Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer Atlas of OB Stars in the Magellanic Clouds

Citations Over TimeTop 10% of 2002 papers

Abstract

An atlas of the 900-1200 Å region in the spectra of 47 OB stars in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, observed at high resolution by the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE), is presented and discussed. The systematic trends in the numerous stellar-wind features in this region, some from species (and ionizations) not represented at longer wavelengths, are charted as a function of the optical spectral types. The FUSE sample is by far the most powerful to date for that purpose. A special effort has been made to verify the spectral types of all stars included in the atlas, in a number of cases with new optical observations that are also illustrated, to avoid uncertainties from that source in the stellar-wind trends. A new O2 star has been found in the process. Most of these stars have been previously observed at longer ultraviolet wavelengths by the Hubble Space Telescope and in the optical from the ground with high-resolution, digital instruments; thus very comprehensive physical modeling of these OB atmospheres and winds now becomes possible. This atlas will serve as a guide to the FUSE Magellanic Cloud OB database for that purpose. The Magellanic Cloud sample provides a very important complement to the FUSE database of Galactic OB counterparts (Pellerin et al. 2002), both because the lower extinction and interstellar H2 absorption toward the Cloud stars allow a much clearer view of the stellar spectra below 1100 Å, and because of the metallicity differences among the three galaxies. In particular, most wind features in the SMC spectra are seen to be significantly weaker than those in the LMC at the same spectral types.

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