UV Spectral Classification of O and B Stars in the Small Magellanic =

We present an ultraviolet classification system for 0 and B stars of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). This system is defined by a set of standard, low resolution, International Ultraviolet Explorer (JUE) spectra. This UV classification system results from the development of spectral sequences demonstrating systematic patterus of UV spectral features. These spectral sequences yield Uv classifications for 133 0 and B stars of the SMC, which we also present here. Although independent of the MK System, our UV classifications show general agreement with those deduced from visual data. This UV classification system is designed to be applicable to 0 and B stars in other nearby galaxies of metallicity comparable to the SMC. The classification technique itself is applicable to any UV dataset of sufficient size and quality, and can be used to extend our UV classification system to other galactic metal abundances. These UV classification systems will be essential for analysis of datasets from new spaceborne instrumentation such as the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), which will be capable of observing stars in external galaxies for which no optical classifications exist. 0 1997 American Astronomical Society. [S0004-6256(97)0231 1-X]