Ultraviolet fluorescence lines of Fe II observed in satellite spectra of the symbiotic star RR Telescopii

Abstract:
By examining all emission lines of Fe II in high resolution satellite spectra of the symbiotic star RR Tel we have made a systematic study of fluorescence lines in the ultraviolet wavelength region 1200-3000 Å. We list 33 energy levels of Fe II that are selectively excited in the stellar system by photons from strong lines of H, He II, Si III, O III, C IV, O V, Ne V, and O VI. All energy levels listed are accompanied by the most probable pumping line. The subsequent decay from the pumped levels results in about 120 fluorescence lines observed in spectra recorded with the International Ultraviolet Explorer and the Hubble Space Telescope. The tables include 9 energy levels and 17 emission lines of Fe II, which are for the first time attributed to fluorescence. In a finding list we also include potential fluorescence lines, which means additional transitions from the pumped energy levels observed in laboratory spectra but not in the stellar spectra. Based on observations by the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) and the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) onboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Tables 1-5 are only available electronically with the On-Line publication at http://link.springer.de/link/service/00230/