A study of depletions within the rho Ophiuchi cloud based on IUE observations of HD 147889.

Abstract

Archival IUE data on the deeply embedded Rho Oph cloud star HD 147889 have been used to derive column densities for several species. The poor data quality and limited useful spectral coverage made unambiguous abundances very difficult to deduce, but firm limits could be set. Absolute depletions have been estimated, based on an assumed value of the total hydrogen column density, but they are uncertain due to uncertainty in N(H). The data appear to indicate that depletions are generally very large in this line of sight. There is also some indication that the relative depletions are enhanced in the densest portions of the cloud.