Abstract
We present an observation of the very late thermal pulse object V4334 Sgr (Sakurai's Object) with the Infrared Spectrometer (IRS) on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The emission from 5-38 μm is dominated by the still-cooling dust shell. A number of features are seen in absorption against the dust shell, which we attribute to HCN and polyyne molecules. We use these features to determine the 12C/13C ratio for the absorbing gas to be ~3.2+3.2-1.6, this implies that, despite the H-content of the molecules, the hydrocarbon-bearing gas must have originated in material produced in the very late thermal pulse. We see no evidence of emission lines, despite the recently-reported optical and radio observations that suggest the effective temperature of the stellar remnant is rising.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | L75-L79 |
Journal | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters |
Volume | 373 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2006 |
Keywords
- Circumstellar matter
- Stars: carbon
- Stars: evolution
- Stars: individual: V4334 Sgr
- Stars: individual: sakurai's object
- Stars: mass-loss