Search

We investigate the processes of active galactic nuclei (AGN) feeding and feedback in the narrow line regions (NLRs) and host galaxies of nearby AGN through spatially resolved spectroscopy with the Gemini Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) and the Hubble Space Telescope’s Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS). We examine the connection between nuclear and galactic inflows and outflows by adding long-slit spectra of the host galaxies from Apache Point Observatory. We demonstrate that nearby AGN can be fueled by a variety of mechanisms. We find that the NLR kinematics can often be explained by in situ ionization and radiative acceleration of ambient gas, often in the form of dusty molecular spirals that may be the fueling flow to the AGN.

A study is performed of the processes that occur during the interaction between the planetary atmosphere of Gliese 436 b and the incoming plasma wind and ionizing radiation of the parent star. The approximate values of the speed and density of the star’s plasma wind are determined based on a comparison of the results from numerical modeling using a self-consistent 3D magnetohydrodynamic model with the results from observations using the Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST/STIS).

LB-1 has variously been proposed as either an X-ray dim B-type star plus black hole (B+BH) binary, or a Be star plus an inflated stripped star (Be+Bstr) binary. The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on board HST was used to obtain a flux-calibrated spectrum that is compared with non-LTE spectral energy distributions (SED) and line profiles for the proposed models. The Hubble data, together with the Gaia EDR3 parallax, provide tight constraints on the properties and stellar luminosities of the system. In the case of the Be+Bstr model we adopt the published flux ratio for the Be and Bstr stars, re-determine the T$_{eff}$ of the Bstr using the silicon ionization balance, and infer Teff for the Be star from the fit to the SED. We derive stellar parameters consistent with previous results, but with greater precision enabled by the Hubble SED. While the Be+Bstr model is a better fit to the HeI lines and cores of the Balmer lines in the optical, the B+BH model provides a better fit to the Si iv resonance lines in the UV. The analysis also implies that the Bstr star has roughly twice solar silicon abundance, difficult to reconcile with a stripped star origin. The Be star on the other hand has a rather low luminosity, and a spectroscopic mass inconsistent with its possible dynamical mass. The fit to the UV can be significantly improved by reducing the T$_{eff}$ and radius of the Be star, though at the expense of leading to a different mass ratio. In the B+BH model, the single B-type spectrum is a good match to the UV spectrum. Adopting a mass ratio of 5.1$\pm$0.1 (Liu et al. 2020) implies a BH mass of $\sim$21$^{+9}_{-8}M_{\odot}$., Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, 1 online table In press with Astronomy & Astrophysics

From Swift monitoring of a sample of active galactic nuclei (AGN) we found a transient X-ray obscuration event in Seyfert-1 galaxy NGC 3227, and thus triggered our joint XMM-Newton, NuSTAR, and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations to study this event. Here in the first paper of our series we present the broadband continuum modelling of the spectral energy distribution (SED) for NGC 3227, extending from near infrared (NIR) to hard X-rays. We use our new spectra taken with XMM-Newton, NuSTAR, and HST/COS in 2019, together with archival unobscured XMM-Newton, NuSTAR, and HST/STIS data, in order to disentangle various spectral components of NGC 3227 and recover the underlying continuum. We find the observed NIR-optical-UV continuum is explained well by an accretion disk blackbody component (Tmax = 10 eV), which is internally reddened by E(B-V) = 0.45 with a Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) extinction law. We derive the inner radius (12 Rg) and the accretion rate (0.1 solar mass per year) of the disk by modelling the thermal disk emission. The internal reddening in NGC 3227 is most likely associated with outflows from the dusty AGN torus. In addition, an unreddened continuum component is also evident, which likely arises from scattered radiation, associated with the extended narrow-line region (NLR) of NGC 3227. The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) continuum, and the 'soft X-ray excess', can be explained with a 'warm Comptonisation' component. The hard X-rays are consistent with a power-law and a neutral reflection component. The intrinsic bolometric luminosity of the AGN in NGC 3227 is about 2.2e+43 erg/s in 2019, corresponding to 3% Eddington luminosity. Our continuum modelling of the new triggered data of NGC 3227 requires the presence of a new obscuring gas with column density NH = 5e+22 cm^-2, partially covering the X-ray source (Cf = 0.6)., Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics (A&A), 11 pages, 7 figures

We present a dynamical study of the narrow-line regions in two nearby type 2 quasars (QSO2s). We construct dynamical models based on detailed photoionization models of the emission-line gas, including the effects of internal dust, to apply to observations of large-scale outflows from these active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We use Mrk 477 and Mrk 34 in order to test our models against recent Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) observations of [O iii] emission-line kinematics, since these AGNs possess more energetic outflows than found in Seyfert galaxies. We find that the outflows within 500 pc are consistent with radiative acceleration of dusty gas, however the outflows in Mrk 34 are significantly more extended and may not be directly accelerated by radiation. We characterize the properties of X-ray winds found from the expansion of [O iii]-emitting gas close to the black hole. We show that such winds possess the kinetic energy density to disturb [O iii] gas at ∼1.8 kpc, and have sufficient energy to entrain the [O iii] clouds at ∼1.2 kpc. Assuming that the X-ray wind possesses the same radial mass distribution as the [O iii] gas, we find that the peak kinetic luminosity for this wind is 2 per cent of Mrk 34’s bolometric luminosity, which is in the 0.5–5 per cent range required by some models for efficient feedback. Our work shows that, although the kinetic luminosity as measured from [O iii]-emitting gas is frequently low, X-ray winds may provide more than one order of magnitude higher kinetic power.

We have obtained Hubble Space Telescope (HST) coronagraphic observations of the circumstellar disk around M star TWA 7 using the STIS instrument in visible light. Together with archival observations including HST/NICMOS using the F160W filter and Very Large Telescope/SPHERE at $H$-band in polarized light, we investigate the system in scattered light. By studying this nearly face-on system using geometric disk models and Henyey--Greenstein phase functions, we report new discovery of a tertiary ring and a clump. We identify a layered architecture: three rings, a spiral, and an ${\approx}150$ au$^2$ elliptical clump. The most extended ring peaks at $28$ au, and the other components are on its outskirts. Our point source detection limit calculations demonstrate the necessity of disk modeling in imaging fainter planets. Morphologically, we witness a clockwise spiral motion, and the motion pattern is consistent with both solid body and local Keplerian; we also observe underdensity regions for the secondary ring that might result from mean motion resonance or moving shadows: both call for re-observations to determine their nature. Comparing multi-instrument observations, we obtain blue STIS-NICMOS color, STIS-SPHERE radial distribution peak difference for the tertiary ring, and high SPHERE-NICMOS polarization fraction; these aspects indicate that TWA 7 could retain small dust particles. By viewing the debris disk around M star TWA 7 at a nearly face-on vantage point, our study allows for the understanding of such disks in scattered light in both system architecture and dust property., Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, 3 tables, ApJ accepted. Data and animation available in the ancillary folder. Citation fixed, author list updated

Archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of the Seyfert 1 nucleus of NGC 3227 obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) are re-examined in order to constrain a viable photoionization model for the broad-line region (BLR). The results imply that the BLR is a partially ionized, dust-free, spherical shell that is collapsing, supersonically, at the free-fall velocity due to its proximity to a supermassive black hole. The BLR is ionization bounded at the outer radius, coincident with the dust reverberation radius, and transforms into an X-ray emitting plasma inside the Balmer reverberation radius as the central UV--X-ray source is approached. Only 40 M_Sun of Hydrogen are required to explain the Balmer emission line luminosity, but it is compressed by gravity into a column measuring 5.5 x 10^24 atoms/cm^2. Assuming radiatively inefficient accretion, the X-ray luminosity requires ~ 10^-2 M_sun/yr. However, the mass inflow rate required to explain the luminosity of the broad H-alpha emission line is ~1 M_sun/yr. The very large disparity between these two estimates indicates that 99% of the inflowing gas must be re-directed into an outflow, and on a very short timescale corresponding to ~40 years. Alternatively, the radiative efficiency of the inflow has been overestimated, or the X-ray luminosity has been underestimated; a distinct possibility if the BLR is indeed Compton thick., Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 21 September 2020, 10 pages, 9 figures. This will be my penultimate AGN paper unless someone figures out how to win HST time to obtain STIS observations of NGC 7213 and NGC 4051

The bright supergiant, Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis, HD 39801) experienced a visual dimming during 2019 December and the first quarter of 2020 reaching an historic minimum 2020 February 7$-$13. During 2019 September-November, prior to the optical dimming event, the photosphere was expanding. At the same time, spatially resolved ultraviolet spectra using the Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph revealed a substantial increase in the ultraviolet spectrum and Mg II line emission from the chromosphere over the southern hemisphere of the star. Moreover, the temperature and electron density inferred from the spectrum and C II diagnostics also increased in this hemisphere. These changes happened prior to the Great Dimming Event. Variations in the Mg II k-line profiles suggest material moved outwards in response to the passage of a pulse or acoustic shock from 2019 September through 2019 November. It appears that this extraordinary outflow of material from the star, likely initiated by convective photospheric elements, was enhanced by the coincidence with the outward motions in this phase of the $\sim$400 day pulsation cycle. These ultraviolet observations appear to provide the connecting link between the known large convective cells in the photosphere and the mass ejection event that cooled to form the dust cloud in the southern hemisphere imaged in 2019 December, and led to the exceptional optical dimming of Betelgeuse in 2020 February., 11 pages, 8 figures, Astrophysical Journal, accepted

We present new observations of the transmission spectrum of the hot Jupiter WASP-6b both from the ground with the Very Large Telescope (VLT) FOcal Reducer and Spectrograph (FORS2) from 0.45-0.83 $\mu$m, and space with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) from 0.6-1.0 $\mu$m and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field Camera 3 from 1.12-1.65 $\mu$m. Archival data from the HST Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) and Spitzer is also reanalysed on a common Gaussian process framework, of which the STIS data show a good overall agreement with the overlapping FORS2 data. We also explore the effects of stellar heterogeneity on our observations and its resulting implications towards determining the atmospheric characteristics of WASP-6b. Independent of our assumptions for the level of stellar heterogeneity we detect Na I, K I and H$_2$O absorption features and constrain the elemental oxygen abundance to a value of [O/H] $\simeq -0.9\pm0.3$ relative to solar. In contrast, we find that the stellar heterogeneity correction can have significant effects on the retrieved distributions of the [Na/H] and [K/H] abundances, primarily through its degeneracy with the sloping optical opacity of scattering haze species within the atmosphere. Our results also show that despite this presence of haze, WASP-6b remains a favourable object for future atmospheric characterisation with upcoming missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope., Comment: Accepted to MNRAS

We present an analysis of Europa's far-UV spectral albedo using observations during the 1999-2015 time period made by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. Disk-in ...

In December 2001, the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph of the Hubble Space Telescope obtained far-ultraviolet spectral images of Jupiter's moon Callisto. The leading and trailing hemispheres we ...

We present International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) & Hubble Space Telescope Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST STIS) observations of the symbiotic nova V1016 Cyg through the period 1978 – 2000. Four spectra at different times revealing the changes in line fluxes are presented. The outflow velocity of the emitting region was calculated to be 900–2000 km s−1 (FWHM). The reddening of V1016 Cyg was determined from 2200 A absorption feature to be E (B-V) = 0.36 ± 0.02. We calculated the fluxes of CIV 1550 A & CIII] 1909 A emission lines produced in a stellar wind from the hot white dwarf. We determined the average wind mass loss rate to be ∼2.3 × 10–6 M⊙, the average temperature of the emitting region to be ∼1.3 × 105 K, and an average ultraviolet luminosity to be ∼2 × 1035 erg s−1. The results show that there are modulations of line fluxes with time. We attributed these spectral modulations to the changes of density and temperature in the emitting region as a result of the variable stellar wind.

We study the morphology of Ganymede's FUV aurora by analyzing spectral images obtained over the past two decades by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. The ...

We present two new epochs of Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph coronagraphic imaging, along with multi-epoch optical, near-IR, and radio monitoring, of the HD 163296 system. We find ansae features identified in earlier epoch HST imagery are a 4th ring, that resides at a semi-major axis distance of 3.25" (330 au). We determine the scale height of the dust is 64 au at a radial distance of 330 au. We observe surface brightness variations in the 4th ring on, 18 pages, 12 figures, 4 tables, Accepted in AJ

K2-18 b is a transiting mini-Neptune that orbits a nearby (38 pc) cool M3 dwarf and is located inside its region of temperate irradiation. We report on the search for hydrogen escape from the atmosphere K2-18 b using Lyman-$\alpha$ transit spectroscopy with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) instrument installed on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). We analyzed the time-series of the fluxes of the stellar Lyman-$\alpha$ emission of K2-18 in both its blue- and redshifted wings. We found that the average blueshifted emission of K2-18 decreases by $67\% \pm 18\%$ during the transit of the planet compared to the pre-transit emission, tentatively indicating the presence of H atoms escaping vigorously and being blown away by radiation pressure. This interpretation is not definitive because it relies on one partial transit. Based on the reconstructed Lyman-$\alpha$ emission of K2-18, we estimate an EUV irradiation between $10^1-10^2$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ and a total escape rate in the order of $10^8$ g s$^{-1}$. The inferred escape rate suggests that the planet will lose only a small fraction (< 1%) of its mass and retain its volatile-rich atmosphere during its lifetime. More observations are needed to rule out stellar variability effects, confirm the in-transit absorption and better assess the atmospheric escape and high-energy environment of K2-18 b., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&A Letters, V2 with editorial corrections

We present the results of a detailed investigation into the physical conditions in interstellar material interacting with the supernova remnant IC 443. Our analysis is based on a comprehensive examination of high-resolution far-ultraviolet spectra obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph onboard the Hubble Space Telescope of two stars behind IC 443. One of our targets (HD 43582) probes gas along the entire line of sight through the supernova remnant, while the other (HD 254755) samples material located ahead of the primary supernova shock front. We identify low velocity quiescent gas in both directions and find that the densities and temperatures in these components are typical of diffuse atomic and molecular clouds. Numerous high velocity components are observed in the absorption profiles of neutral and singly-ionized atomic species toward HD 43582. These components exhibit a combination of greatly enhanced thermal pressures and significantly reduced dust-grain depletions. We interpret this material as cooling gas in a recombination zone far downstream from shocks driven into neutral gas clumps. The pressures derived for a group of ionized gas components at high positive velocity toward HD 43582 are lower than those of the other shocked components, pointing to pressure inhomogeneities across the remnant. A strong very high velocity component near -620 km/s is seen in the absorption profiles of highly-ionized species toward HD 43582. The velocity of this material is consistent with the range of shock velocities implied by observations of soft thermal X-ray emission from IC 443. Moderately high-velocity gas toward HD 254755 may represent shocked material from a separate foreground supernova remnant., Comment: 88 pages, 27 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

We present a 0.3-5 μm transmission spectrum of the hot Jupiter HAT-P-32Ab observed with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph and Wide Field Camera 3 instruments mounted on the Hubble Space Telescope, combined with Spitzer Infrared Array Camera photometry. The spectrum is composed of 51 spectrophotometric bins with widths ranging between 150 and 400 Å, measured to a median precision of 215 ppm. Comparisons of the observed transmission spectrum to a grid of 1D radiative-convective equilibrium models indicate the presence of clouds/hazes, consistent with previous transit observations and secondary eclipse measurements. To provide more robust constraints on the planet's atmospheric properties, we perform the first full optical to infrared retrieval analysis for this planet. The retrieved spectrum is consistent with a limb temperature of 1248+9292 K, a thick cloud deck, enhanced Rayleigh scattering, and ∼10× solar H2O abundance. We find log(Z/Z o˙) =2.41+0.06-0.07, and compare this measurement with the mass-metallicity relation derived for the solar system., With funding from the Spanish government through the "María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence" accreditation (MDM-2017-0737)

CONTEXT. Many O-type stars have nearby companions whose presence hamper their characterization through spectroscopy. AIMS. We want to obtain spatially resolved spectroscopy of close O-type visual binaries to derive their spectral types. METHODS. We use the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to obtain long-slit blue-violet spectroscopy of eight Galactic O-type stars with nearby visual companions and use spatial-profile fitting to extract the separate spectra. We also use the ground-based Galactic O-Star Spectroscopic Survey (GOSSS) to study more distant visual components. RESULTS. We spatially resolve seven of the eight systems, present spectra for their components, and obtain their spectral types. Those seven multiple systems are iota Ori Aa,Ab,B, 15 Mon Aa,Ab,C, tau CMa Aa,Ab,B,C,D,E, HD 206 267 Aa,Ab,C,D, HD 193 443 A,B, HD 16 429 Aa,Ab, and IU Aur A,B. This is the first time that spatially resolved spectroscopy of the close visual binaries of those systems is obtained. We establish the applicability of the technique as a function of the separation and magnitude difference of the binary., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A

We have examined UV spectra recorded by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on the Hubble Space Telescope for three stars, HD32309, 41 Ari, and $��$~Tel, that are located well inside the boundary of the Local Hot Bubble in our search for absorption features of Si IV, C IV, and N V that could reveal the presence of an interface between the local warm ($T\sim 7000$ K) neutral medium and a more distant hot ($T\sim 10^6$ K) interstellar medium. In all cases, we failed to detect such ions. Our most meaningful upper limit is that for log N(C IV)< 11.86 toward HD32309, which is below the expectation for a sight line that penetrates either a conductive/evaporative interface or a turbulent mixing layer. We offer conjectures on the reasons for these negative results in terms of either a suppression of a conductive layer caused by the shielding of the local cloud by other clouds, which may make it more difficult for us to sense discrete absorption features from gases at intermediate temperatures, or by the presence of a tangential magnetic field at most locations on the surface of the local cloud., 14 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal

Spectral observations made with the long slit of the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on board Hubble have been used to construct spectral maps of the FUV Jovian aurora. They reveal that the amount of absorption by overlying methane shows significant spatial variations. In this report, we examine the relationship between the auroral brightness of the unabsorbed H2 emission that is proportional to the precipitated electron energy flux, and the ultraviolet color ratio, a proxy of the mean electron energy. We find that it varies significantly between the different components of the aurora and in the polar region. Although no global dependence can be found, we show that the two quantities are better organized in some auroral components such as regions of the main aurororal emission. By contrast, the dependence of the electron characteristic energy in high-latitude and diffuse aurora regions on the auroral energy input is generally more scattered. We conclude that the various auroral components are associated with different electron acceleration processes, some of which are not governed by a simple relation linking the value of a field-aligned acceleration potential with the parallel currents flowing from the ionosphere.

We analyzed two observations obtained in Jan. 2013, consisting of spatial scans of the jovian north ultraviolet aurora with the HST Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) in the spectroscopic mode. The color ratio (CR) method, which relates the wavelength-dependent absorption of the FUV spectra to the mean energy of the precipitating electrons, allowed us to determine important characteristics of the entire auroral region. The results show that the spatial distribution of the precipitating electron energy is far from uniform. The morning main emission arc is associated with mean energies of around 265 keV, the afternoon main emission (kink region) has energies near 105 keV, while the 'flare' emissions poleward of the main oval are characterized by electrons in the 50-85. keV range. A small scale structure observed in the discontinuity region is related to electrons of 232 keV and the Ganymede footprint shows energies of 157 keV. Interestingly, each specific region shows very similar behavior for the two separate observations.The Io footprint shows a weak but undeniable hydrocarbon absorption, which is not consistent with altitudes of the Io emission profiles (~900 km relative to the 1 bar level) determined from HST-ACS observations. An upward shift of the hydrocarbon homopause of at least 100 km is required to reconcile the high altitude of the emission and hydrocarbon absorption. The relationship between the energy fluxes and the electron energies has been compared to curves obtained from Knight's theory of field-aligned currents. Assuming a fixed electron temperature of 2.5 keV, an electron source population density of ~800 m-3 and ~2400 m-3 is obtained for the morning main emission and kink regions, respectively. Magnetospheric electron densities are lowered for the morning main emission (~600 m-3) if the relativistic version of Knight's theory is applied.Lyman and Werner H2 emission profiles, resulting from secondary electrons produced by precipitation of heavy ions in the 1-2 MeV/u range, have been applied to our model. The low CR obtained from this emission suggests that heavy ions, presumably the main source of the X-ray aurora, do not significantly contribute to typical UV high latitude emission.

Spectroscopic observations of the Seyfert 1/Liner nucleus of M81, obtained recently with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), have revealed a UV--visible spectrum rich with emission lines of a variety of widths, ionization potentials, and critical densities, including several in the UV that have not previously been reported. Even at the highest angular resolution currently achievable with HST, the broad-line region of M81 cannot be uniquely defined on the basis of commonly used observables such as the full-width at half maximum of the emission lines, or ratios of various emission lines. Numerous broad forbidden lines complicate interpretation of the spectra. At least three separate line-emitting components are inferred. A large, highly ionized, low density, low metallicity H${^+}$ region producing the broad Balmer lines. Located within the H${^+}$ region are smaller condensations spanning a wide-range in density, and the source of forbidden line emission through collisional excitation of the respective ions. Intermingled with the H${^+}$ region and the condensations is a curious extended source of time-variable CIV ${\lambda}$ 1548 emission. Collectively, these observations can be qualitatively understood in the context of a shock excited jet cavity within a large H${^+}$ region that is photoionized by the central UV--X-ray source. The H${^+}$ region contains ${\sim}$ 500 M${\odot}$ of low metallicity gas that is dynamically unstable to inflow. At the current rate, the available H${^+}$ gas can sustain the advection dominated accretion flow that powers the central UV--X-ray source for 10$^{5}$ years., Comment: 14 pages, 19 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Accepted 2019 June 20. Received 2019 June 19; in original form 2019 May 31

The mass accretion rate is a crucial parameter for the study of the evolution of accretion discs around young low-mass stellar and substellar objects (YSOs). We revisit the case of MYLup, an object where VLT/X-Shooter data suggested a negligible mass accretion rate, and show it to be accreting on a level similar to other ClassII YSOs in Lupus based on HST observations. In our HST-COS and -STIS spectra, we find many emission lines, as well as substantial FUV continuum excess emission, which can be ascribed to active accretion. The total luminosity of the CIV 1549A doublet is 4.1$\times10^{-4}$ Lsun. Using scalings between accretion luminosity, Lacc, and CIV luminosity from the literature, we derive Lacc $\sim$2$\times10^{-1}$ Lsun, which is more than an order of magnitude higher than the upper limit estimated from the X-Shooter observations. We discuss possible reasons for the X-Shooter-HST discrepancy, the most plausible being that the low contrast between the continuum excess emission and the photospheric+chromospheric emission at optical wavelengths in MYLup hampered detection of excess emission. The luminosity of the FUV continuum and CIV lines, strong H$_{2}$ fluorescence, and a "1600 A Bump" place MYLup in the class of accreting objects with gas-rich discs. So far, MYLup is the only peculiar case in which a significant difference between the HST and X-Shooter Macc estimates exists that is not ascribable to variability. The mass accretion rate inferred from the revisited Lacc estimate is Macc $\sim$ 1( $^{+1.5}_{-0.5}$ )$\times10^{-8}$ Msun/yr. This value is consistent with the typical value derived for accreting YSOs of similar mass in Lupus and points to less clearing of the inner disc than indicated by near- and mid-infrared observations. This is confirmed by ALMA data, which show that the gaps and rings seen in the sub-millimetre are relatively shallow., Comment: 13 pager, 8 figures, two tables

We present the first ultraviolet spectra of Jupiter Trojans. These observations were carried out using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope and cover the wavelength range 200-550 nm at low resolution. The targets include objects from both of the Trojan color subpopulations (less-red and red). We do not observe any discernible absorption features in these spectra. Comparisons of the averaged UV spectra of less-red and red targets show that the subpopulations are spectrally distinct in the UV. Less-red objects display a steep UV slope and a rollover at around 450 nm to a shallower visible slope, whereas red objects show the opposite trend. Laboratory spectra of irradiated ices with and without H$_{2}$S exhibit distinct UV absorption features; consequently, the featureless spectra observed here suggest H$_{2}$S alone is not responsible for the observed color bimodality of Trojans, as has been previously hypothesized. We propose some possible explanations for the observed UV-visible spectra, including complex organics, space weathering of iron-bearing silicates, and masked features due to previous cometary activity., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, accepted by AJ

We present UV spectra of the protoplanetary nebula (pPN) Hen3-1475 obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Our deep, low-dispersion spectroscopy enables monochromatic imaging of Hen3-1475 in UV nebular emission lines, the first of such attempt ever made for a pPN. The high spatial resolution of STIS imaging allows an unprecedentedly sharp view of the S-shaped jet, especially the inner NW1 knot, which is resolved into four components in the MgII 2800 line emission. Through critical comparison with HST optical narrowband images, we found a negative radial velocity gradient in NW1, from -1550 km/s on its innermost component to about -300 km/s on the outermost. Despite their high radial velocities, these components of NW1 mostly show no obvious (or very small) proper motions, indicating that they might be quasi-stationary shocks near the tip of the conical flow along the collimated jet of Hen3-1475., Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters (ApJL); 6 pages, including 4 figures and 1 table

Kiefer et al. reported the detection of infalling Ca II absorption in HD 172555, a member of the beta Pictoris Moving Group (beta PMG). We obtained HST Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph and Cosmic Origins Spectrograph spectroscopy of this star at 2 epochs separated by a week, and we report the discovery of infalling gas in resonant transitions of Si III and IV, C II and IV, and neutral atomic oxygen. Variable absorption is seen in the C II transitions and is optically thick, with covering factors which range between 58% and 68%, similar to features seen in beta Pictoris. The O I spectral profile resembles that of C II, showing a strong low-velocity absorption to + 50 km s(-1) in the single spectral segment obtained during orbital night, as well as what may be higher-velocity absorption. Studies of the mid-IR spectrum of this system have suggested the presence of silica. The O I absorption differs from that seen in Si III, suggesting that the neutral atomic oxygen does not originate in SiO dissociation products but in a more volatile parent molecule such as CO.

We present new measurements for the nuclear stellar velocity dispersion $\sigma_{\ast}$ within sub-arcsecond apertures for 28 nearby galaxies. Our data consist of Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) long-slit spectra obtained with the G750M grating centred on the H$\alpha$ spectral range. We fit the spectra using a library of single stellar population models and Gaussian emission lines, while constraining in most cases the stellar-population content from an initial fit to G430L STIS spectra. We illustrate how these $\sigma_{\ast}$ measurements can be useful for constraining the mass $M_{\bullet}$ of supermassive black holes (SBHs) by concentrating on the cases of the lenticular galaxies NGC4435 and NGC4459. These are characterized by similar ground-based half-light radii stellar velocity dispersion $\sigma_{\rm e}$ values but remarkably different $M_{\bullet}$ as obtained from modelling their central ionised-gas kinematics, where NGC4435 appears to host a significantly undermassive SBH compared to what is expected from the $M_{\bullet}-\sigma_{\rm e}$ relation. For both galaxies, we build Jeans axisymmetric dynamical models to match the ground-based stellar kinematics obtained with SAURON integral-field spectrograph, including a SBH with $M_{\bullet}$ value as predicted by the $M_{\bullet}-\sigma_{\rm e}$ relation and using high-resolution HST images taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys to construct the stellar-mass model. By mimicking the HST observing conditions we use such reference models to make a prediction for the nuclear $\sigma_{\ast}$ value. Whereas this was found to agree with our nuclear $\sigma_{\ast}$ measurement for NGC4459, for NGC4435 the observed $\sigma_{\ast}$ is remarkably smaller than the predicted one, which further suggests that this galaxy could host an undermassive SBH., Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, MNRAS accepted

Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has served as a platform with unique capabilities for remote observations of comets in the far-ultraviolet region of the spectrum. Successive generations of imagers and spectrographs have seen large advances in sensitivity and spectral resolution enabling observations of the diverse properties of a representative number of comets during the past 25 years. To date, four comets have been observed in the far-ultraviolet by the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), the last spectrograph to be installed in HST, in 2009: 103P/Hartley 2, C/2009 P1 (Garradd), C/2012 S1 (ISON), and C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy). COS has unprecedented sensitivity, but limited spatial information in its 2.5 arcsec diameter circular aperture, and our objective was to determine the CO production rates from measurements of the CO Fourth Positive system in the spectral range of 1400 to 1700 A. In the two brightest comets, nineteen bands of this system were clearly identified. The water production rates were derived from nearly concurrent observations of the OH (0,0) band at 3085 A by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS). The derived CO/H2O production rate ratio ranged from ~0.3% for Hartley 2 to ~22% for Garradd. In addition, strong partially resolved emission features due to multiplets of S I, centered at 1429 A and 1479 A, and of C I at 1561 A and 1657 A, were observed in all four comets. Weak emission from several lines of the H2 Lyman band system, excited by solar Lyman-alpha and Lyman-beta pumped fluorescence, were detected in comet Lovejoy., Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal

V350 Sgr is a classical Cepheid suitable for mass determination. It has a hot companion which is prominent in the ultraviolet and which is not itself a binary. We have obtained two high resolution echelle spectra of the companion at orbital velocity maximum and minimum with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) in the 1320 to 1510 \AA\/ region. By cross-correlating these spectra we obtained the orbital velocity amplitude of the companion with an uncertainty in the companion amplitude of 1.9 km sec$^{-1}$. This provides a mass ratio of the Cepheid to the companion of 2.1. The ultraviolet energy distribution of the companion provides the mass of the companion, yielding a Cepheid mass of 5.2 $\pm$ 0.3 M$_\odot$. This mass requires some combination of moderate main sequence core convective overshoot and rotation to match evolutionary tracks., Comment: Accepted by ApJ

We present an atmospheric transmission spectrum for the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-121b, measured using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) onboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Across the 0.47-1 micron wavelength range, the data imply an atmospheric opacity comparable to - and in some spectroscopic channels exceeding - that previously measured at near-infrared wavelengths (1.15-1.65 micron). Wavelength-dependent variations in the opacity rule out a gray cloud deck at a confidence level of 3.8-sigma and may instead be explained by VO spectral bands. We find a cloud-free model assuming chemical equilibrium for a temperature of 1500K and metal enrichment of 10-30x solar matches these data well. Using a free-chemistry retrieval analysis, we estimate a VO abundance of -6.6(-0.3,+0.2) dex. We find no evidence for TiO and place a 3-sigma upper limit of -7.9 dex on its abundance, suggesting TiO may have condensed from the gas phase at the day-night limb. The opacity rises steeply at the shortest wavelengths, increasing by approximately five pressure scale heights from 0.47 to 0.3 micron in wavelength. If this feature is caused by Rayleigh scattering due to uniformly-distributed aerosols, it would imply an unphysically high temperature of 6810+/-1530K. One alternative explanation for the short-wavelength rise is absorption due to SH (mercapto radical), which has been predicted as an important product of non-equilibrium chemistry in hot Jupiter atmospheres. Irrespective of the identity of the NUV absorber, it likely captures a significant amount of incident stellar radiation at low pressures, thus playing a significant role in the overall energy budget, thermal structure, and circulation of the atmosphere., Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal

Libraries of stellar spectra find many uses in astrophysics, from photometric calibration to stellar population synthesis. We present low resolution spectra of 40 stars from 0.2 micrometers (ultraviolet) to 1.0 micrometers (near infrared) with excellent fluxing. The stars include normal O-type stars, helium-burning stars, and post-asymptotic giant branch (PAGB) stars. Spectra were obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) installed in the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) using three low resolution gratings, G230LB, G430L, and G750L. Cosmic ray hits and fringing in the red were corrected. A correction for scattered light was applied, significant only for our coolest stars. Cross-correlation was used to bring the spectra to a common, final, zero velocity wavelength scale. Finally, synthetic stellar spectra were used to estimate line of sight dust extinction to each star, and a five-parameter dust extinction model was fit, or a one-parameter fit in the case of low extinction. These spectra dovetail with the similar Next Generation Stellar Library (NGSL) spectra, extending the NGSL's coverage of stellar parameters, and extending to helium burning stars and stars that do not fuse. The fitted dust extinction model showed considerable variation from star to star, indicating variations in dust properties for different lines of sight. Interstellar absorption lines are present in most stars, notably MgII., Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures. Accepted to Astronomy & Astrophysics, section 14. Catalogs and data

The optically and IR bright, and starlight-scattering, HR 4796A ring-like debris disk is one of the most (and best) studied exoplanetary debris systems. The presence of a yet-undetected planet has been inferred (or suggested) from the narrow width and inner/outer truncation radii of its r = 1.05" (77 au) debris ring. We present new, highly sensitive, Hubble Space Telescope (HST) visible-light images of the HR 4796A circumstellar debris system and its environment over a very wide range of stellocentric angles from 0.32" (23 au) to ~ 15" (1100 au). These very high contrast images were obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) using 6-roll PSF-template subtracted coronagraphy suppressing the primary light of HR 4796A and using three image plane occulters and simultaneously subtracting the background light from its close angular proximity M2.5V companion. The resulting images unambiguously reveal the debris ring embedded within a much larger, morphologically complex, and bi-axially asymmetric exoring scattering structure. These images at visible wavelengths are sensitive to, and map, the spatial distribution, brightness, and radial surface density of micron size particles over 5 dex in surface brightness. These particles in the exo-ring environment may be unbound from the system and interacting with the local ISM. Herein we present a new morphological and photometric view of the larger than prior seen HR 4796A exoplanetary debris system with sensitivity to small particles at stellocentric distances an order of magnitude greater than has previously been observed., 28 pages, 17 figures, accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal 21 December 2017

Far-ultraviolet observations of Ganymede's atmospheric emissions were obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) onboard of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) on several occasions between 1998 and 2014. We analyze the Lyman-α emission from four HST campaigns in order to constrain the abundance and variation of atomic hydrogen in Ganymede's atmosphere. We apply a forward model that estimates surface reflection and resonant scattering in an escaping corona of the solar Lyman-α flux, taking into account the effects of the hydrogen in the interplanetary medium. The atmospheric emissions around Ganymede's disk derived for the observations taken between 1998 and 2011 are consistent with a hydrogen corona in the density range of (5–8) × 103 cm−3 at the surface. The hydrogen density appears to be generally stable in that period. In 2014, Ganymede's corona brightness is approximately 3 times lower during two observations of Ganymede's trailing hemisphere and hardly detectable at all during two observations of the leading hemisphere. We also investigate extinction of Ganymede's coronal emissions in the Earth's upper atmosphere or geocorona. For small Doppler shifts, resonant scattering in the geocorona of the moon corona emissions can effectively reduce the brightness observed by HST. In the case of the 2014 leading hemisphere observations, an estimated extinction of 80% might explain the non-detection of Ganymede's hydrogen corona. Geocoronal extinction might also explain a previously detected hemispheric difference from Callisto's hydrogen corona.

Prior high angular resolution spectroscopic observations of the Low-ionization nuclear emission-line region (Liner) in NGC 3998 obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) revealed a rich UV-visible spectrum consisting of broad permitted and broad forbidden emission lines. The photoionization code XSTAR is employed together with reddening-insensitive emission line diagnostics to constrain a dynamical model for the broad-line region (BLR) in NGC 3998. The BLR is modelled as a large H$^+$ region ${\sim}$ 7 pc in radius consisting of dust-free, low density ${\sim}$ 10$^4$ cm$^{-3}$, low metallicity ${\sim}$ 0.01 $Z/Z_\odot$ gas. Modelling the shape of the broad H${\alpha}$ emission line significantly discriminates between two independent measures of the black hole mass, favouring the estimate of de Francesco et al. (2006). Interpreting the broad H${\alpha}$ emission line in terms of a steady-state spherically symmetric inflow leads to a mass inflow rate of 1.4 ${\times}$ 10$^{-2}$ M$_\odot$/yr, well within the present uncertainty of calculations that attempt to explain the observed X-ray emission in terms of an advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF). Collectively, the model provides an explanation for the shape of the H${\alpha}$ emission line, the relative intensities and luminosities for the H Balmer, [O III], and potentially several of the broad UV emission lines, as well as refining the initial conditions needed for future modelling of the ADAF., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 10 pages, 8 figures

The cosmological origin of carbon, the fourth most abundant element in the Universe, is not well known and matter of heavy debate. We investigate the behavior of C/O to O/H in order to constrain the production mechanism of carbon. We measured emission-line intensities in a spectral range from 1600 to 10000 \AA\ on Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) long-slit spectra of 18 starburst galaxies in the local Universe. We determined chemical abundances through traditional nebular analysis and we used a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method to determine where our carbon and oxygen abundances lie in the parameter space. We conclude that our C and O abundance measurements are sensible. We analyzed the behavior of our sample in the [C/O] vs. [O/H] diagram with respect to other objects such as DLAs, neutral ISM measurements, and disk and halo stars, finding that each type of object seems to be located in a specific region of the diagram. Our sample shows a steeper C/O vs. O/H slope with respect to other samples, suggesting that massive stars contribute more to the production of C than N at higher metallicities, only for objects where massive stars are numerous; otherwise intermediate-mass stars dominate the C and N production., Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

We present Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph emission-line spectra of the central regions of the spiral galaxies NGC 1300 and NGC 2748. From the derived kinematics of the nuclear gas we have found evidence for central supermassive black holes in both galaxies. The estimated mass of the black hole in NGC 1300 is 6.6 (+6.3, -3.2) x 10^7 solar masses and in NGC 2748 is 4.4 (+3.5, -3.6) x 10^7 solar masses (both at the 95% confidence level). These two black hole mass estimates contribute to the poorly sampled low-mass end of the nuclear black hole mass spectrum.

We present the ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopic evolution of a tidal disruption event (TDE) for the first time. After the discovery of the nearby TDE iPTF16fnl, we obtained a series of observations with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) onboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The dominant emission features closely resemble those seen in the UV spectra of the TDE ASASSN-14li and are also similar to those of N-rich quasars. However, there is significant evolution in the shape and central wavelength of the line profiles over the course of our observations, such that at early times the lines are broad and redshifted, while at later times the lines are significantly narrower and peak near the wavelengths of their corresponding atomic transitions. Like ASASSN-14li, but unlike N-rich quasars, iPTF16fnl shows neither MgII$\lambda 2798$\AA\ nor CIII]$\lambda 1909$\AA\ emission features. We also present optical photometry and spectroscopy, which suggest that the complex HeII profiles observed in the optical spectra of many TDEs are in part due to the presence of NIII and CIII Wolf-Rayet features, which can potentially serve as probes of the far-UV when space-based observations are not possible. Finally, we use Swift XRT and UVOT observations to place strong limits on the X-ray emission and determine the characteristic temperature, radius, and luminosity of the emitting material. We find that iPTF16fnl is subluminous and evolves more rapidly than other optically discovered TDEs., Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, for a brief video overview of this paper see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh8zHAW4Xxc

We present a spectroscopic study of two intermediate polar systems, AO Psc and V1223 Sgr observed with the Hubble Space Telescope Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST STIS) and International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) during the period 1980–2000. The reddening of two systems is determined from the 2200 A feature. The ultraviolet emission lines are originating in the accretion disk as a result of existing an extra component of emission in the EUV/soft X-ray range with luminosity comparable to the accretion luminosity which reprocessed to produce the observed ultraviolet line strengths. Different spectra for both systems showing the variations in line fluxes at different orbital phases are presented. We concentrated on calculating the line fluxes of C IV 1550 A & He II 1640 A emission lines. From HST and IUE data, we derived an accretion luminosities and an accretion rates for two systems. Our results show that there are variations in line fluxes, accretion luminosities and accretion rates with time for two systems. These variations are attributed to the variations of both density and temperature as a result of a changing rate of mass transfer from the secondary star to the white dwarf. These results from the IUE and HST observations are consistent with the models of Ko et al. (Astrophys. J., 457:363K, 1996).

Images of auroral emissions at far ultraviolet (FUV, 122–200 nm) wavelengths are useful tools with which to study magnetospheric–ionospheric coupling, as the scattered sunlight background in this region is low, allowing both dayside and nightside auroras to be imaged simultaneously. The ratio of intensities between certain FUV emission lines or regions can be used to characterise the precipitating particles responsible for auroral emissions, and hence is a useful diagnostic of magnetospheric dynamics. Here, we describe how the addition of simple transmission filters to a compact broadband imager design allows far ultraviolet emission ratios to be deduced while also providing large-scale instantaneous images of the aurora. The low mass and volume of such an instrument would make it well-suited for both small satellite Earth-orbiting missions and larger outer planet missions from which it could be used to characterise the tenuous atmospheres observed at several moons, as well as studying the auroral emissions of the gas giants. We present a study to investigate the accuracy of a technique to allow emission line ratio retrieval, as applied to the OI 130.4 nm and 135.6 nm emissions at Ganymede. The ratio of these emissions provides information about the atmospheric composition, specifically the relative abundances of O and O2. Using modelled FUV spectra representative of Ganymede׳s atmosphere, based on observations by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), we find that the accuracy of the retrieved ratios is a function of the magnitude of the ratio, with the best measurements corresponding to a ratio of ~ 1.3 .

The C II] feature at ~2325 Angstrom is very prominent in the spectra of T Tauri stars (TTSs). This feature is a quintuplet of semiforbidden transitions excited at electron temperatures around 10,000 K that, together with the nearby Si II] and Fe II] features, provides a reliable optically thin tracer for accurate measurement of the plasma properties in the magnetospheres of TTSs. The spectra of 20 (out of 27) TTSs observed with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) have good enough signal to noise ratio (S/N) at the C II] wavelength. For these stars we have determined electron densities (ne) and temperatures (Te) in the line emission region as well as the profile broadening (sigma). For most of the stars in the sample (17) we obtain 10^{4.1} < Te < 10^{4.5} K and 10^{8} < ne < 10^{12} cm^{-3}. These stars have suprathermal line broadening (35 < sigma < 165 km s^{-1}), except TW Hya and CY Tau with thermal line broadening. Both C II] line luminosity and broadening are found to correlate with the accretion rate. Line emission seems to be produced in the magnetospheric accretion flow, close to the disk. There are three exceptions: DG Tau, RY Tau and FU Ori. The line centroids are blueshifted indicating that the line emission in these three stars is dominated by the outflow., 13 pages, 15 figures, published in MNRAS minor changes

We summarize the results of our long-term program to study the kinematics, morphology, and physical properties of warm partially ionized interstellar gas located within 100 pc of the Sun. Using the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) and other spectrographs on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), we measure radial velocities of neutral and singly ionized atoms that identify comoving structures (clouds) of warm interstellar gas. We have identified 15 of these clouds located within 15 pc of the Sun. Each of them moves with a different velocity vector, and they have narrow ranges of temperature, turbulence, and metal depletions. We compute a three-dimensional model for the Local Interstellar Cloud (LIC), in which the Sun is likely embedded near its edge, and the locations and shapes of the other nearby clouds. These clouds are likely separated by ionized Stromgren sphere gas produced by ϵ CMa, Sirius B, and other hot white dwarfs. We propose that some of these partially ionized clouds are shells of the Stromgren spheres.

Ultraviolet spectra of IP Peg and DW UMa observed with Hubble Space Telescope Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph & Faint Object Spectrograph (HST STIS FOS) and International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellites were analyzed during the period between 1989–1994 and 1985–2004. Different profiles of two systems showing variations of line fluxes at different orbital phases are presented. Both IP Peg and DW UMa are characterized by emission lines in high, intermediate and low states. DW UMa is characterized by absorption lines in an unusual low state. This paper focuses on the C IV emission line at 1550 A produced in an accretion disk for two systems ( Saito et al., 2005 , Knigge et al., 2000 ), by calculating spectral line fluxes. Our results show that there are significant variations of line fluxes with time for two systems. The variations of line fluxes are attributed to the variations of both density and temperature as a result of a changing rate of mass transfer from the secondary star to the white dwarf ( Saito et al., 2005 , Knigge et al., 2000 ). These results from the IUE and HST observations support a white dwarf model atmospheres of IP Peg and DW UMa producing sufficient UV flux for orbital modulations.

We report results from a new technique for mapping Io's SO2 vapor distribution. The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope observed Io during four Jupi ...

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) contains the only currently operating coronagraph in space that is not trained on the Sun. In an era of extreme-adaptive-optics-fed coronagraphs, and with the possibility of future space-based coronagraphs, we re-evaluate the contrast performance of the STIS CCD camera. The 50CORON aperture consists of a series of occulting wedges and bars, including the recently commissioned BAR5 occulter. We discuss the latest procedures in obtaining high-contrast imaging of circumstellar disks and faint point sources with STIS. For the first time, we develop a noise model for the coronagraph, including systematic noise due to speckles, which can be used to predict the performance of future coronagraphic observations. Further, we present results from a recent calibration program that demonstrates better than 10 − 6 point-source contrast at 0.6″, ranging to 3 × 10 − 5 point-source contrast at 0.25″. These results are obtained by a combination of subpixel grid dithers, multiple spacecraft orientations, and postprocessing techniques. Some of these same techniques will be employed by future space-based coronagraphic missions. We discuss the unique aspects of STIS coronagraphy relative to ground-based adaptive-optics-fed coronagraphs.

We observed the young ($\sim 1700$ yrs) pulsar PSR B0540-69 in the near-ultraviolet (UV) for the first time with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) aboard the {\em Hubble Space Telescope}. Imaging observations with the NUV- and FUV-MAMA detectors in TIME-TAG mode allowed us to clearly detect the pulsar in two bands around 2350\AA\ and 1590\AA, with magnitudes $m_{\rm NUV} =21.449 \pm 0.019$ and $m_{\rm FUV} =21.832 \pm 0.103$. We also detected the pulsar-wind nebula (PWN) in the NUV-MAMA image, with a morphology similar to that observed in the optical and near-infrared (IR). The extinction-corrected NUV and FUV pulsar fluxes are compatible with a very steep power law spectrum $F_{\nu} \propto \nu^{-\alpha}$ with spectral index $\alpha_{\rm UV} \sim 3$, non compatible with a Rayleigh Jeans spectrum, indicating a non-thermal origin of the emission. The comparison with the optical/near-IR power-law spectrum (spectral index $\alpha_{\rm O,nIR} \sim 0.7$), indicates an abrupt turn-off at wavelengths below 2500 \AA, not observed in other pulsars. We detected pulsations in both the NUV and FUV data at the 50 ms pulsar period. In both cases, the pulse profile features two peaks closely spaced in phase, as observed in the optical and X-ray light curves. The NUV/FUV peaks are also aligned in phase with those observed in the radio (1.4 GHz), optical, X, and $\gamma$-ray light curves, like in the Crab pulsar, implying a similar beaming geometry across all wavelengths. PSR B0540-69 is now the fifth isolated pulsar, together with Crab, Vela, PSR\, B0656+14, and the radio-quiet Geminga, detected in the optical, near-UV, near-IR, X-rays and $\gamma$-rays, and seen to pulsate in at least four of these energy bands., Comment: 33 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication on ApJ

[1] The auroral emission close to the foot of Io's magnetic flux tube has been known for over a decade to be one of the key parameters characterizing the electrodynamic interaction between the satellite and Jupiter's magnetosphere. Ten years of observations of Io's magnetic footprint brightness have been conducted via far ultraviolet imaging by two instruments, the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph and the Advanced Camera for Surveys, on board the Hubble Space Telescope. The variation of Io's magnetic footprint brightness was found to have a strong correlation with the satellite's location in system III longitude. The persistent pattern of the variation of the brightness of the auroral emission at Io's magnetic footprint with longitude over 10 years of observations implies that the footprint emissions are primarily determined by processes other than temporal variations of the plasma torus. The changing location of Io in the plasma torus with longitude corresponds to changes in centrifugal latitude and to the plasma density in the vicinity of Io, likely affecting the electrodynamic interaction at the satellite. To test this, quantitative models of electron density and the generated power near Io are applied to simulate the observed footprint brightness variation pattern. We find, however, that the longitudinal variations in plasma conditions needed to produce changes in the electrodynamic interaction comparable to the observed modulation of the footprint emissions would require an unrealistically colder plasma torus than previously measured. We quantify the additional energy needed to produce the asymmetric emission peaks at 110° and 270° longitudes.

We present results from a coordinated IR-to-X-ray spectral campaign of the QSO IRAS 13349+2438. Optical spectra reveal extreme Eigenvector-1 characteristics, but the H-beta line width argues against a NLS1 classification; we refine z=0.10853 based on [O III]. We estimate a BH mass=10^9 Msun using 2 independent methods (H-beta line width & SED fits). Blue-shifted absorption (-950km/s & -75km/s) is seen for the 1st time in STIS UV spectra from Ly-alpha, NV, & CIV. The higher velocity UV lines are coincident with the lower-ionisation (xi~1.6) X-ray warm absorber lines. A dusty multiple ionization absorber blueshifted by 700-900km/s is required to fit the X-ray data. Theoretical models comparing different ionising SEDs reveal that a UV-inclusive (i.e., the accretion disc) ionising continuum strongly impacts conclusions for the thermodynamic stability of the warm absorber. Specific to IRAS13349, an Xray-UV ionising SED favors a continuous distribution of ionisation states in a smooth flow (this paper), versus discrete clouds in pressure equilibrium (work by others where UV is omitted). Direct dust detections are seen in both the IR: PAH emission at (7.7 & 11.3)micron which may also be blended with forsterite, and (10 & 18)micron silicate emission, and X-rays: iron dust with a dust-to-gas ratio > 90%. We develop a geometrical model whereby the QSO nuclear region is viewed through the upper atmosphere of an obscuring torus. This sight line is obscured by dust that blocks a direct view of the UV/optical emission region but is largely transparent in X-rays since the gas is ionised. In our model, 20% of the intrinsic UV/optical continuum is scattered into our sight line by the far wall of an obscuring torus. An additional 2.4% of the direct light, which likely dominates the UV emission, is Thomson-scattered into our line-of-sight by another off-plane component of highly ionized gas., Accepted for publication to MNRAS 2013 January 8. Received 2013 January 7; in original form 2012 August 20. 31 MNRAS pages

We have obtained new images of the protoplanetary disk orbiting TW Hya in visible, total intensity light with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), using the newly commissioned BAR5 occulter. These HST/STIS observations achieved an inner working angle $\sim$0.2\arcsec, or 11.7~AU, probing the system at angular radii coincident with recent images of the disk obtained by ALMA and in polarized intensity near-infrared light. By comparing our new STIS images to those taken with STIS in 2000 and with NICMOS in 1998, 2004, and 2005, we demonstrate that TW Hya's azimuthal surface brightness asymmetry moves coherently in position angle. Between 50~AU and 141~AU we measure a constant angular velocity in the azimuthal brightness asymmetry of 22.7$^\circ$~yr$^{-1}$ in a counter-clockwise direction, equivalent to a period of 15.9~yr assuming circular motion. Both the (short) inferred period and lack of radial dependence of the moving shadow pattern are inconsistent with Keplerian rotation at these disk radii. We hypothesize that the asymmetry arises from the fact that the disk interior to 1~AU is inclined and precessing due to a planetary companion, thus partially shadowing the outer disk. Further monitoring of this and other shadows on protoplanetary disks potentially opens a new avenue for indirectly observing the sites of planet formation., 27 pages, 5 figures, accepted to ApJ

We present transmission spectroscopy of the hot-Jupiter WASP-31b using FORS2 on the VLT during two primary transits. The observations cover a wavelength range of $\approx$400-840nm. The light curves are corrupted by significant systematics, but these were to first order invariant with wavelength and could be removed using a common-mode correction derived from the white light curves. We reach a precision in the transit depth of $\approx$140 ppm in 15 nm bins, although the precision varies significantly over the wavelength range. Our FORS2 observations confirm the cloud-deck previously inferred using HST/STIS. We also re-analyse the HST/STIS data using a Gaussian process model, finding excellent agreement with earlier measurements. We reproduce the Rayleigh scattering signature at short wavelengths ($\lesssim$5300 $\AA$) and the cloud-deck at longer wavelengths. However, our FORS2 observations appear to rule out the large potassium feature previously detected using STIS, yet it is recovered from the HST/STIS data, although with reduced amplitude and significance ($\approx$2.5$\sigma$). The discrepancy between our results and the earlier STIS detection of potassium ($\approx$4.3$\sigma$) is either a result of telluric contamination of the ground-based observations, or an underestimate of the uncertainties for narrow-band features in HST/STIS when using linear basis models to account for the systematics. Our results further demonstrate the use of ground-based multi-object spectrographs for the study of exoplanet atmospheres, and highlight the need for caution in our interpretation of narrow-band features in low-resolution spectra of hot-Jupiters., Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in MNRAS

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) has measured the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for several stars of types O, B, A, F, and G. These absolute fluxes from the CALSPEC database are fit with a new spectral grid computed from the ATLAS-APOGEE ATLAS9 model atmosphere database using a chi-square minimization technique in four parameters. The quality of the fits are compared for complete LTE grids by Castelli & Kurucz (CK04) and our new comprehensive LTE grid (BOSZ). For the cooler stars, the fits with the MARCS LTE grid are also evaluated, while the hottest stars are also fit with the NLTE Lanz & Hubeny OB star grids. Unfortunately, these NLTE models do not transition smoothly in the infrared to agree with our new BOSZ LTE grid at the NLTE lower limit of Teff =15,000K. The new BOSZ grid is available via the Space Telescope Institute MAST archive and has a much finer sampled IR wavelength scale than CK04, which will facilitate the modeling of stars observed by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Our result for the angular diameter of Sirius agrees with the ground- based interferometric value., 11 figures