M. The peak OH densities and column densities through the shells are, respectively, slowly decreasing and increasing functions of M. The characteristic radii of the shells also depend on M, increasing from roughly-equal4x10/sup 15/ cm for M = 10/sup -6/ M/sub sun/ yr/sup -1/ to roughly-equal10/sup 17/ cm for M = 10/sup -4/ M/sub sun/ yr/sup -1/; this dependence is well matched by recent observational data, and lends support to the OH photoproduction mechanism.

• Research Organization: Physics Department, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003
• OSTI ID: 6599146
• Journal Information: Astron. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astron. J.; (United States) Vol. 87:12; ISSN ANJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AMPLIFIERS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COSMOCHEMISTRY
DENSITY
DISSOCIATION
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERACTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXYL RADICALS
INTERACTIONS
MASERS
MASS TRANSFER
MICROWAVE AMPLIFIERS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MOLECULES
OPACITY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE PRODUCTION
PHOTOCHEMISTRY
PHOTOPRODUCTION
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIAL VELOCITY
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIATIONS
RADICALS
SIZE
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
STARS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VELOCITY
WATER