Infrared observations of circumstellar ammonia in OH/IR supergiants

Journal Article · Mon Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 1980 · Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/183345· OSTI ID:6685538

McLaren, R A; Betz, A L

Ammonia has been detected in the circumstellar envelopes of VY Canis Majoris, VX Sagittarii, and IRC+10420 by means of several absorption lines in the ..nu../sub 2/ vibration-rotation band near 950 cm/sup -1/. The line profiles are well resolved (0.2 km s/sup -1/ resolution) and show the gas being accelerated to terminal expansion velocities near 30 km s/sup -1/. The observations reveal a method for determining the position of the central star on VLBI maps of OH maser emission to an accuracy of approx.0''.2. A firm lower limit of 2 x 10/sup 15/ cm/sup -2/ is obtained for the NH/sub 3/ column density in VY Canis Majoris.

• Research Organization: Department of Astronomy and David Dunlap Observatory, University of Toronto
• OSTI ID: 6685538
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J., Lett. Ed.; (United States), Vol. 240:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AMMONIA
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
SUPERGIANT STARS
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
INFRARED SPECTRA
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
HETERODYNE RECEIVERS
INTERSTELLAR GRAINS
PARTICLE KINEMATICS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SPECTROSCOPY
ATMOSPHERES
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
GIANT STARS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
PARTICLES
RADIO EQUIPMENT
SPECTRA
STARS
640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources