scholarly journals A Study of the Interstellar Medium Towards the Unidentified Dark TeV γ-Ray Sources HESS J1614–518 and HESS J1616–508

Author(s):  
J. C. Lau ◽  
G. Rowell ◽  
F. Voisin ◽  
C. Braiding ◽  
M. Burton ◽  
...  

AbstractHESS J1614–518 and HESS J1616–508 are two tera-electron volt γ-ray sources that are not firmly associated with any known counterparts at other wavelengths. We investigate the distribution of interstellar medium towards the tera-electron volt γ-ray sources using results from a 7-mm-wavelength Mopra study, the Mopra Southern Galactic Plane CO Survey, the Millimetre Astronomer’s Legacy Team-45 GHz survey and [C i] data from the HEAT telescope. Data in the CO(1–0) transition lines reveal diffuse gas overlapping the two tera-electron volt sources at several velocities along the line of sight, while observations in the CS(1–0) transition line reveal several interesting dense gas features. To account for the diffuse atomic gas, archival H i data was taken from the Southern Galactic Plane Survey. The observations reveal gas components with masses ~103 to 105 M⊙ and with densities ~102 to 103 cm−3 overlapping the two tera-electron volt sources. Several origin scenarios potentially associated with the tera-electron volt γ-ray sources are discussed in light of the distribution of the local interstellar medium. We find no strong convincing evidence linking any counterpart with HESS J1614–518 or HESS J1616–508.

1992 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 455-458
Author(s):  
Jeffrey L. Linsky

AbstractAccurate measurements of the interstellar deuterium/hydrogen ratio along different lines of sight are needed to test predictions of contemporary cosmologies. I describe our GHRS observations of the Lyman-α, 2600 Å and 2800 Å spectral regions for the spectroscopic binary system Capella, obtained with 3.57 km s resolution and high signal/noise. We are now analyzing these data to infer the column densities of H I, D I, Mg II, and Fe II along this 13 pc line of sight.


1997 ◽  
Vol 166 ◽  
pp. 195-198
Author(s):  
R. Génova ◽  
J. E. Beckman ◽  
J. Rodríguez Álamo

AbstractObservations of interstellar Na I in the spectra of 93 stars within 315 pc from the Sun show that it lies in a tunnel of gas moving away from Scorpio-Centaurus and is surrounded by gas moving toward the Galactic center.Gas approaches the Sun from Scorpio-Centaurus expanding from (r, l, b)=(160 pc, 313°7, +28°2) with LSR velocity 15.3 km s−1. The radius of this shell is 153 pc.We identify these clouds:D: velocity vector (υd, ld, bd)=(+7.2 km s−1, 305°1, −13°5), above and below the Galactic plane (GP) in the range of Galactic longitudes 357°–55°.C: velocity vector (υc, lc, bc)=(+11.5 km s−1, 349°0, −35°2), above and below the GP in the range 30°≤l≤110°.M: velocity vector (υm, lm, bm)=(+21.9 km s−1, 34°2, +1°5), above and below the GP in the range 100°≤l≤130°.P: velocity vector (υp, lp, bp)=(+13.8 km s−1, 244°9, +5°4), above and below the GP from l~120° to the limit of our data at l~210°.E: velocity vector (υe, le, be)=(+16.8 km s−1, 208°4, +6°2) in the range 160°≤l≤185° and −10°≤b≤–35°.A: velocity vector (υa, la, ba)=(+12.9 km s−1, 73°6, −5°6) towards the Galactic anti-center, below the GP.I: velocity vector (υi, li, bi)=(+37.7 km s−1, 132°8, −64°3) towards the Galactic anti-center, above the GP.


1997 ◽  
Vol 166 ◽  
pp. 69-74
Author(s):  
M.A. Barstow ◽  
P.D. Dobbie ◽  
J.B. Holberg

AbstractWe have studied the EUV spectra of 13 DA white dwarfs, observed by the EUVE satellite, paying attention to the possible sources of absorbing material along the lines-of-sight in both the local interstellar medium and in the photospheres of the stars themselves. The range of interstellar column densities seen are consistent with our previous understanding of the local distribution of material. Absorption from interstellar He II is found in the direction of five stars, allowing us to measure directly the He ionization fraction and estimate, indirectly, that of H. The weighted mean ionization fractions along these lines-of-sight are 0.27 ± 0.04 and 0.35 ± 0.1 respectively. Where He II is directly detected, the observed ionization fractions are not correlated with direction or with the volume/column density of material along the line-of-sight. Furthermore, the limits on the amount of He II established in all other directions completely encompass the range of observed values. Indeed, all the data can be consistent with more or less constant He and H ionization fractions throughout the local ISM. However, observation of very hot DA stars, indicating higher He II columns, might contradict this picture if the material is not photospheric or circumstellar.


1993 ◽  
Vol 402 ◽  
pp. 694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey L. Linsky ◽  
Alexander Brown ◽  
Ken Gayley ◽  
Athanassios Diplas ◽  
Blair D. Savage ◽  
...  

2000 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. M. Gaensler ◽  
R. W. Hunstead

AbstractBefore and after every 12 hour synthesis observation, the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) measures the flux densities of ∼5 compact extragalactic radio sources, chosen from a list of 55 calibrators. From 1984 to 1996, the MOST made some 58,000 such measurements. We have developed an algorithm to process this dataset to produce a light curve for each source spanning this thirteen-year period. We find that 18 of the 55 calibrators are variable, on time scales between one and ten years. There is the tendency for sources closer to the Galactic Plane to be more likely to vary, which suggests that the variability is a result of refractive scintillation in the Galactic interstellar medium. The sources with the flattest radio spectra show the highest levels of variability, an effect possibly resulting from differing orientations of the radio axes to the line of sight.


1989 ◽  
Vol 135 ◽  
pp. 47-54
Author(s):  
D. K. Aitken

The observed infrared properties of dust extinction along the line of site to the Galactic Centre are compared with those in the local interstellar medium. Further constraints on the nature of the dust grains are provided by polarimetric observations, which also lead to information on the stratification of the material along the line of sight. Finally some implications of the large polarized emission seen from the central regions are discussed.


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