2003ApJ...597..408C -
Astrophys. J., 597, 408-413 (2003/November-1)
The homogeneity of interstellar krypton in the galactic disk.
CARTLEDGE S.I.B., MEYER D.M. and LAUROESCH J.T.
Abstract (from CDS):
We present an analysis of high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) observations of Kr I λ1236 absorption in seven sight lines that probe a variety of interstellar environments. In combination with krypton and hydrogen column densities derived from current and archival STIS and Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer data, the number of sight lines with reliable Kr/H ISM abundance ratios has been increased by 50% to 26–including paths that sample a range of nearly 5 orders of magnitude in f(H2) and over 2 orders of magnitude in <nH>, and extend up to 4.8 kpc in length. For sight lines contained entirely within the local spiral arm (the Orion spur), the spread of Kr/H ratios about the mean of log10[N(Kr)/N(H)]ISM=-9.02±0.02 is remarkably tight (0.06 dex), less than the typical data-point uncertainty. Intriguingly, the only two sight lines that extend through neighboring structures, in particular gas associated with the Carina/Sagittarius arm, exhibit relatively large, near-solar krypton abundances (log10[N(Kr)/N(H)]combined=-8.75+0.09–0.11). Although these deviations are only measured at the 2 σ level, they suggest the possibility that krypton abundances beyond the Orion spur may differ from the local value.
Abstract Copyright:
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Journal keyword(s):
ISM: Abundances - Ultraviolet: ISM
Simbad objects:
29
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