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The FUV spectrum of TW Hya. I. Observations of H$_2$ Fluorescence

Gregory J. Herczeg·Jeffrey L. Linsky·Jeff A. Valenti·Chris M. Johns-Krull·Brian E. Wood
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Abstract

We observed the classical T Tauri star TW Hya with \textit{HST}/STIS using the E140M grating, from 1150--1700 Å, with the E230M grating, from 2200--2900 Å, and with \FUSE from 900--1180 Å. Emission in 143 Lyman-band H$_2$ lines representing 19 progressions dominates the spectral region from 1250--1650 Å. The total H$_2$ emission line flux is $1.94 \times 10^{-12}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$, which corresponds to $1.90\times10^{-4}$ $L_\odot$ at TW Hya's distance of 56 pc. A broad stellar \Lya line photoexcites the H$_2$ from excited rovibrational levels of the ground electronic state to excited electronic states. The \ion{C}{2} 1335 Ådoublet, \ion{C}{3} 1175 Å multiplet, and \ion{C}{4} 1550 Ådoublet also electronically excite H$_2$. The velocity shift of the H$_2$ lines is consistent with the photospheric radial velocity of TW Hya, and the emission is not spatially extended beyond the $0\farcs05$ resolution of \textit{HST}. The H$_2$ lines have an intrinsic FWHM of $11.91\pm0.16$ \kms. One H$_2$ line is significantly weaker than predicted by this model because of \ion{C}{2} wind absorption. We also do not observe any H$_2$ absorption against the stellar \Lya profile. From these results, we conclude that the H$_2$ emission is more consistent with an origin in a disk rather than in an outflow or circumstellar shell. We also analyze the hot accretion-region lines (e.g., \ion{C}{4}, \ion{Si}{4}, \ion{O}{6}) of TW Hya, which are formed at the accretion shock, and discuss some reasons why Si lines appear significantly weaker than other TR region lines.

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Gregory J. Herczeg, Jeffrey L. Linsky, Jeff A. Valenti, Chris M. Johns-Krull, Brian E. Wood. 2002-01-18. The FUV spectrum of TW Hya. I. Observations of H$_2$ Fluorescence. https://doi.org/10.1086/339731

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