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Series

University of Kentucky

ISM

2017

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Physics

The Validity Of 21 Cm Spin Temperature As A Kinetic Temperature Indicator In Atomic And Molecular Gas, Gargi Shaw, Gary J. Ferland, I. Hubeny Jul 2017

The Validity Of 21 Cm Spin Temperature As A Kinetic Temperature Indicator In Atomic And Molecular Gas, Gargi Shaw, Gary J. Ferland, I. Hubeny

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The gas kinetic temperature (TK) of various interstellar environments is often inferred from observations that can deduce level populations of atoms, ions, or molecules using spectral line observations; H I 21 cm is perhaps the most widely used, and has a long history. Usually the H I 21 cm line is assumed to be in thermal equilibrium and the populations are given by the Boltzmann distribution. A variety of processes, many involving Lyα, can affect the 21 cm line. Here we show how this is treated in the spectral simulation code Cloudy, and present numerical …


Atomic Data Revisions For Transitions Relevant To Observations Of Interstellar, Circumgalactic, And Intergalactic Matter, Frances H. Cashman, Varsha P. Kulkarni, Romas Kisielius, Gary J. Ferland, Pavel Bogdanovich May 2017

Atomic Data Revisions For Transitions Relevant To Observations Of Interstellar, Circumgalactic, And Intergalactic Matter, Frances H. Cashman, Varsha P. Kulkarni, Romas Kisielius, Gary J. Ferland, Pavel Bogdanovich

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Measurements of element abundances in galaxies from astrophysical spectroscopy depend sensitively on the atomic data used. With the goal of making the latest atomic data accessible to the community, we present a compilation of selected atomic data for resonant absorption lines at wavelengths longward of 911.753 Å (the H I Lyman limit), for key heavy elements (heavier than atomic number 5) of astrophysical interest. In particular, we focus on the transitions of those ions that have been observed in the Milky Way interstellar medium (ISM), the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of the Milky Way and/or other galaxies, and the intergalactic medium …


Which Stars Are Ionizing The Orion Nebula?, C. R. O'Dell, W. Kollatschny, Gary J. Ferland Mar 2017

Which Stars Are Ionizing The Orion Nebula?, C. R. O'Dell, W. Kollatschny, Gary J. Ferland

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The common assumption that θ1 Ori C is the dominant ionizing source for the Orion Nebula is critically examined. This assumption underlies much of the existing analysis of the nebula. In this paper we establish through comparison of the relative strengths of emission lines with expectations from Cloudy models and through the direction of the bright edges of proplyds that θ2 Ori A, which lies beyond the Bright Bar, also plays an important role. θ1 Ori C does dominate ionization in the inner part of the Orion Nebula, but outside of the Bright Bar as far as …