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Excited Ejecta in Light of Sight from Eta CarIn the NUV spectrum of Eta Car, we have resolved many narrow absorption lines of neutral and singly-ionized elements with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. We report for the first time the detection of interstellar vanadium in absorption, and many highly-excited absorption lines of Fe, Cr, Ti, Ni, Co, Mn, and Mg. These elements, normally tied up in dust grains in the ISM, are located within wall of the Homunculus within 20,000 A.U. of Eta Car. Stellar radiation and stellar wind are interacting with the wall. Dust is likely being modified and/or destroyed. Previous Homunculus studies have demonstrated that nitrogen is overabundant and that carbon and oxygen emission lines are weak, or non-existent. Are the large column densities of these heavy elements due to abundance effects, excitation mechanisms, or modified grains? We may gain insight as Eta Car goes through its spectroscopic minimum in the summer of 2003.
Document ID
20030053183
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Vieira, G.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Gull, T. R.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Danks, A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2003
Subject Category
Astronomy
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-26555
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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