Tesi sul tema "Spectral line formation Congresses"

Star formation is a process that has been studied extensively during the last decades. With the advent of advanced instruments our knowledge has expanded beyond the point of general descriptions. From simple models of gravitational contraction of spherical clouds we have managed to give more detailed descriptions about the inner processes and the chemistry within the environment of proto stars and young stellar objects. Still there are several issues that have not been fully understood, such as the formation of stars with very large masses, the exact mechanism that generates strong bipolar outflows and the chemical routes through which complex molecules are formed within the young stellar envelopes. A wide field of research is associated with observations of the rotational transitions of molecules in the centimetre and (sub)millimetre ranges. Our study concentrates on the analysis of data from two spectral surveys one in the centimetre and one in the millimetre range. We have performed calculations of column densities and abundances of several species from four different sources of different masses and evolutionary stages. The sample includes two high-mass young stellar objects (AFGL 2591 and lRAS 20126), one low-mass binary system (NGC1333-IRAS 4), and a well known photon dominated region (Orion Bar). For AFGL 2591 temperature and density profiles are developed based on a combination of calculations and non-LTE radiative transfer modelling of spectral lines. The same analysis revealed great abundance enhancements for CH30H, and S02 of factors ≥103 suggesting the existence of a hot core. Related to this is the detection of CH30CH3, the first complex organic molecule detected towards this source. Furthermore, CH30H maps have revealed an unusual ring-like structure which has been explained by a scenario that requires the enhancement of CH30H in outflow regions of shocked gas. The study of the radio recombination lines in combination with radio flux measurements leads to the conclusion that the large radio source in the vicinity of the AFGL 2591 is an ultra compact HII-region associated with a different object in the background. For lRAS 20126 and IRAS 4 the conditions of the outer layers of their envelopes are estimated by non-LTE radiative transfer modelling of mainly centimetre lines. The results are about T≈30K and nH2≈105cm-3 typical in the outer regions of young stellar envelopes. Inverse P-Cygni profiles of H2CO at 14.488GHz, have been detected which imply kinematics of infall within the envelopes of both sources. This suggests that the sources are at an early evolutionary stage. The profile is more prominent towards lRAS 4, which is a complicated system of more than one component. We suggest that motions of infall might exist in outer layers of the surrounding cloud apart from the regions near the stellar components. Finally the maps of the Orion Bar have confirmed the clumpy medium by the detection of two separate clumps in the region. Their masses are estimated to be about IIM®. Based on radio recombination lines the temperature of the Orion nebula has been found to be 9017 K, reflecting a mature HIIregion. The findings of this study will be combined with the JCMT Spectral Legacy Survey, which is currently collecting data from observations in the submillimetre range towards the same sources.

A unified theory of star formation remains one of the major unsolved issues in astrophysics. Presented here are the results of multi-molecular lines mapping of the entire giant molecular cloud G333, comprised sites of low- and high-mass star forming regions in various evolution stages of star formation. The result shows the spatial distribution of CS, HCO+, HCN and HNC are similar on large scales, while N2H+ seems to trace preferentially the very densest regions, possibly due to the chemical difference, that N2H+ is sensitive to temperature and readily destroyed by CO. Two analysis methods were used to characterise this large set of data cubes: GAUSSCLUMPS and principal component analysis (PCA). We found the clumps are heavily fragmented with a beam filling factor of ~0.2. We found no correlation between clump radius and line width, contradicts to Larson's Law. Possible explanation is the clumps are fragmented and unresolved with the resolution of Mopra beam, thus the decomposed clump radius is blended and no physical properties can be interpreted. PCA of the velocity dimension found no significant differences among CS, HCO+, HNC and C2H line emissions, suggesting these four molecules are `well-mixed' on large scale, possibly by turbulence. PCA of the integrated emission maps separates molecules into low (13CO and C18O) and high (the rest) density tracers, identifies anti-correlation between HCO+ and N2H+ (due to the depletion of CO). The possibility of removing the scanning patterns of the `on-the-fly' mapping with PCA was also explored. The detection of broad thermal SiO from the massive dense cold core G333.125-0.562, along with other collected transitions, suggesting the core will host massive star formation and the SiO emission arises from shocks associated with an outflow in the cold core. Result of the modelling infall with 3D radiative transfer code using the derived physical parameters have successfully reproduce the line profiles. Recent observation of the 3 and 7 mm continuum emission suggestive of warm dust emission rather than free-free emission from HII, further supports the core is in a very young stage of star formation.

We present spectral line mapping observations towards four massive star-forming regions Cepheus A, DR21S, S76E and G34.26+0.15 - with the IRAM 30-m telescope at the 2 and 3 mm bands. In total, 396 spectral lines from 51 molecules, one helium recombination line, 10 hydrogen recombination lines and 16 unidentified lines were detected in these four sources. An emission line of nitrosyl cyanide (ONCN, 14(0), 14-13(0), (13)) was detected in G34.26+0.15, as the first detection in massive star-forming regions. We found that c-C3H2 and NH2D show enhancement in shocked regions, as suggested by the evidence of SiO and/or SO emission. The column density and rotational temperature of CH3CN were estimated with the rotational diagram method for all four sources. Isotope abundance ratios of C-12/C-13 were derived using HC3N and its C-13 isotopologue, which were around 40 in all four massive star-forming regions and slightly lower than the local interstellar value (similar to 65). The N-14/N-15 and O-16/O-18 abundance ratios in these sources were also derived using the double isotopic method, which were slightly lower than in the local interstellar medium. Except for Cep A, the S-33/S-34 ratios in the other three targets were derived, which were similar to that in the local interstellar medium. The column density ratios of N(DCN)/N(HCN) and N( DCO+)/N(HCO+) in these sources were more than two orders of magnitude higher than the elemental [D]/[H] ratio, which is 1.5 x 10(-5). Our results show that the later stage sources, G34.26+0.15 in particular, present more molecular species than earlier stage sources. Evidence of shock activity is seen in all stages studied.

Chemical abundances as measured from stellar spectral lines are often subject to uncertainties due to lack of accurate data for inelastic collisions, which is needed for non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) modelling. For cool stars, understanding of collision processes with electrons and hydrogen atoms is required to achieve high precision measurements. In this thesis, I have investigated the role of these collisions on the non-LTE formation of Li and Mg spectral lines in late-type stars. In the case of Li, electron impact excitation processes were calculated using the R-matrix with pseudo states method and the results found to agree well with recent calculations using the convergent close-coupling technique. These modern data were employed in non-LTE calculations by updating an existing model atom, which already included modern data for hydrogen collision processes. Our results were compared with calculations using older semi-empirical approximation calculations and only small differences were found: about 0.01 dex (~ 2%) or less in the abundance corrections. We therefore conclude that the influence of uncertainties in the electron collision data on non-LTE calculations is negligible. Indeed, together with the collision data for the charge transfer process Li + H ↔ Li+ + H- now available, and barring the existence of an unknown important collisional process, the collisional data in general is not a source of significant uncertainty in non-LTE Li line formation calculations. In the case of Mg, electron impact excitation processes were again calculated with the Rmatrix with pseudo states method, and used together with recent hydrogen collision calculations to build and test a model atom, without free parameters, for non-LTE modelling. Both electron and hydrogen collision processes, including charge transfer and excitation, are found to be important thermalising agents in various cases. The modelled spectra agree well with observed spectra from benchmark stars in the optical and infrared. The modelling predicts non-LTE abundance corrections ∆A(Mg)NLTE–LTE in dwarfs, both solar metallicity and metal-poor, to be very small (of order 0.01 dex), even smaller than found in previous studies. In giants, corrections vary greatly between lines, but can be as large as 0.4 dex. Results of calculations in a large grid of 1D model atmospheres are presented, and the implications for studies of Mg discussed. The propagation of uncertainties in the inelastic collision data to those in stellar abundances is investigated, and found to lead to small uncertainties, once again typically less than 0.01 dex (2%), although for few stellar models in specific lines (e.g., metal-poor suns, in the 7691 Å line) uncertainties can be as large as 0.03 dex (7%).

This thesis presents molecular line and radio continuum observations of the giant molecular cloud (GMC) complex known as G305. The energy input from high-mass stars in the form of powerful winds and ionising radiation is one of the primary feedback mechanisms in GMCs. This feedback is thought to play a dual role both dispersing and destroying the natal environment but also sweeping up and compressing molecular gas and potentially triggering new episodes of star formation. Despite their importance to the evolution of GMCs and galaxies as a whole, the physical processes behind the formation and evolution of high-mass stars remains poorly understood. We therefore set out to obtain wide-field observations of the ionised and molecular environment to study the impact of high-mass stars on the evolution of G305. Observations conducted with the Mopra telescope of the molecular gas traced by NH3 in the (1,1), (2,2) and (3,3) transition and CO (12CO, 13CO and C18O J = 1–0) reveals the reservoir for future star formation in G305 and allows the physical properties and kinematics of the region to be studied. We identify 15 large molecular clouds and 57 smaller molecular clumps towards G305. The physical properties of the molecular gas are consistent with G305 being amongst the most massive a vigorous star forming regions in the Galaxy. We find a total molecular gas mass of 2:5–6:5 105M indicating that there is a large reservoir for future star formation. By considering virial equilibrium within the molecular clumps we discover that only 14% of the molecular clumps in G305 are gravitationally unstable, however these clumps contain > 30% of the molecular mass in G305 suggesting there is scope for considerable future star formation. To study the ionised environment towards G305 we have obtained some of the largest and most detailed wide-area mosaics with the Australia Telescope Compact Array to date. These radio continuum observations were performed simultaneously at 5.5 and 8.8 GHz and by applying two imaging techniques we are able to resolve HII regions from the ultra-compact to classical evolutionary phase. This has allowed high-mass star formation within G305 to be traced over the extent and lifetime of the complex. We discover that more than half of the observable total ionising flux in G305 is associated with embedded high-mass star formation around the periphery of a central cavity that has been driven into the molecular gas by a cluster of optically visible massive stars. By considering the contribution of embedded and visible massive stars to the observed radio continuum we suggest that more than 45 massive stars exist within G305. Combination of these two studies and recent and ongoing star formation provides the most in depth view of G305 to date and allows the star formation history and impact of high-mass stars to be investigated. We find compelling morphological evidence that suggests triggering is responsible for at least some of the observed high-mass star formation and construct a star formation history for the region.

Les protoétoiles de masse intermédiaire (IM) (2 ≤ M* ≤ 8 Msun) sont le lien entre les étoiles de faible et haute masse car elles couvrent également un intervalle intermédiaire de luminosités, de densités et de températures [Fuente et al., 2012]. Même si les « IM-YSOs » jouent un rôle important dans l'étude de la formation des étoiles, on a très peu de connaissances sur la formation et l'évolution des premières étapes des protoétoiles de masse intermédiaire. Les études systématiques spectrales sont un outil puissant pour caractériser la composition chimique d'un objet astrophysique, et la seule façon d'obtenir un recensement complet des espèces chimiques. Une étude spectrale fournit également des lignes multiples de la même molécule, donnant la possibilité d'une analyse multifréquences ainsi que d'une modélisation. En outre, grâce aux profils des raies, nous pouvons obtenir des informations sur la cinématique, et identifier les structures au long de la ligne de vue, en tant que sources multiples, des jets ou des cavités, par exemple, [Caux et al., 2011]. Les phénomènes d'éjection (jets, des vents et des « outflows » bipolaires moléculaires), sont une phase inhérente au processus de formation d'étoiles observées dans les YSOs de toutes masses dans des longueurs d'onde millimétriques. Cependant, il n'y a pas d'études systématiques dans l'intervalle de masse intermédiaire comme dans le cas des protoétoiles de faible et haute masse. Compte tenu de l'absence d'une étude systématique de la partie mm/submillimétrique dans le spectre des protoétoiles de masse intermédiaire, au cours de ma thèse, j'ai mené une étude systématique spectrale vers la protoétoile de masse intermédiaire de classe 0 Cep E et de son « outflow » moléculaire
Intermediate-mass (IM) protostars (2 ≤ M∗ ≤8 Msun) are the link between low and the high mass stars as they cover also an intermediate range of luminosities, densities and temperatures [Fuente et al., 2012]. Even though the IM-YSOs are important in the study of star formation, very little is known about the formation and first evolutionary stages of IM protostars. Unbiased spectral surveys are a powerful tool to characterize the chemical composition of an astrophysical object, and the only way to obtain a complete census of the chemical species. A spectral survey provides also multiple lines from the same molecule, giving the possibility of a multi-frequency analysis and modeling. Also, through line profiles, we can obtain kinematic information, and identify structures along the line of sight, as multiple sources, outflows, jets or cavities, e.g. [Caux et al., 2011]. The outflow phenomena (jets, winds and bipolar molecular outflows), are an inherent phase in the process of star formation observed in YSOs of all range of masses at millimeter wavelengths. However, there are not systematic studies in IM range as in the case of of low- and high-mass protostars. Given the lack of a systematic study of the mm/submm spectrum of IM protostars, during my thesis I carried out an unbiased spectral survey towards IM Class 0 Cep E protostar and its molecular outflow

The information about the chemical compositions of stars is encoded in their spectra. Accurate determinations of these compositions are crucial for our understanding of stellar nucleosynthesis and Galactic chemical evolution. The determination of elemental abundances in stars requires models for the stellar atmospheres and the processes of line formation. Nearly all spectroscopic analyses of late-type stars carried out today are based on one-dimensional (1D), hydrostatic model atmospheres and on the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). This approach can lead to large systematic errors in the predicted stellar atmospheric structures and line-strengths, and, hence, in the derived stellar abundances. In this thesis, examples of departures from LTE and from hydrostatic equilibrium are explored. The effects of background line opacities (line-blocking) due to atomic lines on the statistical equilibrium of Fe are investigated in late-type stars. Accounting for this line opacity is important at solar metallicity, where line-blocking significantly reduces the rates of radiatively induced ionizations of Fe. On the contrary, the effects of line-blocking in metal-poor stars are insignificant. In metal-poor stars, the dominant uncertainty in the statistical equilibrium of Fe is the treatment of inelastic H+Fe collisions. Substantial departures of Fe abundances from LTE are found at low metallicities: about 0.3 dex with efficient H+Fe collisions and about 0.5 dex without. The impact of three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamical model atmospheres on line formation in red giant stars is also investigated. Inhomogeneities and correlated velocity fields in 3D models and differences between the mean 3D stratifications and corresponding 1D model atmospheres can significantly affect the predicted line strengths and derived abundances, in particular at very low metallicities. In LTE, the differences between 3D and 1D abundances of C, N, and O derived from CH, NH, and OH weak low-excitation lines are in the range -0.5 dex to -1.0 dex at [Fe/H]=-3. Large negative corrections (about -0.8 dex) are also found in LTE for weak low-excitation neutral Fe lines. We also investigate the impact of 3D hydrodynamical model stellar atmospheres on the determination of elemental abundances in the carbon-rich, hyper iron-poor stars HE 0107-5240 and HE 1327-2326. The lower temperatures of the line-forming regions of the 3D models compared with 1D models cause changes in the predicted spectral line strengths. In particular we find the 3D abundances of C, N, and O to be lower by about -0.8 dex (or more) than estimated from a 1D analysis. The 3D abundance of Fe is decreased but only by -0.2 dex. Departures from LTE for Fe might actually be very large for these stars and dominate over the effects due to granulation.

Le déplacement des raies de l'hélium hydrogenoïde émises dans les plasmas denses a été calculé en considérant l'effet des électrons libres et celui des ions perturbateurs sur l'émetteur. Le premier, déterminé par une méthode de potentiel auto-consistant, induit un déplacement vers le rouge alors que le second, calcule par perturbation, décale les raies vers le bleu. Deux méthodes de calcul de cette grandeur ont été développées : l'une permet d'évaluer le déplacement comme moment spectral du profil complet; l'autre, plus simple, séparé les deux contributions et peut s'appliquer à des états très excités. Les résultats théoriques obtenus sont en accord quantitatif avec les expériences les plus récentes.

Stellar atmospheres constitute excellent environments to study the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The chemical composition of these atmospheres reflects the composition of the gas from where these stars were born. As the Galaxy evolves, the composition of the gas changes from being primordial (Big-Bang nucleosynthesis) to being enriched in heavy elements (stellar and interstellar nucleosynthesis). The abundances of fragile chemical elements can be affected by stellar mixing processes. Precise lithium, beryllium and oxygen abundance determinations in old stars are presented in this thesis. These determinations are based on the analysis of the observed spectra of a sample of thirteen metal-poor subgiant stars. According to stellar mixing theories, these stars are in a stellar evolutionary stage in which mixing by convection is expected. Abundances of fragile elements like lithium and beryllium are thus expected to be affected by such mixing processes. As a consequence of this, the abundances of these elements are discussed in a dilution context. Lithium and beryllium abundances are compared with the abundances of stars with similar characteristics but in a less evolved stellar phase so that mixing processes have not acted yet. As expected, our abundances seem to be depleted following reasonably well the standard predictions. Stellar abundances of oxygen should give an estimate of the oxygen contribution of core-collapse supernovae to the interstellar medium. However, there is poor agreement among the abundances determined from different atomic or molecular indicators in general. Abundances coming from three different indicators are compared in this thesis. The abundances determined from the O I infrared triplet lines at 777.1-5 nm give the poorest agreement among the three indicators. The abundances based on OH ultraviolet lines around 310 nm are lower for the subgiants in comparison with previous studies of main-sequence stars, becoming even lower than values based on the O I forbidden line at 630.03 nm. Still the most reliable indicator appears to be the O I forbidden line which suggests a plateau-like or only slowly increasing [O/Fe] towards lower [Fe/H]. In addition, the line formation of the Be II ultraviolet resonance lines at 313.0-1 nm, commonly used for abundance determinations purposes, is investigated under non-local thermodynamic equilibrium. We find that the common assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium typically gives systematic errors of about 0.1 dex.

High-resolution molecular spectroscopy has been used to study acetylene line parameters and emission spectra of hydrogen cyanide. All acetylene spectra were recorded in our laboratory at the University of Lethbridge using a 3-channel tuneable diode laser spectrometer. N2-broadened line widths and N2-pressure induced line shifts have been measured for transitions in the v1+v3 band of acetylene at seven temperatures in the range 213–333K to obtain the temperature dependences of broadening and shift coefficients. The Voigt and hard-collision line profile models were used to retrieve the line parameters. The line-broadening and line-shift coefficients as well as their temperature-dependent parameters have been also evaluated theoretically, in the frame work of a semi-classical approach based on an exponential representation of the scattering operator, an intermolecular potential composed of electrostatic quadrupole–quadrupole and pairwise atom–atom interactions as well as on exact trajectories driven by an effective isotropic potential. The experimental results for both N2-broadening and shifting show good agreement with the theoretical results. We have studied the line intensities of the 1νl20←0νl20 band system from the HCN emission spectrum. The infrared emission spectrum of H12C14N was measured at the Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany. The emission spectrum was analyzed with the spectrum analysis software Symath running using Mathematica as a platform. This approach allowed us to retrieve information on band intensity parameters.
viii, 112 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm

Cette étude sur les vibrations des moteurs asynchrones monophasés à phase auxiliaire a pour but principal de réduire le bruit émis. Une compréhension des phénomènes d'origine électromagnétique, mécanique ou aérodynamique est nécessaire. Le détail connu relatif aux mesures du bruit et des vibrations est rappelé. Les vibrations électromagnétiques sont celles qui sont au centre de nos préoccupations et que l'on cherche à réduire. Cependant les vibrations mécaniques ne doivent pas être négligées. Les équations de la mécanique permettent de décrire les vibrations de translation, en plus des vibrations de rotation dues aux variations du couple. Pour permettre une interprétation des spectres relevés expérimentalement, il a été développé un modèle mathématique capable de rendre compte des raies spectrales lors du fonctionnement des moteurs étudiés. En dehors des résonances de structure, cette démarche de dissociation et d'identification des raies spectrales conduit aux modes de génération de bruit. Une confrontation avec des résultats expérimentaux est faite afin de valider la démarche d'identification des raies et de montrer l'importance sur le spectre de bruit : - des vibrations d'origine électromagnétique - des vibrations de translation - des déformations de flexion d'arbre - des fréquences propres des moteurs étudiés.

Une etude de 2 diagnostics de perte de masse dans les objets stellaires et on developpe un programme qui calcule la formation des raies rotationnelles de co en geometrie axiale. Les contraintes posees par les resultats sur la structure a grande echelle des jets sont discutees. Les raies interdites dans les etoiles jeunes de faible masse sont ensuite etudiees. Plusieurs modeles capables d'expliquer les profils observes sont discutes

CO spectral line formation in the Sun was modelled using realistic, ab initio, timedependent 3D radiative-hydrodynamical model atmospheres. Three `phases' of 3D model atmospheres were utilised. In Phase 1, strong CO lines formed in very high atmospheric layers were modelled using the established model (Asplund et al. 2000b). This produced less than perfect agreement with observed line asymmetries measured in the ATMOS disc-centre solar atlas. The velocity, temperature and density fields were then manually altered during Phase 2 in order to ascertain the reasons for the disagreement with observation during Phase 1. Following reasonably successful reproduction of observed profiles and bisectors in Phase 2, new self-consistent simulations were performed using an updated version of the hydrodynamical code and an extended simulation domain in Phase 3. In this final phase, excellent agreement between observed and synthesisedline profile shapes, depths and bisectors was achieved.