Ultraviolet absorption by interstellar gas near the LMC star HD 36402in the interstellar bubble N51D.

Abstract

Four interstellar absorption components associated with the immediate surroundings of the star are found in UV, high-dispersion IUE spectra of the LMC star HD 36402 in the N51D nebulosity. The 305 km/sec absorption is found to originate in low-density, 10,000 K gas, and the density and velocity structures agree with that derived from visual emission lines. From a fit of the observed Lyman-alpha profile, it is found that there is an N(H) of about 10 to the 20.2/sq cm in front of HD 36402, while the large N(H) of approximately 10 to the 21.3/sq cm from 21-cm data indicates most of the neutral gas to be behind N51D. An additional component shows N V, C IV and Si IV features which are stronger than is consistent with a wind-blown interstellar bubble, implying that there is additional absorption outside the bubble. Solar abundance ratios for the metals are suggested by the overall pattern of absorption line strength.