First Results from the Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph: Element Abundances as a Function of Velocity in the Neutral Gas toward XI Persei

Abstract

Observations of ultraviolet interstellar absorption lines toward Xi Persei obtained with the echelle mode of the Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) aboard the HST at a resolution of 3.5 km/s are presented. The data for O I, C II, Mg II, S II, Fe II, Si II, Mn II, and Zn II are converted into representations of apparent column density per unit velocity, Na(v), over the velocity range from -30 to +40 km/s. The profiles for ions that are the dominant state of ionization in neutral clouds permit a study of the variation of element abundance with velocity caused by changes in the gas phase depletion in the different absorbing regions situated toward Xi Per. In the denser portions of the diffuse clouds, heavy element depletions are very large. However, in absorbing components near -5 and +25 km/s, the depletions are less severe, with a nearly solar gas phase abundance ratio being found for the gas in the +25 km/s component. The measurements confirm that the GHRS is well suited for diagnostic spectroscopy of interstellar gas.