Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2006-11-14
Astrophys.J.653:L121-L124,2006
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Minor changes, to match the published version in ApJ Letter, 2006, 653
Scientific paper
10.1086/510669
The iron depletion level and the gas-phase iron abundance in the hot ~10^6 K interstellar medium (ISM) is critical to the understanding of its energy balance as well as the thermal sputtering, cooling, and heating processes of dust grains. Here we report on the first detection of the Fe XVII absorption line at 15.02 A from the hot ISM in the spectrum of the low mass X-ray binary 4U~1820-303 observed with Chandra X-Ray Observatory. By jointly analyzing this absorption line with those from OVII, OVIII, and NeIX ions in the same spectrum, we obtain an abundance ratio as Fe/Ne=0.8(0.4, 2.1) in units of the Anders & Grevesse solar value (90% confidence intervals). We find that the result is robust with respect to different assumed gas temperature distributions. The obtained Fe/Ne abundance ratio, albeit with large uncertainties, is consistent with the solar value, indicating that there is very little or no iron depleted into dust grains, i.e., most of or all of the dust grains have been destroyed in the hot ISM.
Nowak Michael
Schulz Norbert
Wang Daniel Q.
Yao Yangsen
No associations
LandOfFree
Chandra Detection of Fe XVII in Absorption: Iron Abundance in the Hot Gaseous Interstellar Medium does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Chandra Detection of Fe XVII in Absorption: Iron Abundance in the Hot Gaseous Interstellar Medium, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Chandra Detection of Fe XVII in Absorption: Iron Abundance in the Hot Gaseous Interstellar Medium will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-54149