Open AccessInfrared spectroscopy of Sakurai's object
Author(s) -
Eyres S. P. S.,
Evans A.,
Geballe T. R.,
Salama A.,
Smalley B.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1998.01898.x
Subject(s) - physics , infrared , astrophysics , spectroscopy , stars , carbon star , circumstellar dust , infrared spectroscopy , astronomy , circumstellar disk , quantum mechanics
We present near (ground‐based) and far ( ISO ) infrared spectroscopy of Sakurai's object. As in the case of the optical spectrum, between 1996 and 1997 April the near‐infrared spectrum underwent a dramatic change to later spectral type, and there is some evidence that the spectrum continued to evolve during 1997. Molecular features of carbon‐bearing molecules (CN, C 2 , CO) — corresponding to those seen in cool carbon stars — are now prominent in the 1–2.5 μ m range, and the 12 C/ 13 C ratio is low. The ISO data demonstrate the presence of hot circumstellar dust at a temperature of ∼ 680 K. If the dust shell is optically thin, the dust mass is ∼ 2.8 × 10 −8 M⊙.