Interstellar CO in the direction of the runaway star AE Aurigae.

Abstract

The detection of absorption by interstellar (C-12)(O-16) in a high-dispersion IUE spectrum of AE Aur is reported. Relative to an estimated total hydrogen column density of about 21.62 in the line-of-sight, the measured CO column density of 14.76 + or - 0.10, is consistent with the theoretical model of Federman et al. (1980) for gas-phase chemistry in low density diffuse clouds. Arguments are presented for locating the principal cloud in the direction of AE Aur close to the star.