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arXiv:astro-ph/0401012 (astro-ph)
[Submitted on 2 Jan 2004 (v1), last revised 13 Feb 2004 (this version, v2)]

Title:Spatially extended K I 7699 emission in the nebula of VY CMa: Kinematics and geometry

Authors:Nathan Smith
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Abstract: Long-slit echelle spectra reveal bright extended emission from the K I lambda7699 resonance line in the reflection nebula surrounding the extreme red supergiant VY Canis Majoris. The central star has long been known for its unusually-bright K I emission lines, but this is the first report of intrinsic emission from K I in the nebula. The extended emission is not just a reflected spectrum of the star, but is due to resonant scattering by K atoms in the outer nebula itself, and is therefore a valuable probe of the kinematics and geometry of VY CMa's circumstellar environment. Dramatic velocity structure is seen in the long-slit spectra, and most lines of sight intersect multiple distinct velocity components. A faint ``halo'' at large distances from the star does appear to show a reflected spectrum, however, and suggests a systemic velocity of +40 km/s with respect to the Sun. The most striking feature is blueshifted emission from the filled interior of a large shell seen in images; the kinematic structure is reminiscent of a Hubble flow, and provides strong evidence for asymmetric and episodic mass loss due to localized eruptions on the star's surface.
Comments: 5 pages, 3 figures. Accepted MNRAS. Updated version with minor changes
Subjects: Astrophysics (astro-ph)
Cite as: arXiv:astro-ph/0401012
  (or arXiv:astro-ph/0401012v2 for this version)
  https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.astro-ph/0401012
Journal reference: Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc. 349 (2004) L31
Related DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.07718.x

Submission history

From: Nathan Smith [view email]
[v1] Fri, 2 Jan 2004 23:07:53 UTC (250 KB)
[v2] Fri, 13 Feb 2004 20:53:49 UTC (250 KB)
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