The symbiotic star RR Tel.

The time variability of RR Tel in the stronger ultraviolet emission lines is explored, and a decrease in the UV line fluxes over the 1978-1984 period is noted, while no evidence for correlation with the infrared fluxes is found. There is no evidence for periodic variations in the 1200-3200 A line emission, and the brightness derived from the IUE FES counts may show the same periodicity as the infrared data. From intensity ratios of the ultraviolet lines, an electron temperature of less than 20,000 K is derived, and it is suggested that radiative and not collisional ionization produces the IUE spectra. The present model indicates that the IUE spectra could be reproduced with a source of 200,000 K and a radius of 4.8 x 10 to the 9th cm. Compared to solar abundances, an increase by a factor of two for He, an increase by a factor of three for N, and a decrease by a factor of 1.5 for C, are found, while O is seen as essentially solar.