8387(  2) - 12/18/98 16:56  - [  1]

    PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS   ST ScI Use Only
                                                       ID:      8387
                                                       Version: 2
                                                       Check-in Date: 18-Dec-1998
                                                                      16:55:11

1.Proposal Title:
The FeII Spectra of Eta Carinae: Implications for Atomic and Plasma Astrophysics
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2. Proposal For  3. Cycle
AR               8
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4. Investigators
                                                                                     Contact?
    PI: Dmitri Verner                     University of Kentucky
   CoI: Prof. Gary Ferland                University of Kentucky                        N
   CoI: Ms. Ekaterina Verner              University of Kentucky                        N
   CoI: Prof. Francis Keenan              Queen's University of Belfast                 N
   CoI: Prof. Phil Burke                  Queen's University of Belfast                 N

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5. Abstract

The FeII emission spectrum is a ubiquitous one, appearing in such objects as stars,
protostellar disks, HII regions, novae, supernova remnants, active galaxies and
quasars. Its interpretation is painfully difficult because of the great complexity
of the Fe^+ energy level structure. We have embarked on a long term program to fully
simulate the physical conditions within FeII-emitting gas and then predict the
resulting spectrum. The first steps, the generation of the initial data base and its
incorporation into the radiative- collisional code Cloudy, are complete. Now we
request archive HST observations of the massive star Eta Carinae. Although Eta
Carinae is one of the most studied stellar objects, its spectrum of FeII emission
lines is still poorly understood. We plan to attack the FeII spectrum from two
directions: (1) by detailed self-consistent quantitative modelling of all excitation
mechanisms of the FeII atom interacting with its environment, (2) and by validating
existing and calculating new atomic data for FeII. The rich FeII spectra of Eta
Carinae will allow us to check the reliability and completeness of the atomic data
and processes considered, to investigate the sensitivity of emission lines to
temperature and density variations, to assess the importance of blending, and hence
to quantify what FeII emission tells us about iron abundances in other objects.
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  Data Distribution

  Paper Products:  NO
  Media:           ELECTRONIC
  Blocking Factor: 10
  Ship To:         PI_Address
  Ship Via:
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                                                8387(  2) - 12/18/98 16:56  - [  2]

            Summary Form for Proposal  8387

  Item                         Used in this proposal
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  Proposal Category            AR
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