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| Paper: |
Recent Infrared Spectroscopy of V838 Monocerotis and the Current Model |
| Volume: |
363, The Nature of V838 Mon and its Light Echo |
| Page: |
39 |
| Authors: |
Lynch, D.K.; Rudy, R.J.; Russell, R.W.; Mazuk, S.; Venturini, C.C.; Bernstein, L.S.; Puetter, R.C.; Perry, R.B.; Skinner, M.A. |
| Abstract: |
We report on continuing spectroscopy (visible through 13 ìm) of V838 Mon using the V-NIRIS spectrograph on the Lick 120-inch telescope, SpeX on the IRTF 3.0m telescope and BASS on the AEOS 3.7m telescope. The most interesting change in the spectrum since late 2002 is the weakening and in some cases disappearance of the infrared TiO and VO absorption bands. The AlO bands also weakened, though only slightly. Otherwise, the 2005 spectrum looked superficially similar to the 2002 spectra although the J-band continuum switched from being blue-trending upward to red-trending and there was also an over-all lowering of shorter wavelengths relative to the longer ones, perhaps indicating a lower temperature. Water and CO remained the strongest absorption features. The decrease in opacity of the expanding gas cloud over the last four years has enabled unambiguous identification of the previously obscured OH(2v and 3v) and CO(3v) overtone absorption bands associated with the photosphere. At short wavelengths the object continues to slowly fade, but at longer wavelengths the thermal continuum continues to brighten and shows unusual and as yet unidentified spectral structure. |
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