Exploring the FUV Nebula Around Eta Carinae
Abstract
FUSE observations of the star,ecar, and its surrounding stellar ejecta present a unique opportunity to study the FUV properties of recently ejected material from a very massive stellar system and to identify the hot secondary companion. We propose to 1) use the MDRS to obtainecars polar stellar spectrum scattered from the SE lobe, which should provide spectral signature of the mysterious companion star, 2) use the HIRS and MDRS to disentangle the stellar spectrum from the dust-scattered, nebular emission, and 3) obtain the nebular spectrum of the S-condensation, where recent, fast moving ejecta are colliding with previously-ejected, nitrogen-enriched material. This proposal builds on multiple observing programs using FUSE, HSTSTIS, RXTE, CHANDRA, VLTUVES and other ground-based instruments that have followedecar over the recent 5.54-year cycle. These proposed observations, along with improved modeling of this very complex system, will provide new insight on ! the nature of massive (binary) stars in their last stages of stellar evolution and on how they interact with, and enrich, the ISM. Since very massive, Population III stars are thought to be the source of heavy elements and dust in the early Universe, we need a complete description of how stars of extreme mass, such asecar, deposit nucleosynthesis products into the ISM, and how they form dust.
- Publication:
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FUSE Proposal
- Pub Date:
- 2005
- Bibcode:
- 2005fuse.prop.F132G
- Keywords:
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- FUSE Proposal ID #F132