Related papers: Oxygen Abundances in the Milky Way Using X-ray Abs…
We present new measurements of the interstellar gas-phase oxygen abundance along the sight lines towards 19 early-type galactic stars at an average distance of 2.6 kpc. We derive O {\small I} column densities from {\it HST}/STIS…
X-ray absorption spectroscopy provides a potentially powerful tool in determining the metal abundances in various phases of the interstellar medium (ISM). We present a case study of the sight line toward 4U 1820-303 (Galactic coordinates l,…
We determined oxygen and iron abundances of the interstellar medium (ISM) using K-shell (O) and L-shell (Fe) X-ray photo-ionization edges towards Ultra luminous X-ray sources (ULXs). We determine the hydrogen column densities (n_H) towards…
Oxygen abundances in the spiral galaxies expected to be richest in oxygen are estimated. The new abundance determinations are based on the recently discovered ff-relation between auroral and nebular oxygen line fluxes in HII regions. We…
We report on the abundance of interstellar neutral oxygen (OI) for 26 sightlines, using data from the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE), the International Spectroscopic Explorer (IUE), and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). OI…
We study the column densities of neutral atomic, molecular, and warm ionized Galactic gas through their continuous absorption of extragalactic X-ray spectra at |b| > 25 degrees. For N(H,21cm) < 5x10^20 cm^-2 there is an extremely tight…
We have developed a new X-ray absorption model, called {\tt IONeq}, which computes the optical depth $\tau(E)$ simultaneously for ions of all abundant elements, assuming ionization equilibrium and taking into account turbulent broadening.…
Chandra high-resolution spectra toward eight low-mass Galactic binaries have been analyzed with a photoionization model that is capable of determining the physical state of the interstellar medium. Particular attention is given to the…
Recent submillimeter and far-infrared wavelength observations of absorption in the rotational ground-state lines of various simple molecules against distant Galactic continuum sources have opened the possibility of studying the chemistry of…
We have obtained column density maps for an unbiased sample of 120 molecular clouds in the third quadrant of the Milky Way mid-plane (b$\le |5|^{\circ}$) within the galactic longitude range from 195$^{\circ}$ to 225$^{\circ}$, using the…
Using the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) onboard HST, we have obtained high S/N echelle observations of the weak interstellar O I 1356 A absorption toward the stars Gamma Cas, Epsilon Per, Delta Ori, Epsilon Ori, 15 Mon, Tau…
Million degree gas is present at near-zero redshift and is due either to a gaseous Galactic Halo or a more diffuse but very massive Local Group medium. We can discriminate between these models because the column densities should depend on…
We search for the maximum oxygen abundance in spiral galaxies. Because this maximum value is expected to occur in the centers of the most luminous galaxies, we have constructed the luminosity - central metallicity diagram for spiral…
Measurements of oxygen abundance throughout galaxies provide insight to the formation histories and ongoing processes. Here we present a study of the gas phase oxygen abundance in the HII regions and diffuse gas of the nearby starburst…
We investigate interstellar absorption from molecular hydrogen (H_2) and metals in an intermediate-velocity cloud (IVC) in the direction of the LMC star Sk -68 80 (HD 36521), based on data from the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer…
Numerical models of disc galaxy formation predict the existence of extended, hot ( T~10^6 K) gas haloes around present day spirals. The X-ray luminosity of these haloes is predicted to increase strongly with galaxy mass. However, searches…
We aim at analysing systematically the distribution and physical properties of neutral and mildly ionised gas in the Milky Way halo, based on a large absorption-selected data set. Multi-wavelength studies were performed combining optical…
We report on the detection of low-column density neutral hydrogen clumps in the halo of the Milky Way. Using high-resolution (FWHM~7 km/s) optical spectra obtained with the VLT/UVES spectrograph we detect narrow interstellar absorption by…
I review studies of the hot gaseous medium in and around nearby normal disk galaxies, including the Milky Way. This medium represents a reservoir of materials required for lasting star formation, a depository of galactic feedback (e.g.,…
The combination of dispersion measures of pulsars, distances from the model of Cordes and Lazio (2002) and emission measures from the WHAM survey enabled a statistical study of electron densities and filling factors of the diffuse ionized…